moving colony in a (felled) tree

[Birdie Wife]

I'm posting this in the beginners forum as I am still a beginner, and I urgently need your advice, so if I should post this in a different sub-forum, please do forward as appropriate. .

I keep a colony of bees in at a local major tourist site which has formal gardens as well as mature trees. I got a message from the Head Gardener this afternoon to let me know that as they had been felling a large Elm tree in the garden today, they had discovered a colony of honeybees in a hollow cavity inside, which is likely to have come from a swarm of my own bees at some point. it would be possible to cut off the hollow part and they are happy to move this to a different location nearby for me using their own equipment.

I wondered if any of you had experience of moving a colony like this? Could you advise me? I've also contacted the association of which I am a member to provide on-the-ground assistance.

My current plan for tomorrow is to find a site, wrap the hollow part of the tree in mesh, get it chopped off and have it transported and set upright at the aspect it came down from if possible. That sounds really simple... but I know it won't be! Obviously really keen to save the colony if I can. Any useful suggestions much appreciated.

 

[The Poot]

I'm posting this in the beginners forum as I am still a beginner, and I urgently need your advice, so if I should post this in a different sub-forum, please do forward as appropriate. .

I keep a colony of bees in at a local major tourist site which has formal gardens as well as mature trees. I got a message from the Head Gardener this afternoon to let me know that as they had been felling a large Elm tree in the garden today, they had discovered a colony of honeybees in a hollow cavity inside, which is likely to have come from a swarm of my own bees at some point. it would be possible to cut off the hollow part and they are happy to move this to a different location nearby for me using their own equipment.

I wondered if any of you had experience of moving a colony like this? Could you advise me? I've also contacted the association of which I am a member to provide on-the-ground assistance.

My current plan for tomorrow is to find a site, wrap the hollow part of the tree in mesh, get it chopped off and have it transported and set upright at the aspect it came down from if possible. That sounds really simple... but I know it won't be! Obviously really keen to save the colony if I can. Any useful suggestions much appreciated.

Sorry, no experience of this yet. Good for you for trying to save them. I really hope all goes well.

 

[Newbeeneil]

This guy has done several moves like this.
US but one of the more entertaining.

 

[user 819]

Place the trunk in a safe place and deal with it when spring brings better temp for the bees, plug cover the two cut ends if hollow. To get the Q one will likely have split to get to her and the combs. One split one could use a bee vac to gently collect the bees, might make getting the combs out easier to fix them in to frames with strong elastic bands.