Hello everyone, I found this site after looking for some answers to a little problem of mine. I am building a home in SW Washington, It's a reclaimed timber frame barn hence the name Barnman. I have a wonderful wife and two wonderful boys that love our new home and love helping their daddy work on the house. We are building this timber frame barn home on 20 acres, lots of room for future garden, orchard, and of course all the animals to provide food for the family.
We haven't even moved in yet and we ended up with a huge bee nest up in the prow of the barn. I have left it there and don't want to harm it, but I really don't like it in my house, so I'm trying to find someone that could help me move the colony out of the house and into some hives that we could start.
I have heard of the potentially disastrous situation that the bee populations are incurring, I want to help in my own way and also have the benefits for our orchard and garden we will be planting this coming year.
Thanks for any help anybody can offer.
Welcome. It is good to have another member in the area. What part of SW Washington are you in?
We are in Washougal, WA, outside of Washougal really, in Skamania County.
Well, we're about as far apart as two people can be and still be in SW WA. ;)
However, there are a few members in the Portland area, so maybe one of them would be interested in helping you remove your hive. You might take a look at the bee removal map and see who is closest.
Thank you, I'll do that. I talked to someone today who llives about 10 miles from me. I found his name on the Ruhl Bee Supply web site. He will help remove the nest if he gets the bees. :( I would like to keep them though and I don't think I should try to move them as a new bee. :)
welcome from North Carolina, I hope enjoy this forum as much as I do. My only problem is I can read fast enough
Thank you, there is sooo much information here, your right I don't read fast enough either. I can't find "The Map" though, lots of references to it, but where is it?
Ok, found it, thanks for the PM
your welcome glad I could help
Check this link!
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,13357.0.html
Welcome! I'm in Buckley as is Sean Kelly. My best friend lives in Battleground, not too far from you. Isn't there a motorcross place there in Washougal? You will find tons of information here, questions will be answered that you havn't thought of yet! Many different opinions & ways to deal with problems you can pick & choose what works for you in your climate & situation. You are a little warmer than we are here, not a huge difference but a few degrees. Jody
May want to throw around some pics of the "Nest". Make sure its not a hornet, or wasp nest. Bees usually don't congregate in a nest type of thing. Of course lots of different terms for different things that people see, but would be good to be sure of what you are dealing with.
Frantz
You should bee able to get enough info right here in this site(and others) to remove the "nest"(hopefully its a "honeybee colony")! Keep the bees for yourself and have fun. They are excellent for the garden and your acreage. Plus the honey rewards in fall are great.
If possible I think I would wait until spring to move them since it is so late in the season that you probably wont get enough stores/comb/brood built up before winter. Let them winter in their curent home and put them in a hive body next spring. They wont hurt anything right where they are at.
If not and you have to get the bees out. Maybe ask the guy you have remove them to give you a split or a nuc of "your" bees on "your" property next summer. Some beeks are generous to newbees and see them get started :)others not so much! :(
Sounds like you could build your own hive body parts. Maybe buy some empty frames and get some foundation for them(I like to alternate full sheet of foundation,stater strip, full sheet etc). Have it ready for next spring. Worse comes to worse, set out a bee trap next spring and get you more bees for free that way! Or just buy a package or nuc($80.00-$150.00) but I prefer the free kind!
Or learn how to capture swarms, get on a swarm list and got them free or even get paid that way!!!
Bees are fun and you'd bee amazed at how they get you addicted after messing w/ them!
Well gotta go mess w/ my bees! Have fun!!!!
Barnman, welcome to our forum, so nice that you found us. This will be a place that you will enjoy to spend time, tell us your stories and experiences, we love to listen. Have a most wonderful and awesome day, Cindi
Quote from: barnman on August 18, 2008, 05:59:29 PM
We are in Washougal, WA, outside of Washougal really, in Skamania County.
Welcome to the forum. You're invited to my Labor Day bash for PNW beemaster members. BBQ includes marinated pigeon breast, Muscovy duck, Hamburgers, with Hotdogs and mashmellows (for the kids) over the fire pit. Hop a ride with Dane Bramage (Portland) or KathyP (Boring) or PM me for directions if you're interested.