Question....

[Nugget Shooter]

Brought the birdhouse with a good strong hive in it home and here is my plan, open the now screened entrance up on a stand here and let them adjust to their new location before ripping into the birdhouse to do a cutout? This is not a small birdhouse, like 2.5 feet tall and 12 inches square.... Just figured if they got the lay of the land the cutout may not be so traumatic? Opinions....

[Jen]

I like it! Just leave them alone for awhile. Now, if you are in the Ariz desert, you have bees all year long right?

[iddee]

If they are in the hive's permanent location, it will be fine. If not, letting them orientate to that spot will make it hard to move the hive 50 feet or so.

[Nugget Shooter]

Good morning and yes Jen we have active bees all winter here in the desert with mid winter temps in 60s and 70s most of the time.

Yes iddee I have them where their deep will be set up when I do the cutout and I plan to take the screen the rest of the way off this morning and reduce the opening to keep the neighboring hives bees from getting too nosy.

[Jen]

I think it's a good plan 

Now, I really like that bird house, my curiosity is why is that birdhouse so big?

[iddee]

Looks good. Let them orient for a few days, then move the bird house about 4 feet away and set the deep on the stand while you are doing the cut out. The field bees will return from the field and go straight to the hive rather than the birdhouse.

[Nugget Shooter]

Thank you iddee and Jen and the birdhouse is 2 story for some reason and not sure what the original thoughts of the builder were. Sonoran Woodpeckers were using the top floor judging from the feathers in the nesting materials and they have added a couple more entrances that are on the other sides and still screened over. I will have a better idea after I open it up in a few days and owners want me to try and keep it useable so I will take care and repair anything I need to destroy. I have a woodshop so no big deal to fix it and I was well paid for this removal.

Screen on main opening is off and entrance reduced now and they are busy orienting to the new spot, we managed to get all the bees I think because we waited till dark they were all home when we screened the last opening.

[Jen]

That Rock That you got paid!    Sure would be nice if you took a handful of pics while dismantling the bird house

[Nugget Shooter]

I will indeed Jen if you would like to see them.... 

[Jen]

All Of Us would like to see them! Most excellent learning tool... photo's, vids 

[neillsayers]

Absolutely, pics please!