Moral Dilemma

KeyLargoBees · September 10, 2015, 08:07:55 PM

Was out on an evening walk and saw a flurry of bee activity at the very top of one of those modular fiberglass power poles with a transformer on it that the utility company has started using here in the keys instead of the wooden ones. Timing is the same as when my ladies do their orientation flights in the evening...looks like the power company has inadvertently created hive space with an open hole in the fiberglass ;-P

Don't think there is any way they will allow a trap out on a high voltage power pole and no way to open the pole so the dilemma is... do I report it (they will most likely kill the bees) and keep some poor linesman from getting beat up when he comes out to work on the transformer....or do I bide my time till spring and deploy swarm traps in the area and catch some free bees ;-)

If there was any way to get them out I know what I would do but its a question of letting them go on as long as they can or reporting it and getting them killed....

iddee · September 10, 2015, 08:27:21 PM

The good book says, "Thou shalt not kill".

AR Beekeeper · September 10, 2015, 09:33:49 PM

Which do you think is more important, a colony of honey bees or a human life?

iddee · September 10, 2015, 09:57:04 PM

A professional on his daily job should have no danger from honeybees. If so, he needs to be replaced.

KeyLargoBees · September 11, 2015, 12:55:59 AM

ARBee...not advocating someone getting hurt ...and I plan on "exploring my options " with FKEC and making discreet inquiries.... But I already know the likely answer... It will be spray and seal if I report it.... But I will make an effort and see what they say.... Who knows its a small enough co-op they may want to save them for the piblicity...flip side is if I hadn't been there at the precise right time of day when orientation flights were thickest I wouldn't have seen them....so it's a dilemma.

mtnb · September 11, 2015, 09:00:00 AM

You should talk with kudzu80 (sp?) who is basically inquiring about the same thing. lol I'll ask my cousin what they do. He's a lineman.

KeyLargoBees · September 11, 2015, 11:24:26 AM

I called the electric company up this morning and had a very long chat with their environmentalist there really isn't much they can do but kill the bees off because of their proximity to a transformer but I did work out an agreement with her and I'm going to consult with them on removal of additional hives that are on and around poles that don't contain as much high-voltage equipment ... So it's a win-win we're going to discuss methods of deterrence and beeproofing these types of poles and I get to remove some of the colonies in less dangerous areas.... We lose this colony but I get to save many many more .

D Coates · September 11, 2015, 12:05:46 PM

Nice job on multiple fronts. Clearly you did the right thing.

BeeMaster2 · September 11, 2015, 01:13:06 PM

The chances of a lineman having to work on that primary power pole in the next year or 2 are pretty slim.
Just in case, you could have wrote a warning note at the base (eye level) on the pole to let an unsuspecting lineman know about it if they had to work on it. On wood poles, when we see a problem with a pole, we mark it with a danger tag that has an arrow that we point towards the danger. This way, until the pole is replaced, we are able to warn anyone working on the pole. They are required to visually inspect any pole before they work on it.
Jim

Hops Brewster · September 11, 2015, 01:40:56 PM

Wait for swarm season.

On the off-chance they do need to work on that txformer, they will likely spray the hive. They won't know at first glance if it's yellow jackets, bald-face hornets or the sweetest hive of bees around. Professional linemen won't take a chance around 50KV, they will spray. Same with telco and CATV workers.

mikecva · September 11, 2015, 01:59:44 PM

Have you been watching the TV show Zoo?

texanbelchers · September 11, 2015, 02:27:52 PM

is there a "defiant pupil" on that smiley?

mtnb · September 11, 2015, 02:59:00 PM

Nice job KLB. I'm glad they're open to discussion. The note idea would have been good. Zoo? What channel is that on?

KeyLargoBees · September 11, 2015, 05:46:18 PM

I decided to drop off some business cards at the electric co-op while I was out to lunch today and while I was down in the area I stopped by the the water authority which is right next door.....I may have opened Pandora's box...the ladies behind the desk told me the meter readers destroyed 2 hives last week and one the week before inside water meter boxes and they were sure that the powers that be would want to talk to me and discuss options for removal......so far its all talk but I may be looking for more out yards and have more work than I want as a part timer ;-P

All this because I saw those orientation flights yesterday LOL.

OldMech · September 12, 2015, 01:29:34 AM

If you do get that many paying jobs, the best thing you could do would be to donate the (some of) new hives to a would be beekeeper. Great way to make new friends.

BeeMaster2 · September 12, 2015, 01:52:19 AM

Quote from: KeyLargoBees on September 11, 2015, 05:46:18 PM
I decided to drop off some business cards at the electric co-op while I was out to lunch today and while I was down in the area I stopped by the the water authority which is right next door.....I may have opened Pandora's box...the ladies behind the desk told me the meter readers destroyed 2 hives last week and one the week before inside water meter boxes and they were sure that the powers that be would want to talk to me and discuss options for removal......so far its all talk but I may be looking for more out yards and have more work than I want as a part timer ;-P

All this because I saw those orientation flights yesterday LOL.

KLB,
Bee very careful with those meter box hives. European bees do not normally build in the ground but AHB hives love them. If nothing else I would requeen those hives. Remember a small hive of AHBs can start out as gentle as European but when they grow into a large hive they show their true colors.
Jim

Dallasbeek · September 12, 2015, 11:24:15 AM

Ditto what Jim said. Read the trilogy by a Honduras member named Tomas about working with Africanized bees -- Musings on working with AHB, More Musing and Still more Musing. He's been working with AHB for over 20 years.

KeyLargoBees · September 12, 2015, 02:53:10 PM

Understood and it is already on my radar as a potential issue...will worry about it if/when this starts happening...positive note is there have been no confirmed cases of AHB in the Keys... lord knows I don't want to be the first so will treat any and all removals as suspect till they prove me wrong.... The small colony vs lg colony thing can happen even with European bees as far as aggressive behavior yes?

BeeMaster2 · September 12, 2015, 03:01:09 PM

KLB,
Yes but there is usually a reason like my bee inspector formed out this past month when he was in my hives as a storm was coming.
Jim