Big, mean, nasty hive, 18' up, with pics.

JP · February 14, 2008, 09:33:42 PM

So, I talked with this older couple on the phone about 3- 4 months ago. The husband wasn't feeling well so we had to reschedule. Went by couple of days ago to size things up and I could see a stain about 5' long on the exterior bricks, so I knew the hive had been there a while and I knew it was gonna be of good size.

Wasn't quite prepared for the actual size of this hive, just didn't thing it would be so big.

Btw, this hive was nasty. No I didn't get the queen but if I did I would have killed the s.o.b. anyway, she probably had horns anyway. I mean this hive did not let up, EVER, very, very, nasty, bananas all day! Hope ya'll enjoy these pics, it was a tough one!

....JP

Angi_H · February 15, 2008, 12:22:56 AM

darn that is one hell of allot of bees. Are you sure there was not 2 queens lol. With a hive that size how in the heck did she lay that many. Geesh. Where abouts in the country was this. Some where warm of course.

Angi

JP · February 15, 2008, 01:33:08 AM

Angi, there were lots of bees throughout all comb sections but if you look again, you will notice that the brood nest is in the center, honeycomb on each side of broodnest, just like my other one, the pitbull post. Oh, location, Metairie, Louisiana, about three miles from where I live.

....JP

Angi_H · February 15, 2008, 02:10:50 AM

All I can say is darn that thing was huge. Ya some if it is hard to see on the small lap top screen. But that is one heck of a hive as well as one heck of a job.

Angi

Robo · February 15, 2008, 08:36:02 AM

JP, you da man!

thanks for sharing

Moonshae · February 15, 2008, 08:41:49 AM

Those are some neat boxes you have there...good idea!

JP · February 15, 2008, 09:10:03 AM

[quote author=Robo

> thanks for sharing

Rob, since I figured out how to post and load pics, its my pleasure to share. Some on the forums here have mentioned that they enjoy seeing pictures of feral hives in buildings, trees, etc... this is why I post, plus, a story is soooo much better when you have pictures to back it up. I hope to continue sharing pics and stories as long as there is an interest here that accepts this sort of thing. Btw, I have one scheduled to do mid March that has been in a guys ceiling for 15 yrs, now that one is gonna be interesting!

.....JP

Robo · February 15, 2008, 09:30:55 AM

I don't think the desire to see removal pictures will ever die down. Even though I have done quite a few, I still enjoy seeing these pictures.

Can't wait to see the pictures from the 15 yr colony. Will be interested in seeing if it is similar to the one I did last year that the owners claimed was there for 30 yrs. I was a bit skeptical as people tend to over exaggerate so I didn't put to much into it until I opened the wall and found a trail of abandon and destroyed comb about 12 ft across the wall and foot deep dirt of decomposed hive debris between the wall studs. It was clear they had slowly migrated across the wall over time.

bassman1977 · February 15, 2008, 09:40:44 AM

That hive is a monster. You're lucky. :-D I'm afraid of heights so I would have had to demo the house in order to get the bees to a level I could work. ;) :-D

Cindi · February 15, 2008, 09:52:59 AM

JP, officially gone nuts!!!! What a bling blang job!!! Nope, I don't think either that anyone here will get sick and tired of pictures and stories. They are simply wonderful. They take us into your world, and your world, by the way, is wild with bees. Keep those pictures and stories coming, yep, yep. That one that has been there for 15 years otta be a whopper. Have the most wonderful and beautiful day, lovin' this life we live. Cindi

Understudy · February 16, 2008, 09:39:16 AM

Nice Nice Nice!

I however would not have like to have done that off an extension ladder.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

JP · February 16, 2008, 10:11:48 AM

Quote from: Understudy on February 16, 2008, 09:39:16 AM
Nice Nice Nice!

I however would not have like to have done that off an extension ladder.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

With using two ladders it wasn't so bad, just a lot of up and down stuff, not recommended for those who aren't good with heights. To be honest I have a height limit as well, then I get some sort of bucket lift.

....JP

poka-bee · February 16, 2008, 12:33:33 PM

JP, that's fascinating! I love the pics as I have never seen anything like that. It's amazing what such small creatures can do on their own. Can you tell by looking what type they may be? When you re-queen they eventually become nicer bees? If you didn't get the queen, won't she just make more there? Do you completely take everything out so she doesn't? I know I sound like a kid w/ questions but inquiring minds want to know! Thank you so much everyone for their pics, it helps us new-bees so much to be able to visualize & see how the bees naturally do things!

JP · February 16, 2008, 06:51:19 PM

[ author=poka-bee link=topic=13231.msg92884#msg92884 date=1203179613]

Can you tell by looking what type they may be? > Yes, they're vampire bees.

When you re-queen they eventually become nicer bees? > Yes.

If you didn't get the queen, won't she just make more there? > she could if she had enough bees with her and proper resources.

Do you completely take everything out so she doesn't? > Yes, I remove everything. then most importantly, I beeproof the area so this queen or another swarm can't settle in and restart.

I know I sound like a kid w/ questions but inquiring minds want to know! Thank you so much everyone for their pics, it helps us new-bees so much to be able to visualize & see how the bees naturally do things! > You don't know if you don't ask, happy to oblige.

....JP