Hive Removal from a Dieing Oak Tree

HAB · October 07, 2009, 08:56:43 PM

Got a call to remove a hive from a dieing Water Oak tree. Tree had a good size hive. They were so gentle that even when the chainsaw went into the bottom of the hive no one was stung. Worked on getting it down and loaded unto a trailer for two hours. Three stings and they were from mashed Bees. Got'er home and found out the heat index was a 102F!! No wonder I'm so beat. :) But it was worth it.

Irwin · October 08, 2009, 07:36:44 AM

How about some pic's :-D

HAB · October 08, 2009, 09:58:44 AM

Sorry, didn't remember to take a camera. Darn it. :'(

Irwin · October 08, 2009, 10:03:17 AM

Your bad ;)

HAB · October 08, 2009, 05:17:19 PM

Got up early this AM before it got hot and got the Bees out of the log and into a hive. Don't know if we got the Queen or not. Many many of the Bees we picked up by the handful and moved into the hive. She may have been in one of them. The Bees had a svere case of SHB infestation. With much spoiled honey and comb. Still managed to get 9 1/2 deep frames though. To night we'll put a West SHB Trap and a few AJ Beetle Eaters on. Then keep a close eye on it. With that and full sun they should be able clear up the SHBs. If not we'll combine with our others and discard the comb. Some, but not to many Varoa Mites were seen. We'll FGMO Fog several times to cut that down.

Got a few pics this time of the operation.
Double click each to see it full size.

Kathyp · October 08, 2009, 05:24:55 PM

just a thought...this seem that it would be the perfect hive to not treat for mites. if you got the queen, you may have some very good survivor stock in there. these hives are a great place to get mite resistant queens to upgrade your other stock.

HAB · October 08, 2009, 05:35:49 PM

Kathy,
Right now the Bees are so stressed I think treating for Varoa and Tracheal Mites is the better choice. Then later, if they do well, use the genetics.
Many of these Bees are jet black. Blackest I've seen to date.
Here is a picture of one.

Kathyp · October 08, 2009, 05:53:33 PM

wasn't trying to 2nd guess you. i have no problem with treating when needed. i have found that even when stressed by a cutout, they recover pretty quickly with feeding IF you got the queen. guess if you didn't, won't matter much.

did you have some drawn comb to put them on?

HAB · October 08, 2009, 06:22:19 PM

KathyP,
We used the good comb from the cut out. And saved a lot of the good honey to feed back to them. About half only a had minor infestation from SHB larva. Used the rubber band method to secure it in the frames. Got three good frames of Brood. About half a frame of young unsealed and half a frame of eggs. For a total of 9 1/2 frames of reused comb and that much more we discarded due to SHB. If we missed the Queen or she was killed we hope they will raise a new one. If not, we will combine them. They seem to Bee settling into the new hive this afternoon. Put on a robber screen for good measure though.
What did you think about that Black Bee?
HAB

Irwin · October 09, 2009, 11:01:35 AM

Thank's for the pic's :-D Got your pm and went straight to this post. Your a lucky man to have a wife that will help you.

HAB · October 09, 2009, 03:58:37 PM

Bad News.
Guess it was the 102F heat, trauma from the moving, or they just didn't like the new home. Hundreds of dead Bees this AM. And the remaining Bees had swarmed into the top of a nearby LARGE Water Oak. Were about 40ft up near the top. Way out of our reach. We put a moving screen on, but there was a gap in the Screened Bottom Board just large enough for them to get out. So they did. Can't win them all. The Bees were doomed in the dieing Water Oak they were in, especially with that horrible SHB infestation. We gave it our best shot. Maybe we'll have better luck next time.

That puts us back to twenty-one hives.

Kathyp · October 09, 2009, 04:28:42 PM

they will still be looking for a home. maybe they will come back. to bad. hate to lose all that work!

hardwood · October 09, 2009, 06:00:15 PM

It'd be a good time for a swarm trap. Hope you can get them back!

Scott

HAB · October 09, 2009, 06:55:48 PM

Quote from: hardwood on October 09, 2009, 06:00:15 PM
It'd be a good time for a swarm trap. Hope you can get them back!

Scott

Got six swarm traps hanging on the sides of oaks. All are between 300ft and 600ft in all directions. All are 5frame Nucs with full and partially drawn frames with lures.
Just hope they like one of them. They caught four swarms this year.