My neighbor has bees in a tree that the power company is coming to cut down. What slick trick can I use to save their lives?
Chain yourself to the tree?
Seriously, call the power co and ask if they'll hold off long enough for you to do a removal.
Scott
Well...
In general the way you get bees out of a tree is by cutting it down. Now in reality you can ask beekeepers how to get them out of the tree, and you'll get information that might make no sense.
My next door neighbor is a tree surgeon, I asked him to tell me when he came across a bee tree, and he told me all kinds of stuff concerning insurance, and what he did to get rid of the last one.
He called my other neighbor, who keeps bees, and Ray brought his tractor out to the residential area. He backed it in between the houses, chained the trunk with a crane or A-frame, wrapped the entire section with mesh, and then cut it off so the tree was still hanging in the same general position. He then hauled it home and put a piece of plywood on the top, put a hive body on it. Can you do something like that?
You probably wont be able to do some of the "high-end" techniques for removing bees from trees or structures. It would take weeks or months. If you can get the section with the bees in it someplace where you can manage them, you'll have the rest of the season to get them in a workable hive body.
First, ask the tree cutter to let you cover the entrance.
(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/Iddee/removals/DSC_3.jpg)
Second, get them to cut above it and down to the wood is pithy.
Then have them cut somewhere below the entrance, and if possible, lower it to the ground, or the bed of your truck. ""Have a couple 2 in. or larger nylon straps for them to use"". Keep it in it's original orientation as much as possible.
(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/Iddee/removals/S3600067.jpg)
Once home, when the weather permits, do a removal.
http://s81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/Iddee/Tree%20stump%20removal%202011/ (http://s81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/Iddee/Tree%20stump%20removal%202011/)
(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/Iddee/Tree%20stump%20removal%202011/DSCN0082.jpg)
Pretty cool pics!
This may also give you a few clues. Smoke & a chain saw gets er done.
http://img64.imageshack.us/slideshow/webplayer.php?id=img1825yz.jpg (http://img64.imageshack.us/slideshow/webplayer.php?id=img1825yz.jpg)
http://img833.imageshack.us/slideshow/webplayer.php?id=img1833nd.jpg (http://img833.imageshack.us/slideshow/webplayer.php?id=img1833nd.jpg)
http://img705.imageshack.us/slideshow/webplayer.php?id=img1856h.jpg (http://img705.imageshack.us/slideshow/webplayer.php?id=img1856h.jpg)
...JP
Nice save on that bee tree JP!