Saving some bees

[andydmpk]

Hi All

Just had a 50ft horse chestnut blow over in the garden yesterday and there's a colony of honeybees in it, which are still active in their new horizontal tree
Obviously I need to get rid of the tree ASAP as its blocking a access to a field. Seems a shame to have to kill the colony, are any beekeepers likely to come and relocate them or do you get overwhelmed by this sort of request??
Weŕe in the huntingdon/St. Neots area.

Thanks

 

[BKF Admin]

Hi Andy,I am sure someone will be able to help you out.

Any chance of a mobile number ?

 

[andydmpk]

Thanks PM sent

 

[BKF Admin]

If anyone can do this then PM me for a mobile number.
Admin.

 

[crazy_bull]

I suppose i could have some fun with this, seeing as i have bee's that way, how soon do you want it doing though Andy, trouble is i have a Food Show to do tomorrow so sunday may be the only day i can do.

Send me a pm with your contact details and i'll give you a call.


C B

 

[kazmcc]

let us know how the bees are once you've got them.....I am fascinated with the thought of collecting a swarm. As I am new to bee keeping I have only recently found out you can do this and would love to see it happen one day

You never know.....it might be me collecting them lol

 

[andydmpk]

CB has kindly agreed to come round sunday and see what he can do. Many thanks for that and good luck, Iĺl enjoy watching (from a very safe distance!!)
Andy

 

[Silly Bee]

let us know how the bees are once you've got them.....I am fascinated with the thought of collecting a swarm. As I am new to bee keeping I have only recently found out you can do this and would love to see it happen one day

You never know.....it might be me collecting them lol

Where are you. It might help.

 

[kazmcc]

manchester with no transport ( boo hoo ) lol, thanks though

 

[Midland Beek]

Cut out log with bee nest. Stand on end near to original location of tree, or ask friendly beek from local beekeeping association to come and collect and move to another location.

 

[crazy_bull]

Unfortunatley it looks like these bees are not going to be able to be saved

The tree is enourmous and they are coming out of 2 holes over a 8' length of the trunk, which is about 4'-5' diameter at that point, and is hung up on a supporting branch so not very stable.

The tree surgeon is wary of bee's anyway but i assurred him he could borrow a suit to be safe as my plan was to block the holes and cut out the section they were in, however this section would likely be in excess of a tonne and extramely unstable being hung up.

After thinking about the situation and the fragility of the tree, I now think killing them is going to be the sad but nessesary course of action.

We cannot risk splitting a large (and when I viewed it on saturday evening quite tetchy) colony open behind about half a dozen houses with small children and right next to a block of stables full of horses.

This will be the first colony i have intentionally killed and am not trilled at the prospect of it but for safety of the public and the operators i think it is the only option. (unless anyone else has any ideas).

The next problem is that if we poison the bee's preventing other bee's from robbing out the nest and then harming themselves so was thinking of useing expanding foam to block up the holes?


C B

 

[oliver90owner]

Cut down the section, remove from site and deal with it later, in a more remote area? The tree will need to be removed anyway?

Just a thought.

Regards, RAB

 

[Tom Bick]

Perhaps that may be asking a bit to much rab. The tree will have to be removed but in small sections

 

[crazy_bull]

Cut down the section, remove from site and deal with it later, in a more remote area? The tree will need to be removed anyway?

Just a thought.

Regards, RAB

That was what i was planning to do, however:

The tree is hollow but we are unsure how far down the hollow goes, the gap between the 2 holes is about 8 '. It has fallen across a single track road so access is limited for taking out a lump that is very likely to be in excess of a tonne.

If we take a hiab down there to lift out the section and cut away the rest of the tree, we don't cut far enough down and pissed off bee's everywhere. Or we cut the tree and it drops further and cracks the tree open again pissed off bee's everywhere. The risks outweigh the rewards i'm afraid.

C B

 

[Firegazer]

Is there any way of trapping out the bees, to save most of them, or is time too short for that sort of game?

FG

 

[kazmcc]

What about doing that thing with a hive and some lemongrass? I saw someone post something from a beekeeping newsletter where they were in a wall really high up, they put a cone on the exit or something, and left a hive there. They all moved to the hive and were took away after a few days. Let me see if I can find it.

Right, here it is.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5884&highlight=cone

could this method be used?

 

[crazy_bull]

Is there any way of trapping out the bees, to save most of them, or is time too short for that sort of game?

FG

unfortunatley time is of the essense as it is blocking the entrance to the stables.

 

[rae]

Photos would be good.

You can roll a surprising amount of tree with a set of log tongs or a peavey (your tree surgeon should have these). I've rolled a couple of tons of Oak trunk with a peavey on my own quite happily.

If you cut all of the brash away and are left with a big section of trunk - yes, drop it on the ground. Plunge cut about a foot from where you think the end of the nest is - if bees start coming out of the cut, then you only have a saw bar width to block with plasticine or similar.

If it was closer, I'd come over and do it - I've got the big saw and a bigger trailer with a winch to haul the section onto. Unfortunately I'm in Spain right now....

Edit - just before anyone gets ideas, don't try a plunge cut unless you really know what you're doing. It is a really good way of taking your leg off if you're not careful. A tree surgeon will be absolutely fine with it. You'll know if you hit the hollow because the saw will suddenly give.

 

[andydmpk]

Hi Guys, here's a picture i've got on my phone (hence the poor quality). The actual hive entrance is on the other side roughly where the branch on the left sticks out. I haven't seen the other entry. C B did take some better pics but thought you might be interested anyway.

 

[andydmpk]

Hmmm upside down now oh well you get the picture, sort of!