Honey Bees Removed From Wooden Spool

JP · September 02, 2010, 03:30:41 AM

This hive has the largest queen I may have ever gotten on any removal. She is huge!

Schawee and I looked at this thing and were going to simply pick it up and place it in the truck bed for transport but the thing was in bad shape due to rot and severe termite damage.

Removals like this are my favorites because the bees have been living in an environment that taxes them to no end.

They are now in a new home with a decent roof.

BTW, the spool was situated right over a crawfish mound. I saw the crawfish shimmying down the hole to its house once I removed the bottom of the spool.

...JP

Honey Bees Removed From Wooden Spool

Tommyt · September 02, 2010, 10:01:14 AM

Another #1 Show

Tommyt

G3farms · September 02, 2010, 11:50:23 AM

Lot of junk in her trunk for sure.
Shawee is going to claim that the only way you found that queen is because she was so big. ;) :-D :-D

Good save on those bees! I don't think their spool would have lasted to much longer.

Where is Shawee? You not letting him be on the camera since ha has not done his initiation video?? :-D :-D

jhs494 · September 02, 2010, 01:22:42 PM

Another nice video JP.
It looks like you got there just in time, not much time left for the spool.
She sure is a large queen! Very impressive.

Thanks for sharing it with us.

Joe

annette · September 02, 2010, 03:11:39 PM

That queen was unbelievable. This video had me smiling the whole time, as I just love how you were making the bees so happy.

This video is one of my favorites JP

AllenF · September 02, 2010, 08:07:20 PM

How many termites do you think you will take home with that hive. I saw more than a few to get shook into that hive with the bees. Another great video.

JP · September 02, 2010, 08:18:39 PM

Thanks for the feedback y'all. Yeah, I don't know how much longer the spool would have lasted which probably would have been the bee's demise.

Schawee been busy in his neck of the woods but I'm hoping we can do some together next week. Still have a few more good ones lined up for this season.

Y'all have a good one.

...JP

CAHighwind · September 06, 2010, 07:32:05 PM

My very first removal this year was a spool of bees like that. Those suckers have kicked butt building and catching up ever since. Spool bees are awesome. :-D

JP · September 06, 2010, 07:38:22 PM

These seem to be doing OK but not going like gangbusters. I'm keeping an eye on them. They're taking feed and cleaning house but not a ton of activity.

On the other hand the small external colony I removed from the crape myrtle tree the same day seems to be unstoppable and freakish in how they are building. They are taking feed like no tomorrow.

...JP

hardwood · September 06, 2010, 07:52:25 PM

I've got a spool removal in Mims FL lined up now...that's great to know that spool bees rock! :-D

Scott

AllenF · September 06, 2010, 08:23:36 PM

Maybe I should start using the old wire spools for traps this spring? They would look good tied up in trees.

JP · September 06, 2010, 08:43:51 PM

They may rock but are a pain to remove!

Hey Scott I was telling someone the other day about your trailer full of bees. The plan is to still tow them to Bud3 right? How they doing?

...JP

hardwood · September 06, 2010, 09:07:41 PM

Oh yeah, they'll be there for sure! They swarmed on me about two weeks ago but still have tons of bees in there. I'm waiting 'til early spring to take all of the old canvass off and put some new tires on it for the trip. It's hard to have 'em sitting right there and not be able to manage them at all...I'm prayin' they make it!

Scott

JP · September 07, 2010, 12:56:44 AM

Did you happen to catch that swarm?

...JP