Cut out from a rotten tree stump

[BMH]

Completed my first cut out a few days ago.

A farmer had cut down a rotten tree and found there was a colony living in the cavity.

The tree was so rotten it was easy to access the colony just by pulling off rotten bits of wood.

The colony was a good size on 7-8 combs maybe twice the size of a national frame. BIAS and a good amount of stores.

I managed to get the combs off all in once piece and placed them in a box.

I broke off all the honey and gave it to the farmer as there was loads and put the box near the rotten stump entrance. I was confident I got the queen as they were all calm and bees returned to the box.

Getting them home I trimmed the combs and bunjeed them to some foundationless frames. Gave them a couple of days and they didnt make any emergency queen cells so knew I had the queen.

Inspected today and found the queen who is now marked.

Checked for disease and varroa. Brood looks fine, nice pattern and no sign of anything nasty but was heavily infested with varroa.

I have decided to shook swarm them into a different nuc but have provided some drawn comb for them along with some foundationless frames and fishing wire. They needed a quick fix against the varroa and with the weather this weekend they should get everything drawn out.

I have also added a frame of emerging brood just to boost numbers over the next week.

They are really a very nice colony. Very gentle and calm.

Will be keeping a close eye on them this year but definitely potential for rearing some queens.

 

[user 6228]

Checked for disease and varroa. Brood looks fine, nice pattern and no sign of anything nasty but was heavily infested with varroa.
.

A shook swarm was probably a good idea anyway...

 

[Psycad]

Waaw

If you bunjee the comb to frames, do the bees restore it and can you remove the bunjees ?
Does it take long ?

 

[BMH]

A shook swarm was probably a good idea anyway...

Yes. I had in mind a shook swarm was probably the way to go. Wanted to be sure I had the queen.

Couldn't believe the varroa load though! 4-5 in most worker cells.

Obviously reduces risk of any other nasties as well but they looked very healthy otherwise.

 

[BMH]

Waaw

If you bunjee the comb to frames, do the bees restore it and can you remove the bunjees ?
Does it take long ?

TBH, its the first time I have bunjeed but they had begun to attach it to the frames so guess they would have repaired it all if given enough time.

I just used elastic bands so would have been easy to remove.

 

[Psycad]

TBH, its the first time I have bunjeed but they had begun to attach it to the frames so guess they would have repaired it all if given enough time.

I just used elastic bands so would have been easy to remove.

Thanks for info

 

[birdsandbees]

if left long enough the bees will chew through the bands and you will see them pulled out of the hive.
got another cut out planned for this weekend, not looking forward to it, its going to be a right S4*t! I've already removed the two easier to reach colonies from this house.
congrats on your save, I hope it all works out.

 

[BMH]

if left long enough the bees will chew through the bands and you will see them pulled out of the hive.
got another cut out planned for this weekend, not looking forward to it, its going to be a right S4*t! I've already removed the two easier to reach colonies from this house.
congrats on your save, I hope it all works out.

That's good to know for the future.

Thanks. Hope your final one goes well too.

These bees were so calm, I dread to think what it would be like in a confined space with angry bees!!

 

[Millet]

Well done you and good luck with them.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Couldn't believe the varroa load though! 4-5 in most worker cells.

.

Blimey......and no sign of DWV? .......That IS interesting

 

[BMH]

I went and rechecked the brood that the chickens didn't eat. Maybe they weren't as infested as I first thought. Definitely present and there was DWV but not on the scale I first thought. They seemed to be coping with them quite well considering.

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