How long does it take the bees to right their comb? Seems they would need to have it at the correct upward angle.
I just picked up an 11 foot maple tree trunk section with bees. The tree had to come down, and the owner couldn't stand to see the bees killed. So now, 6 weeks later they call to have the thing hauled away. I wish they would have called me right away, I would have taken it, and set it upright, the way it was.
Now the whole thing has me pondering just how much work it must have been and wondering how long it would take to the bees get everything right when a tree, housing bees, fell in the wild? Anyone have any experience, or thoughts. I am just hoping they make it where I have located them now, and that I may be able to harvest a few swarms in the future. The previous owner said "the bees had been there forever", and she looked to be pushing 80.
Joel
I'd be surprised if at some point they don't abscond from the tree. Do you have shbs where you live? BTW, the bees will not right the combs that have fallen but may be able to use some of it, if it is in fact deemed usable by them.
I would suggest doing a cut out or trap out come spring.
...JP
Ditto the cut out, the comb is probably a mess in there.
You say it fell in the forest? Funny...I didn't hear it! :-D
Scott
Joel
I did a cutout this spring from a Ponderosa log that had been cut down 4-6 months earlier. The comb was not a mess when we unroofed it. The log was 4-5 feet in diameter so the only choice was to do a cutout.
The honey comb got covered in sawdust so I fed it back to the bees. I got 4-5 frames of brood and about 4 pounds of bees. It is in a 2 deep hive now and heavy enough for winter.
Hmmm, Thanks for the advice guys.
JP, we have the shb's up here, but they are not a problem, at least in my hives. I wonder if they can make it through the winter if they can't utilize all their comb.
Hardwood, whats up with your hearing, it made all kinds of noise when it came down.You must have been in the wrong forest.
MTWI. Sounds like a late cut out may be in order here too. I will likely have to combine them with another hive though, it's getting pretty late up here now.
Joel
Split, my sister is on a vacation traveling around and sent me a text that said she saw a bunch of beehives in the grassland of S. D. and wondered what they could make honey out of in the grass area.
Clover!!!!