I was called yesterday morning. We had heavy winds here in the KC area Saturday and Sunday. Sunday afternoon a large branch fell on this guys car. We what do you know. The branch is full of honey bees. So I went up last night and cut the branch down to size and set it on the back of my truck. I checked the branch still attached to the tree and it only had a little bit of comb left with a few bees in it. So I didn't bother cutting anymore of that part of the branch off.
I can hardly wait to get home tonight and split this branch open to pull the bees out. The branch is about 18" diameter and the bees are occupying about 4' - 5' of the branch. This should be pretty awesome.
Maybe I will carefully split the branch and tie it back together and set it out to help catch future swarms.
A little tip, if you don't mind me saying. Try and keep the branch oriented the same way directionally as it was attached to the tree. If not, the bees will usually abscond.
...JP
Yes. with the exception the branch is completely horizontal now, the comb is facing in the same general direction is was while attached to the tree.
I took a few pics yesterday and waiting for my wife to forward them to work so I can upload them here.
I think here is a picture, but I cant remember if I am posting it correctly
(http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/9817/beeinalogok5.th.jpg) (http://img140.imageshack.us/my.php?image=beeinalogok5.jpg)
here is a pic of the log itself
(http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/4915/beelogsb2.th.jpg) (http://img390.imageshack.us/my.php?image=beelogsb2.jpg)
Looks like a very strong colony, good luck with them.
...JP
thanks. I was going to start removing them yesterday however I got a call from a local apartment building. They have 3 cutouts that are needed so I scoped that out yesterday. 3 of them are in seperate buildings. 2 of them require scafolding to reach them. 1 large one is in a soffet.
The other looks as though it maybe in a soffet as well. The 3rd one sounds like a wasps nest. So....
I need to call back the GM today. I originally told him yesterday it was going to be 125 for the first two hours and then 20 per hour there after for the removal. Considering scaffolding is required now and its in the roof line the price just jumped to 400 for 4 hours, 20 bucks an hour there after.
So he will have to figure out if he still wants me to remove the cut outs....