Guilfordbeekeepers.org

Ok,

I go to church with a man who has a tree that fell in his back yard. To his surprise, there are honey bees in the tree. The tree is on the ground, and the whole is about the size of your upper forearm, maybe a bit bigger.

1. Would it be best to use a cone, bait hive with eggs and larva and trap them out?

or

2. Cut and remove the tree, bees in it, and open up the tree once it was in my yard?

or

3. Cut and remove the bees on site?

Next question is, how can you tell where the hollow starts and stops in order to cut and move the log?

Not sure if I will tackle this or not, looking for suggestions.

Always look at the problem before trying to solve it. Take each job on it's own merits.

I suppose the trap-out would be the easy way to go. However, doing it that was, you loose the genetics of the colony. I wonder how long they have been in the tree? It maybe this years swarm, or it maybe survivor bees? No way to know on that I suppose. I will talk to him and see how long he can let it staywhere it is. I can't get to it this week.

Ron,
Is the tree a managable size? If so, think about relocation of the colony area of the tree to your bee yard and then proceed with a mall, wedge and possibly a chain saw. This way you can salvage the genetics. I have a tree in my bee yard right now that I am waiting for a cool day to begin work on. I sawed it down and transported the trunk with the colony screened in to my farm. Sure did get some strange looks going up 29 North with the tree trunk tied in my trailer and remaining upright to protect the comb integrity.
John

Comb integrity is something else that I don't know about. This tree fell and is currently on its side. I can't imagine that there was not at least some damage when it fell, and the orientation is wrong as it is now. This maybe more than I am equiped to do.

If anyone is interested let me know. I will ask this evening if he wants it moved quick. Not sure if he will be willing to pay.

Ok,

I went to look at the tree in good daylight. I was going to try and secure the bees in the log and try and get it home. After looking at the tree, and measuring it to find it 4 1/2 feet around, and very knotty in the area of the colony, I am not going to try it. After looking at it, it is for sure a trap-out scenario. I do not have strong enough hives now to take from in order to do the trap out. If you have the resources and wold like to try a trap out, this would be an easy access one to do.

PM me if you are interested.

Ron

Intrigue got the best of me, and I put my apprehension to the side. The tree is cut, and blocked off down to point that bees were flying out each end. It is still lying on its side, and both ends are capped off with plywood. All is needed now, is to screen off the entrance, get it loaded up (which may be a problem), and bring it home.

I am going to try and get someone with a small ATV trailer, and ATV. That would make it easy to get the log. The end result was a log 56" long, 54" around.

The man's son was cutting the tree when I got there, and he was very closs to the bees. He was not at all scared of them, and was working in short-sleeves. So, I joined in, with just a lit smoker.

All was well, its just getting them home now that willbe the trick.