bees in an old tree

[citrus]

Good job I didn't tell 4sausagedogs I'd never taken a nest out of a tree before
It was great fun tho...... I'm pretty sure we got the queen as there was plenty of fanning and the ones we didn't put in the box we're marching in when we left them.

ha ha .. dont follow me I am lost too

Great job folks ... where are the photos tho !

 

[JazzJPH]

Well I had the best day today with bees.

With the help from the kindest person Newbeeneil, we managed to get the tree split and opened and filled a nuc of 5 frames of brood.

The bee's were so gentle even after their cosy home being torn open.
We have left the nuc there overnight to get as many as we can, then take them to the orchard in the morning.

Many thanks for all of your kind advice, it has been a great day

This is great news. It must have been an amazing experience. Well done guys!!

 

[Newbeeneil]

ha ha .. dont follow me I am lost too

Great job folks ... where are the photos tho !

My pics were not good but this gives you some idea of the situation after we had removed most of the brood.
The first picture shows the bottom of the split hive insitu with the beech tree which had fallen across a disused sunken track.... but the top slid into the track as we tried to prise them apart. The second picture shows this top section with the brood removed.
As 4sausagedogs said the bees were amazingly calm considering I was grabbing great chunks of their nest in latex gloves. I have had more stings from a managed colony in a hive!!!

 

[Murox]

Well done one and all. Glad I was not desperately traumatic.

 

[citrus]

My pics were not good but this gives you some idea of the situation after we had removed most of the brood.
The first picture shows the bottom of the split hive insitu with the beech tree which had fallen across a disused sunken track.... but the top slid into the track as we tried to prise them apart. The second picture shows this top section with the brood removed.
As 4sausagedogs said the bees were amazingly calm considering I was grabbing great chunks of their nest in latex gloves. I have had more stings from a managed colony in a hive!!!

lovely - well done you