Advice on dead tree cutout.

ldeano · July 31, 2015, 04:41:11 PM

I am going to do a cutout on a dead tree this weekend. The hive has been in the tree since at least 2002 but has recently become more "aggressive" (Mostly when the home owner is mowing but he wants them gone or he is going to spray them.) From what I can tell the bottom of the hive is about 7 ft. off the ground and the top is somewhere around 14ft. I am thinking I will cut the tree down then remove the hive, but as this will be my first tree removal I don't know if this will cause to much damage to the hive. The alternative would be to suit up, climb 14ft up a ladder with a chainsaw in hand to do the cut out in the air, which I would really like to avoid. Any ideas, thoughts, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

cao · July 31, 2015, 04:51:29 PM

I've never done a cutout but I have cut down my share of dead trees. I would think that the impact of the tree falling would destroy most of the comb. If you have access to some scaffolding, that would be what I would do. That way you would at least have a platform to work off of. Good luck.

iddee · July 31, 2015, 05:40:20 PM

If it is only the trunk, you can expect damage. If it still has several limbs, they will act as a shock absorber as they break and the damage will be nil to minor. Even a busted hive is better than a tree splitting and knocking you off the ladder.

If you cut 14 feet up, update your will first. Save your family that grief, as they will have enough without it.

texanbelchers · July 31, 2015, 10:01:08 PM

How much more tree is above the hive? How wide is the trunk with the hive? Could you top it, rig a front end loader or the like to the hive section, then cut it off and lower it?

Eric Bosworth · August 01, 2015, 07:39:08 AM

I like texanbelchers approach. But I also agree with iddee if you top the tree you do not want to do it from a ladder.

ldeano · August 02, 2015, 12:41:55 AM

Thank y'all for the input. I think I am going to play it safe and drop the whole tree. I can't get any equipment to where the tree is so I am going to try tying it off to the two trees next to it and lowering it down after i cut it at the base. I talked to a guy that works in the tree removal business and he suggested this method. I will be doing the removal in the morning so I will post the results when I get done. Thanks again for all the help.

Nico · August 02, 2015, 06:38:54 PM

Ideano,
be sure that the stump does not kick back when it releases, it may be disastrous. I would be tempted to free fall it in the direction you want .
Nico

ldeano · August 02, 2015, 06:43:20 PM

Well the cut out went good! Got the queen in a clip and got a full box of brood rubber banded in the hive. The hive was massive I had to but another box on top for all the bees. Ended up with a 5gallon bucket of honey and 1 1/2 buckets of wax. Gonna go back tonight to see if all the bees move into the hive so I can pick it up, may have to leave it one more day to try to get all the bees. Thanks again for all of y'all's help.

cao · August 02, 2015, 09:39:01 PM

Congratulation. Job well done.

texanbelchers · August 02, 2015, 11:53:58 PM

Good job, I'm glad it went well and safely. Have fun with the bees.

BeeMaster2 · August 03, 2015, 08:02:48 AM

Congratulations.
So how did you end up getting the tree on the ground?
How were the bees, calm or aggressive? If aggressive, did they calm down?
Jim

ldeano · August 03, 2015, 12:49:43 PM

Ended up not having enough rope to tie off to both trees, so we tied off to one and the rope was the braided para-cord looking stuff, (lots of stretch) so we used it to slow the fall. They were super calm till the tree came down then the chainsaw to the hive itself kept them pretty upset most of the day, but by yesterday evening they had settled down. Still had a few thousand bees on the outside of the box last night so going back tonight with bee-vac in case there is still a bunch on the outside of the hive. I'll have to figure out how to post pics so I can post one.