Bee's in a tree

bfcworth · August 11, 2013, 12:02:05 AM

I'm still new to all of this but thought that I would ask. I have colony of bee's that is set up in a tree behind my neighbors house seems to be a pretty strong colony and from talking to my neighbor she said that the usually swarm every year sometimes twice. I had thought about just trying to catch a few swarms off of the colony and just leave them be. But the problem that has came up in recent months is that the tree is completely dead and with any wind at all its gonna come down. I would normally just cut them out of the tree but the issue with that is that there is a huge poison ivy vine that is running up the side of the tree and there is a old diesel tank that is backed right up against the tree so cutting it down is kinda out of the question. Just looking for any suggestions on what to do. I had thought about trapping them out but I have no experience with that.

10framer · August 11, 2013, 12:46:12 AM

how far off the ground are they? how long has the tree been dead?

bfcworth · August 11, 2013, 02:47:43 PM

The entrance is at the base of the tree. The tree has been dead for several years, has started rotting really bad in the last year.

MTWIBadger · August 11, 2013, 03:12:27 PM

You said you have no experience with a trap out. Here's your chance to develop that experience. First read about how to do a trap out. With a trap out you have options: start a new queen with the bees, try to trap out the queen(I did one last year), or repeatedly use the trap out for several days at a time and add them to a weak hive .

What size/diameter is the entrance at the base of the tree? You need to modify it so a wire cone can fit over it without any gaps. I screw some election sign material to completely cover the entrance with a cone hole cut in the middle. I tape a wire cone to the sign and that has worked well. Cone comes off and on easily.

If you decide to do a trap and are successful, leave the entrance open and you may get a swarm to move it next year to trap out again.

bfcworth · August 11, 2013, 09:08:21 PM

The entrance is at the base of the tree and because of the rot the entrance is fairly large pretty much covers one side of the tree

djei5 · August 11, 2013, 10:20:12 PM

Quote from: bfcworth on August 11, 2013, 09:08:21 PM
The entrance is at the base of the tree and because of the rot the entrance is fairly large pretty much covers one side of the tree

Why not do a cutout instead if the tree is that rotted. Home owner might appreciate it being gone. :brian:

OldMech · August 12, 2013, 01:04:30 AM

Aye, if you cant drop the tree, but the hole is large enough to gain access it might be a good candidate for a bee vac and cut out? Can you post a pic of it?

MTWIBadger · August 12, 2013, 11:10:43 AM

It is difficult with that large of an entrance at the base. If you are going to do a trap out, you have to completely cover the entrance and make a small hole for the bees to use. I have a large base entrance that I used the election sign to cover (3ft by 2ft). I put multiple screws in on the edges and buried the bottom in the dirt. It took multiple attempts to get it bee-tight but it can be done.

Do you have bees? You will need a frame of eggs to bait for a trap out unless you are going to vacuum up the bees stuck on the cone and add to another hive.

Can you post a picture of the entrance or give dimensions of it?

bfcworth · August 12, 2013, 04:24:01 PM

Yeah I have bees, I will try to get a pic posted this afternoon if the weather holds out.