Sunday task

[Heather]

These were seen 15' up, Seems a colony worth rescuing. have made a double pillow case bag to encapsulate them (hopefully) before I start to extricate from the tree. Hope pic shows them- as bit better in hive than on a computer!

 

[Boston Bees]

These were seen 15' up, Seems a colony worth rescuing. have made a double pillow case bag to encapsulate them (hopefully) before I start to extricate from the tree. Hope pic shows them- as bit better in hive than on a computer!

Definitely worth a go. Good luck.

 

[Erichalfbee]

These were seen 15' up, Seems a colony worth rescuing. have made a double pillow case bag to encapsulate them (hopefully) before I start to extricate from the tree. Hope pic shows them- as bit better in hive than on a computer!

Oh well done for having a go.
Keep us updated won’t you?

 

[pargyle]

These were seen 15' up, Seems a colony worth rescuing. have made a double pillow case bag to encapsulate them (hopefully) before I start to extricate from the tree. Hope pic shows them- as bit better in hive than on a computer!

Teriffic ... should be a fun job ... it's getting colder now so they will struggle if left much longer..

Are you going to try and bag them in the comb and then drag the lot down ? If you put a draw string round the top of the bag you might be able to drop the combs and bees into the bag altogether - Probably best done when they are not flying.

Who is going up the ladder ? What has surprised me in the past was the weight of bees and comb - one swarm (a lot lower on a tree than this) one four combs they had built and filled nearly pulled me off the ladder when I cut the combs off and dropped them into a bag. You might consider putting a rope over the branch above attached to your bag to let it swing free when you cut the comb and you can lower the whole lot to the ground safely.

What's your plan for getting them into a hive ?

 

[Heather]

Hmm, two other beekeepers are men, and they are trying to persuade me not to go up the ladder..(trying to look after the old lady!!) but I am happy to.. will see. Thinking to put the bag in a box which I can wedge between me and the tree. Will drawstring them up to reduce escape, then slice the 6 layers of comb from the trunk. I am hoping the drop will be minimal so that the bees and comb may stay intact. If so I will transfer them to a polynuc as they are with comb upright for minimal disturbance. Big fondant feed and sort in Spring. Have done a couple before so am aware of the weight.. will let you know..

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hmm, two other beekeepers are men, and they are trying to persuade me not to go up the ladder..(trying to look after the old lady!!) but I am happy to.. will see. Thinking to put the bag in a box which I can wedge between me and the tree. Will drawstring them up to reduce escape, then slice the 6 layers of comb from the trunk. I am hoping the drop will be minimal so that the bees and comb may stay intact. If so I will transfer them to a polynuc as they are with comb upright for minimal disturbance. Big fondant feed and sort in Spring. Have done a couple before so am aware of the weight.. will let you know..

It’s dark. Did you manage to save them?

 

[beeno]

Heather, I think the men are correct. Do it with a pole and bucket from a stepladder. Not very gentle, I know, but they will die anyhow if you don't try. Good luck.

 

[Amari]

These were seen 15' up, Seems a colony worth rescuing. have made a double pillow case bag to encapsulate them (hopefully) before I start to extricate from the tree. Hope pic shows them- as bit better in hive than on a computer!

1. Rescue them? They chose that site and maybe we interfere with nature too much. Why not let them be?

2. Be very careful on that ladder. Twenty years ago a colleague fell off a ladder while inspecting his gutters. Hit his head and died because of intracranial haemorrhage.
A friend in the village fell off a ladder astride a fence = a week in hospitable having a surgical repair to his plumbing...

 

[Boston Bees]

Rescue them? They chose that site and maybe we interfere with nature too much. Why not let them be?

We certainly interfere too much in many areas, but these bees haven't deliberately chosen to live somewhere without any shelter like that. They will have got stuck there mid-swarm due to bad weather, and started drawing comb in situ out of desperation. Have seen it happen a couple of times. I can't imagine that they had a chance of surviving winter there. But I am willing to be corrected - has anyone ever seen a colony on open-air combs like this come through to spring?

You are absolutely right about the ladder though.

 

[Swarm]

The trouble is we will never know because beekeepers come along and remove them.

 

[Boston Bees]

The trouble is we will never know because beekeepers come along and remove them.

Not at all, it's easy, just take the roof off one of your hives and let us know how they do?

 

[Ian123]

And there was me thinking that was the new eco friendly see through garden tree house hive. Guaranteed varroa free survival, thermal efficiency and on special offer to flow hive owners first

 

[Ian123]

On the plus side you could nail 1 of those water/buggie feeders that jenks mentioned to the branch above

 

[Gilberdyke John]

These were seen 15' up, Seems a colony worth rescuing. have made a double pillow case bag to encapsulate them (hopefully) before I start to extricate from the tree. Hope pic shows them- as bit better in hive than on a computer!

At 15 feet up I'd set up my mini scaffold tower with pads under the legs for stability. The actual job might be quite simple if you can cut branches off all around and sever the wood close underneath the bees. The whole assembly could be set intact inside a hive box and sorted out in spring. It's very similar to an exercise I took part in in the grounds of a school in Selby. I have an entry in my blog .https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/relocating-a-feral-colony-from-a-school-in-selby.48230/

 

[pargyle]

At 15 feet up I'd set up my mini scaffold tower with pads under the legs for stability. The actual job might be quite simple if you can cut branches off all around and sever the wood close underneath the bees. The whole assembly could be set intact inside a hive box and sorted out in spring. It's very similar to an exercise I took part in in the grounds of a school in Selby. I have an entry in my blog .https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/relocating-a-feral-colony-from-a-school-in-selby.48230/

Looks to me as though it's attached to a bit of the main trunk .. I'd agree that a scaffold tower would be a better and safer way than a ladder. If Heather does use a ladder I would suggest that a rope around the tree to hold the ladder firmly in position would be absolutely essential.

.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Come on heather
What happened?

 

[Apple]

Come on heather
What happened?

Still "crowd funding" a cherry picker?

Chons da

 

[Heather]

Did say Sunday task. Scaffolding out as too woody and on a slope. I intend to secure ladder to tree with a hive strap. But still safer than the ladder balanced on to a bird box earlier this year, vertical ladder in 10inch space, swarm 10' up.!. managed that one.
Am all for leaving bees in natural surroundings if they are safe, but am sure these are vulnerable to weather, and want them safe. Too lovely to leave.
pole and bucket would not work, just disperse the bees and destroy their comb. Needs very gentle easing off of comb to avoid splitting.

 

[understanding_bees]

Did say Sunday task. Scaffolding out as too woody and on a slope. I intend to secure ladder to tree with a hive strap. But still safer than the ladder balanced on to a bird box earlier this year, vertical ladder in 10inch space, swarm 10' up.!. managed that one.
Am all for leaving bees in natural surroundings if they are safe, but am sure these are vulnerable to weather, and want them safe. Too lovely to leave.
pole and bucket would not work, just disperse the bees and destroy their comb. Needs very gentle easing off of comb to avoid splitting.

I wish you the best of luck in rescuing the bees. Just considering the aspect of your safety so high above the ground, try to get the loan or use of a safety harness for yourself. I would happily lend you mine, but its probably a bit far for you to come here to get it (chuckle!)

 

[Erichalfbee]

Did say Sunday task.

Groan.....sorry I'm retired and time is meaningless