Honey bees in a tree

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corhob

New Bee
Joined
Apr 6, 2012
Messages
18
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0
Location
cheshire
Hive Type
WBC
Number of Hives
3 and 2 Nucs
Hi
I have just seen honey bees nest in a oak tree down the lane by my house it is not a swarm its a nest I have been up and had a look in they are a very dark bee and there is comb, should I leave them alone or should I try to get them if so how

Thanks
Andy
 
I have a similar situation close to my apiary and no they are not a lost swarm thank you..lol

I have a bait hive close by for their convenience if they feel so inclined...lol

PH
 
If they are exposed and there is a distinct possibility of the colony failing, intervention is likely better than their demise to whatever may cause it.

There may be other reasons for removal to a hive.

'How' would not really be more than a guess without some more detail.

RAB
 
I would, (and regularly do), leave them alone, I think it's great to see bees living in an unmanaged, natural situation.

It's possible given time to get them to slowly move the colony into a constructed box attached to the tree but I would only do this if they were a danger to people. Dark bees could well be native or near native and I have found that native bees from tree hollows and other small cavities rarely take well to a hive unless space is severely reduced.

Chris
 
If they are exposed and there is a distinct possibility of the colony failing, intervention is likely better than their demise to whatever may cause it.

There may be other reasons for removal to a hive.

'How' would not really be more than a guess without some more detail.

RAB

Hi
Its about 10 ft up the oak tree I have been up and had a look in, the bees did not attack me it on a south facing part of the tree the crack in the oak tree is about 15'' high and 8 '' wide with a old bird at the bottom of the bees nest .

Andy
 
Just beware that if you have to do anything to the tree like cut limbs off etc make sure there is no tree preservation order on it, the fines can be up to £20,000 if caught.
 
Just beware that if you have to do anything to the tree like cut limbs off etc make sure there is no tree preservation order on it, the fines can be up to £20,000 if caught.

Hi
I do not have to cut any thing off the tree there are no branches to cut off . around the bee nest . The oak is a old tree and we do live in a Conservation area but the tree is out side the area
 
Still cheaper to make a phone call than get fined as you said it is a large oak it may be protected on its own. We have someone being fined at the moment and it is going to cost them dear.
 
It's possible given time to get them to slowly move the colony into a constructed box attached to the tree but I would only do this if they were a danger to people. Dark bees could well be native or near native and I have found that native bees from tree hollows and other small cavities rarely take well to a hive unless space is severely reduced.
Chris

Dont suppose you have a detailed description of how to do this.
 
I'll draw something up when I get the chance but essentially the principle is to make the bees entrance further and further away from the existing colony passing through chambers with comb. Bees don't like the core of the colony to be too far from the entrance to the outside world, ideally less than 20 or 30cm and will build / move closer to the eventual new way in.

This will not happen in five minutes and so no use when a quick result is required.

Chris
 
There is a colony in an office building cavity wall I am trying to rescue. The entrance is about 12 ft up just below the second floor. Thee bees have been there for years ( maybe not the same colony, but constantly bees every summer) The boss man has left them because the only advice he as been given was to poison them and he does not want to do that. I did say I'd try a bee vac and/ or putting a box on the outside of the wall to coax them into, but if the vac doesnt work, I'm not sure what the options are with the box. I thought the idea was to put a porter bee escape in a frame over the existing entrance, so the bees can get out, but not back in . Then put a box on this so that bees build up in the box. I've also read about putting brood in the box to bring some nurse bees in, but I have not seen a definitive pragmatic description of the technique. Any www links available?
 
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and I'm hoping (fervently) that the queen will follow as well.

That's the rub though, isn't it? The foragers come out and can't return and as often as not all you get is a load of bees and a failing Queen and colony. Fine if all you want is bees but not exactly saving the colony, but good luck with it.

In my experience the core of the colony will try to struggle on, they won't desert the brood and the Queen will soon stop egg production - result = end of colony by slow death.

Chris
 
Leave them Bee

If they are happy, and not bothering anyone, let them stay where they are.
 
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