What are their chances?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I agree, if I was you @Apple i would give those bee farmers a talking to.

He'd only need a mirror

 

[Gordon.Grant]

Could you just remove the section of trunk to the side of the bridleway, preferably out of sight, and cover them as best as you can to give them some protection?

I agree. Rope it together if it’s split . Get them to saw the section out that’s wrapped in plastic and move this to the side and leave till spring

 

[Apple]

He'd only need a mirror

Somewhat unfair....
I would move heaven and Earth to save them... and then quarantine.

We spent three days cutting out a colony from a wall in Callington ... the home owner wanted to call in a pest control firm to destroy the bees.. a neighbour immediately set up crowd funding to pay the builder to scaffold, cut the blocks and make good.

Some always seem too quick to criticise... I was playing the Devil's advocate!

However I do know of one beefarmer who would destroy the colony... and foam up any entrance!!
Chons da

 

[Newbeeneil]

I agree. Rope it together if it’s split . Get them to saw the section out that’s wrapped in plastic and move this to the side and leave till spring

Thanks Gordon, I decided that is what I would do last night. The occupied section of the trunk is just on the path so if I can get the tree guys to remove the bit down the slope I'll slide the nest 3 or 4' to the side and wrap them up tight until spring.

As ITLD said these will have to be quarantined as any of my swarms and cut outs will be. Once given the OK disease wise I will assess them and if I like their traits I'll keep them, if not I'll requeen them. - Just got to get them through the winter.

I have another bee occupied fallen tree to deal with in the spring but the tree surgeons have convinced their client to leave it until its warm. Please don't suggest I take a section of that home as its about 6' across!

 

[Swarm]

Yes, it will be interesting to hear how that goes.

 

[derekm]

I'd be tempted to just crop the branch, take them as they are, just put them in a safe place and hope they make it until spring to sort out.

As above but remember to keep the wood in the same orientation(as far as practical) as it was in the tree during transport and installation.

 

[Newbeeneil]

As above but remember to keep the wood in the same orientation(as far as practical) as it was in the tree during transport and installation.

Hi Derek,
As I've said several times in this thread its not practicable and I think the fall from about 30' vertical to horizontal about 2 weeks ago has already changed the orientation and state of the comb!

 

[derekm]

Hi Derek,
As I've said several times in this thread its not practicable and I think the fall from about 30' vertical to horizontal about 2 weeks ago has already changed the orientation and state of the comb!

OK, after a fall like that their main danger is from the honey. The bees basically drowning in it. I doubt the queen has survived But who knows stranger things happen. You have a problem of minimising further disturbance yet making it light enough to transport. It depends on things I can't assess from here. One alternative might be to cut the rest of the tree away to just leave the bee occupied section and just shove this section to the side of the path and build a shelter/hive around it and wait till spring, if you can persuade the powers that be its ok.

 

[Newbeeneil]

OK after a fall like that their main danger is from the honey. The bees basically drowning in it. I doubt the queen has survived But who knows stranger things happen. You have a problem of minimising further disturbance yet making it light enough to transport. it depends on things I cant assess from here. One alternative might be to cut the rest of the tree away to just leave the bee occupied section and just shove this section to the side of the path and build a shelter/hive around it and wait till spring, if you can persuade the powers that be its ok.

That's exactly what I am advocating, but as you say it's whether the land owner is ok with that.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Called in to the site today, nothing has been done to remove the tree so I'm happy to leave the bees as long as possible. Saw a few bees around but I'm not convinced the colony is viable as I couldn't see the cluster. Maybe they have moved up into the cavity a bit more?

 

[Ian123]

At the very least give them some cover over the exposed bees. Getting wet will finish them for sure, cold they can deal with.

 

[Newbeeneil]

At the very least give them some cover over the exposed bees. Getting wet will finish them for sure, cold they can deal with.

They are all wrapped up with rock wool insulation and a waterproof covering now but before I got to them they were exposed to the elements for about 10 days of so. I will be surprised if they survive but I'll keep my fingers crossed and try to remove them when it gets warmer.

 

[Karol]

If they are already at high risk of perishing what's to lose by using a bee vac and then safely extracting the comb and then reuniting the bees with the salvaged comb?

 

[Newbeeneil]

If they are already at high risk of perishing what's to lose by using a bee vac and then safely extracting the comb and then reuniting the bees with the salvaged comb?

Hi Karol, the bees are about a mile from any road on a 30 degree slope in the middle of a wood on the northern slope of the South Downs. It took me 20minutes to get to them this afternoon not carrying anything apart from my phone and it's Flir attachment ( I couldn't see any real heat signature but then if they have 4" of wood between them and the camera it's unlikely) so taking a beevac and 3kva generator with me is not something I fancy.
I would rather leave them tightly clustered and wait until the warmer weather then take a poly nuc which I will transfer them into and leave on site until evening to collect stragglers.

 

[Newbeeneil]

UPDATE!

Got a call from a local to say the badgers had been pulling comb out from the tree so decided I would have to remove the bees asap rather than wait until later this week.
Took the chain saw and a nuc and trudged the 3/4 mile to the site only to find it very quiet. Had a look with my endoscope and still no sign of life.
Set about removing the top of the log to find no sign of any bees, not even a dead one!
I can only assume that they filled their bellys with food and absconded in the warmer weather to somewhere they thought was safer.
Fingers crossed they make it but I'm doubtful!

 

[Boston Bees]

UPDATE!

Got a call from a local to say the badgers had been pulling comb out from the tree so decided I would have to remove the bees asap rather than wait until later this week.
Took the chain saw and a nuc and trudged the 3/4 mile to the site only to find it very quiet. Had a look with my endoscope and still no sign of life.
Set about removing the top of the log to find no sign of any bees, not even a dead one!
I can only assume that they filled their bellys with food and absconded in the warmer weather to somewhere they thought was safer.
Fingers crossed they make it but I'm doubtful!View attachment 24561

I suspect they died and were eaten by something, possibly badgers.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I suspect they died and were eaten by something.

No sign of anything getting into the uppermost combs, they were still intact with some stores.