Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: AllenF on April 07, 2012, 02:41:37 PM

Title: Old Oak Trees
Post by: AllenF on April 07, 2012, 02:41:37 PM
My house is surrounded by really really old oak trees.  I come home just a few minutes ago to sounds of that buzz.   After spending the next 10 minutes looking, I find that swarm 40 or 50 feet up.  Don't times like this just make you want to cut down all the trees?   At least all of them over 15 foot?   Clear cutting ain't all that bad, is it?   :-D
Title: Re: Old Oak Trees
Post by: BlueBee on April 07, 2012, 03:29:26 PM
I believe oak trees can supposedly live 200 to 300 years.  Most around here seem to start declining or get hollow cores around 100 years.  I had an old hollow oak tree fall over and block the road in a wind storm.  Lucky there were no cars around at the time.

Cut some down while the wood is still worth $$$  :-D
Title: Re: Old Oak Trees
Post by: Kathyp on April 07, 2012, 03:45:38 PM
did you put out an empty box?  they might take it.
Title: Re: Old Oak Trees
Post by: AllenF on April 07, 2012, 05:29:28 PM
I am surrounded by empty boxes.   They did not take any of them.  Don't know which way they went.   

And with the wood in the trees, that is how we heat the houses down here.   
Title: Re: Old Oak Trees
Post by: rbinhood on April 07, 2012, 08:32:50 PM
Why didn't you try and drum them down......it works.....a empty box or anything to drum on can draw them down.
Title: Re: Old Oak Trees
Post by: SEEYA on April 07, 2012, 09:03:12 PM
I think that I shall never see,..... :-D
Title: Re: Old Oak Trees
Post by: BlueBee on April 07, 2012, 09:17:28 PM
I think I will never see a staircase more lovely as the one from that walnut tree.  Next would be oak  :-D
Title: Re: Old Oak Trees
Post by: AllenF on April 07, 2012, 10:09:02 PM
So I wanted to skip the whole drumming process and just decided to shoot the wings off the queen bee (Beverley Hillbillies style), that way I could catch her and bring the whole swarm home, but I just did not think the neighbors would mind the lead flying. 
Title: Re: Old Oak Trees
Post by: divemaster1963 on April 07, 2012, 10:55:37 PM
we use single 0 buckshot over here to get the ones that are to highup in the pine trees. hit about the mid point on the limb. one or two shots and the limb bends by its self  :-D. then ask your nieghbors if they heard the turkey hunters shooting. 8-)

john
Title: Re: Old Oak Trees
Post by: carlfaba10t on April 07, 2012, 11:07:09 PM
All you have to do is fire up a chainsaw rev the engine a couple times and they will come right down.You guys are terrible!! Bees are smarter than most people anyway.
Title: Re: Old Oak Trees
Post by: jredburn on April 08, 2012, 10:21:54 AM
Boy, you guys are primitive. 
Take a bow and arrow set up for fishing and shoot an arrow into the limb.  Then jerk the line a little and the bees will all slide down the line and you can catch them in a box. 8-)
Helps if you put a little oil on the line first.
Regards
Joe
Title: Re: Old Oak Trees
Post by: rbinhood on April 08, 2012, 11:21:56 AM
Quote from: ray on April 07, 2012, 09:03:12 PM
I think that I shall never see,..... :-D

If you are talking about drumming or some call it tanging a swarm it works great....do a search for tanging I think there is a video of it in action.
Title: Re: Old Oak Trees
Post by: derekm on April 08, 2012, 07:16:36 PM
i think the bees are better off with 6 inches of oak with a bottom entrance rather than 3/4 inch of pine with a top entrance