Author Topic: Another Bee Tree From a Maple Tree Fork (Read 16258 times)

blueblood · « **on:** February 24, 2014, 07:26:46 pm »

Fortunately, the Street Department has me on speed dial. They called today when a worker cut into a maple tree in town and found bees. This is the second one they have found for me in the last few months. And, again, brought it out to me. I had to place this one close to the house because the path to the yard is saturated. Wife made me swear to move it when it was warm enough. I am afraid I like the idea of having a hive close to the house

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This section came from the fork. The majority of the comb is at the bottom and I see lots of bees in there. They sure did make quite a bit of noise too. I whipped together a 28" square telescoping lid to help protect them from the rain and drilled a few 3/8" holes at the top. I believe they will get enough circulation from where the lid does not exactly fit tightly on the top of the limb. Really not sure whether I will cut the bees out of either of my two bee trees. Still thinking on it.

blueblood · « **Reply #1 on:** February 24, 2014, 07:31:36 pm »

Perry · « **Reply #2 on:** February 24, 2014, 07:46:01 pm »

Some AWESOME pictures there Dave!

You seem to have an "in" with the street dept.

(Better get painting, that cover seems to be missing some!

blueblood · « **Reply #3 on:** February 24, 2014, 07:48:20 pm »

Thanks! I tried arranging them side by side so they were not all straight down in a row. Wasn't smart enough. I don't think I will paint that dude. I am starting to get excited for the 2014 bee season!!

G3farms · « **Reply #4 on:** February 24, 2014, 08:09:58 pm »

Looking good Dave!

riverbee · « **Reply #5 on:** February 24, 2014, 10:23:00 pm »

how cool is this, it's 'blueblood' or 'swarm copper' season again, yeah i love it !...........

"Fortunately, the Street Department has me on speed dial.......
Wife made me swear to move it when it was warm enough. I am afraid I like the idea of having a hive close to the house ."

too funny blue, what you going to do now that you promised the wife to move it?!....

iddee · « **Reply #6 on:** February 24, 2014, 10:35:39 pm »

That's easy, RB. As a cop, he may tell everybody else in town what they can or can't do, but at home, it's the other way around.
If she says jump, he is only allowed to ask how high. He will put it where she says, like all husbands.

blueblood · « **Reply #7 on:** February 24, 2014, 10:37:05 pm »

Sadly, Iddee is exactly right.....

jb63 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 25, 2014, 12:01:14 am »

Nice pics Dave Thx for sharing

Marbees · « **Reply #9 on:** February 25, 2014, 12:29:56 am »

What an experience bb, thanks for sharing.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #10 on:** February 25, 2014, 01:53:48 am »

LOL great thread, and as Perry said, Awesome pictures. I am starting to get excited as well, unfortunately its snowing right now, so all I can do is run around in circles in the house till my wife yells at me.
I am not allowed to put a hive NEAR the house, though I have five hives just across the pond. I can look at them with my binocs pretty easy. The rest are a bit further away behind the house so cant see them unless I walk out there. The saving grace is, twice a year I get to put one of my feeder stands RIGHT here beside the front doors. I can sit on the concrete pad in a reclining lawn chair within inches of the feeder. Occasionally she will peek out the door, and then retreat if she gets buzzed. Kind of cool to be honest. Shes too chicken to come out and sit beside the bee GOD who has bees crawling on him and doesnt get stung.
I really. REALLY hope to get a vid of her this summer doing the arm flap while emitting an EEEEEEEE sound as she runs for the house.
Keep those pics coming Blue, they are all that is keeping me SANE right now.

blueblood · « **Reply #11 on:** February 25, 2014, 05:59:27 am »

Quote from: LazyBkpr on February 25, 2014, 01:53:48 am

Keep those pics coming Blue, they are all that is keeping me SANE right now.

I sure will. My second favorite thing about keeping bees is photographing them and their activity. It will be nice to have a bee thermometer up close to the house. I mean by that is, If I look out my window at the tree and see bees flying, I will know my main yard is flying and can head back. I doubt that will be enough political evidence to persuade the speaker of the house.

The EEEE pics would be good ones to share when you get them, ha!

I can see my yard if I use binocs from the second floor of my home. You sound like me when it comes to watching them. I could do it for hours.

Bamabww · « **Reply #12 on:** February 25, 2014, 07:35:30 am »

Dave, as usual, great pictures. You sir are a bee magnet.

apisbees · « **Reply #13 on:** February 25, 2014, 04:06:49 pm »

Great pictures Dave they dumped a bunch of sawdust in on them didn't they. I Have bees next to the house next to the back steps. Had 5 kittens to find homes for last year and had people come by to look at them. A couple of them made comments about how many bees were around the area. I told them then that they were standing next to one of the hives and there were 3 more around the corner. At first they got this panicked look and then it quickly turned to fascination in all but one lady but as she was leaving she commented about how the bees were not interested in us or the cats. But she was happy being farther away from them.

blueblood · « **Reply #14 on:** March 07, 2014, 09:26:40 pm »

I tossed some sugar and a dry pollen patty on the top of the combs in the tree this evening. I had planned an elaborate holder with an old milk jug but cutting out a section to place the sugar and patty in and leaving the handle to tie a rope around. I was going to lower it down close to the cluster but I ran out of time. I hope they make it long enough for me to get relocate them. I saw a thread by zookeep on another forum where he smoked the bottom of a tree section just like mine. The bees boiled out and up on top was the queen. I caged her and put her in a nuc and you know the rest of the story. It was pretty dang cool! I will try that method before cutting them out.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #15 on:** March 07, 2014, 09:31:19 pm »

Seen JP use BeeGo or something similar to run bees out. Take pics and let us know how it goes when the time comes!

blueblood · « **Reply #16 on:** March 07, 2014, 09:42:23 pm »

Yeap, I saw Jp do it with that tire. Same video you watched? I hope they live long enough to try it. I will document and share for shizzle.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #17 on:** March 07, 2014, 09:53:20 pm »

I was thinking about the one in the garage.. He used it in there to get them all to go outside through the entrance, but yeah, forgot about the tire, same stuff!

blueblood · « **Reply #18 on:** March 11, 2014, 06:18:44 pm »

blueblood · « **Reply #19 on:** March 15, 2014, 07:59:01 pm »

I decided to place some frames of drawn comb and few with capped honey in a nuc and position it over the bee tree to see what happens. I had hopes of smoking the queen up to cage her but had not luck. So, I shall see what the bees do with this nuc on top. It will be an interesting experiment at least.