Fallen tree w/ bees

[braswell]

Needing some expert advise. I have an oak tree approximately 2 feet in diameter that has fallen with bees. The bees are entering in a limb knot. Question is how do I determine how much to cut above and below the knot? Thanks RB

[Wally]

Trial and error. Start long and cut slices.

[braswell]

I cut the section out of the tree and 6 inches of the bottom of the hive was cut off. The 6 inch part cut off was infested with wax moth larva,similar to maggots, nasty comb. Question is, should we remove the bees this fall or leave them till spring. Within a few minutes yellow jackets were feeding on the larva, the honey bee didn't seem to concerned about the missing comb. I saw a few hive bettles. By reducing the area they need to maintain do you think they can catch up on house keeping 'til spring. Any thoughts. RB

[Jacobs]

Were the larvae you saw wax moth (tunnels of "silk" and larvae ranging from very small to large)or were they small hive beetle (small larvae, a slick shine to the comb and a fermenting smell)? Either makes me wonder what is going on with the bees in the tree since neither can become a significant problem in a strong hive that can protect it's comb. Both are opportunistic and will take advantage of unprotected comb (weak hives, hives that have consolidated and left areas unoccupied).

[Wally]

Cut it out now. They will be dead by spring.

[braswell]

Cut them out and pack them in the least amount of space I can so they can clean out the enemy? RB

[Wally]

Correct......

[braswell]

We split the tree open and found less than 2 pounds of honey stores and the only brood was slick and nasty with beetles, moths and maggots. We got them in a box but this is a mess. There were almost as many hive beetles as bees. Once the smoke clears I am going to get them out of this box into another just to keep cleaning up the mess then combine them because I don't think there is a queen. They had moved into a home that was way to big for them to take care of.

[braswell]

any suggestions on how to figure out if there is a queen without waiting

[Wally]

Shake them into a box with a queen excluder on top.

[braswell]

Why didn't I think of that! I have never seen so many hive bettles, hundreds maybe a thousand. Thanks RB

[braswell]

Just in case someone is keeping score. We never did find a queen and looked a couple different times. The population decreased each time we went to check on them. I have never seen so many hive beetles. Hundreds maybe thousand. The bees are now out numbered 2 to one and down to a few hundred bees or less. Odd thing is the tree had been there for maybe a couple hundred years and looked like bees had always been in that tree. No more tree and no more bees. The End