Apparently there is some question/argument over who exactly owns the tree that contains the exposed hive I looked at the other day and there is also some disagreement as to what the various claimants want done with it. I got a call last night from one of the bordering land owners who wants the hive removed in a proper fashion that saves the bees.
In between rainstorms this afternoon I ran over there again to take a better look and I am now doing some brainstorming on how I might go about getting all those bees out of that tree. I think I maybe in luck because it appears to me the exposed cavity they are in doesn't go far below the broken section of the tree shown in the picture. Also since no one cares about the tree I may be able to figure a way to attach a box to the side with an opening close and transfer some comb into it in the hopes that the surviving bees will just move in.
Honestly I am surprised those bees are still alive. The gentleman who lives closest to them said that tree split and fell back in late February and those bees have been living exposed like this for well over a month and went through at least the last sub-zero dip totally open. Of course if the cavity goes down way far it may be impossible to get them out of there as the queen can run further down in than I can reach.
What I suspect is actually going on here is that the queen began laying eggs before the tree split open and bees will not abandon eggs or larva so they are staying otherwise I would have thought they would begin looking for a new home by now.
I'm going to have to give this problem some more thought.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!
That is cool!...My friend called me a few days ago and told me that a swarm may have entered her attic. She has a small hole in the corner of an eave that the squirrels chewed. I told her that they probably would not come into the house but I wasn't about to attempt to get them out! I can set up a trap near the entrance and see if they could be tempted to move. I am such a novice and a wimp!
ReplyDeleteMB - You can get them out but it takes a while. You build a tunnel from their entrance and it's basically a one way tunnel but it takes weeks to get rid of the colony.
DeleteThey have to be lower in the tree. They would have frozen no? In any case, that queen is survivor stock, what with getting soaked too. If it were me, I'd do anything possible to collect them. Maybe even if you don't get the queen, you can get enough bees & brood to make one. Bee vac?
ReplyDeletePS, I figured out how to link your site. I'm new at this.
MV - Nope the colony ends pretty much where you see the cracked wood. Not sure how they made it as long as they have.
DeleteI need to make myself a bee vac. Not sure how much good it would do me this time but...
Wow that is neat, if you could just get the queen, maybe with warm weather they will move up some. Can you bore below and put smoke in there?
ReplyDeleteSf - I am hoping to hang a new box right next to them and transfer the comb over. LOoks like I might be able to pull it off but still uncertain.
DeleteOh, how I wish I knew you and you were closer three years ago. We found an old, hollowed bee tree and it was just BUZZING like crazy. We didn't know much about bees (not like we do now), but we were trying to think of how to get them out and by the gardens. Then next spring we went there and there was no sign of life :(
ReplyDeleteCarolyn - WOW they must have died out that's too bad a feral colony that isn't hurting anyone is the best kind for catching swarms from.
DeleteGood luck. They are surviving with all the rain too??
ReplyDeleteRob - I am amazed they have survived so far.
DeletePP,
ReplyDeleteI hope your plan of possibly attaching a box works.
Sandy - That looks like the best approach so far. We will see.
DeleteThose are tough bees! Best of luck in capturing that colony.
ReplyDeleteThat is very interesting. And if I might add, darn tough bees.
ReplyDeleteOld brood comb and lemon grass extract mashed together make a good bait. One of my friends uses a handful of it in each swarm trap and is successful in attracting the bees.
ReplyDeleteDave