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Author Topic: maintaining feral bees  (Read 4623 times)

Offline Paul H

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maintaining feral bees
« on: April 10, 2008, 10:19:29 pm »

While I have my first hive built, and the bees will be delivered at the end of the month, I have a colony of feral bees behind the shed.  This has been the second winter they have survived in the trunk of the tree.  Not a lot of activity yet, but I'm in NY, and it is just starting to warm up a bit here.

I'm wondering what I can do to help maintain the health of the bees in the tree.  I'm considering trapping them and starting another hive, but for now I'd like to do what I can for them.

Is there anything I can do for these bees?  Would this colony be a good candidate for trapping and keeping?  Any drawbacks to keeping bees with a feral colony within 200'-300'?

Offline Bigeddie

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Re: maintaining feral bees
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2008, 11:18:26 pm »
Sounds like they know how to take care of themselves. Those are the bees you want, they are survivors and can coexist.
God bless Us all!!

Offline gary.mo

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Re: maintaining feral bees
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2008, 11:41:08 pm »
if you plan to trap them it would seem better to do it now before the get to big. can the tree bee cut down it would make easer         

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: maintaining feral bees
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2008, 09:20:14 pm »
>I'm wondering what I can do to help maintain the health of the bees in the tree.  I'm considering trapping them and starting another hive, but for now I'd like to do what I can for them.

Probably the best thing to do is not mow your lawn when things are blooming.  Don't kill the weeds and leave the bees alone. :)

>Would this colony be a good candidate for trapping and keeping? 

It's difficult to get them out of a tree.

>Any drawbacks to keeping bees with a feral colony within 200'-300'?

Just don't open feed unless you want to feed them all.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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Offline gary.mo

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Re: maintaining feral bees
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2008, 11:18:48 pm »
Not that difficult, just good chainsaw. Have a tree by my work sight , the land owner wants it cut down because it's dead. it has a good hive. hope to add to mine in couple weeks. have one tree in my woods with good hive but it is a good tree so I use it to try different removal ideals. Last year got the tree ready for the acid method.

Offline wayne

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Re: maintaining feral bees
« Reply #5 on: April 12, 2008, 09:47:24 pm »
 Feral nests cast swarms at fairly regular intervals. I would set up a hive body with some Lemongrass oil or swarm lure down wind from the hive and catch the swarms. Use it as a bee supply and leave the nest alone.
I was born about 100 years too early, or to late.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: maintaining feral bees
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2008, 10:03:47 pm »
>Last year got the tree ready for the acid method.

Why?  They were surviving fine before you came along weren't they?
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline gary.mo

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Re: maintaining feral bees
« Reply #7 on: April 12, 2008, 11:03:44 pm »
wayne; grate ideal      [michael bush]  hard to get honey 16 feet up. no squaters the have to pay rent

Offline Cindi

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Re: maintaining feral bees
« Reply #8 on: April 13, 2008, 11:19:59 am »
gary.mo.  Welcome to our forum, I notice that you are a new member, but didn't get a chance to greet you because you haven't introduced yourself, hee, hee.  When you get some time and you feel like it, tell us a little bit about yourself, we are a curious lot (well, I am anyways) and love to know a little bit about new members.  Go to the greetings forum, tell us who you are, smiling.  Anyways, welcome, so nice to have new members.  Have the best of this great day, Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline taipantoo

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Re: maintaining feral bees
« Reply #9 on: April 14, 2008, 08:28:37 am »
BigEddie, Wayne, and of course Micheal Bush are all correct.
If this feral hive is not a nuisance, you have an opportunity that most of us only dream about.
Imagine never having to buy a package or nuc again.
Baiting and hiving a new swarm of bees every year that are known to survive in your area is a plus for you and the bees.
Even if you don't catch them, it is a plus for the bees.

We need to look further into the future than our own instant gratification.
Personally, I wouldn't destroy a tree and a feral hive for a few pounds of honey when there is a chance to turn that into many pounds of honey down the road.

Why would you eat your seed corn?
Just my $.02

Offline JP

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Re: maintaining feral bees
« Reply #10 on: April 14, 2008, 10:00:12 am »
Feral nests cast swarms at fairly regular intervals. I would set up a hive body with some Lemongrass oil or swarm lure down wind from the hive and catch the swarms. Use it as a bee supply and leave the nest alone.

^^ This is what I would do. Enjoy them, and allow nature to take its course.


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Offline gary.mo

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Re: maintaining feral bees
« Reply #11 on: April 15, 2008, 12:09:09 am »
(Cindi)..Myself and pooh (Pooh is my wife and bee buddy) thank you for the warm welcome we'll try to post more about me and wife as my typing gets better. I'm not good with spelling critics but at least I try.

(Taipantoo) I liked your ideal already have the tower up by my bee tree I will just try the bait box. The other tree by my work site is dead and the owner wants it cut down. At least I can try to keep the bees and fire wood. What did you do in Alaska? I was born in Anchorage. I really enjoy this site and my wife is teaching me how to use this laptop this way I can reach out to more people that enjoy bees. I read the post on some feral hive removal and how it can be bad. I have it on tape. When the wife taped me you can see the plan kept changing. But i did learn know its one of my best hives. I think if I was someone new to bees, I would have been scared away from the ruff day. but after three days I could start to feel my hands again. (ha ha ha) Better go Have a lot of work on hives and barn after last wind storm(funny how insurence company wants your payment on time but slow to pay out damages) at least first day of vacation.

GW and pooh

Offline Pond Creek Farm

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Re: maintaining feral bees
« Reply #12 on: April 15, 2008, 12:22:01 am »
I would love to have feral hives in my area.  We had to destroy one last year when a killer ice storn hit our area.  I could hear the bees humming inside a downed hickory tree in our yard.  I was really upset to know that we cut it up (and their home) to clean up our yard.  That hive no doubt, given the temperatures, perished, but I am hopeful that there are others.  I will try to catch any swarms, but our farm has many old trees with hollows that make grat bee homes.  If they get away, I hope they find our trees a good home. I have swarm traps out and am looking too get feral bees that like my farm and will prosper in our climate.  Good luck with your feral bees, but if possible, I recommend to let them be and take advantage of their swarming- It's like a bee factory.
Brian

Offline Paul H

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Re: maintaining feral bees
« Reply #13 on: April 17, 2008, 11:07:40 pm »
BigEddie, Wayne, and of course Micheal Bush are all correct.
If this feral hive is not a nuisance, you have an opportunity that most of us only dream about.
Imagine never having to buy a package or nuc again.
Baiting and hiving a new swarm of bees every year that are known to survive in your area is a plus for you and the bees.
Even if you don't catch them, it is a plus for the bees.

We need to look further into the future than our own instant gratification.
Personally, I wouldn't destroy a tree and a feral hive for a few pounds of honey when there is a chance to turn that into many pounds of honey down the road.

Why would you eat your seed corn?
Just my $.02


Just what I was hoping to hear.  I don't want to cut the tree down, and really like the idea of having a (potential) source for free bees.  I suppose I'll need to do some reading on attracting a swarm and start looking into buying more equipment soon.  I 'm only getting set up with one hive this spring, but maybe I'll get to finish in the fall with two...

 

Offline wtiger

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Re: maintaining feral bees
« Reply #14 on: April 17, 2008, 11:22:01 pm »
yep personally I'd leave them alone unless they are problematic.  You not only have a good source of spring swarms to attempt to lure, but also the genetics of their drones in the area; which is a potential bonus.

 

anything