scottr
06-23-2005, 08:19 AM
I took a different route home yesterday and while passing a vacant lot, I noticed a gathering of people all looking in the same direction and "carrying on". I could tell right away what the problem was since they were all acting paranoid (looking around in space) and swating at unseen objects in the air. The occasional person would bolt from the group and then migrate back.
Seeing an opportunity, I pulled over and asked what the problem was. I was told about some mean bees in a old desk at the edge of lot. The irrational crowd was formulating a plan to kill the bees with gasoline. Just so happened, I had my jacket in the truck and offered to take care of them for the land owner. I put on my jacket and went to check it out. Sure enough, the bees had established residence in the "file drawer" of an old wood desk. I went back and told the land owner I would be back to capture the bees to which I was impatically told that the bees had to vacate immediately or die.
I went back to the desk and managed to pull and pry the "file drawer" and smaller top drawer (acting as top frame for comb) out of the desk. The bees seemed to care little about my activity. I then dispersed the crowd put the back down on the truck to set the hive on.
I then went back and finished pulling the hive out. What beautiful comb. The entire "file drawer" was full, top to bottom. Additionally, they had expanded out the back in some void space with obviously new comb. I found two sides I could grab on the drawers and picked them up. I would guess the weight of the hive at 80-100 lbs and barely made the 60' to the truck without dropping the hive. I set it on the back of the truck and then moved it to the center behind the cab. During this process, the bees still showed little concern over my jostling and jerking. Since it was almost dark by this point, I feel like I had most of the field bees as well.
I slowly drove the 5 miles home over "washboard" gravel roads and eased back to where my hives are located. I expected to see the air awash with angry bees when I stepped out of the truck, but once again the bees were calm. They had gathered on all four sides of the drawer and some were marching across the bed of the truck. I set a pallet under the barn and set the hive on it and then went back and scooped up the bees marching across the truck and took them to the hive. Still the bees were calm. Not a "head butt" yet. I covered the hive with a black tarp being careful to leave air space underneath and left an entrance for them to use (I covered the hive due to the exposed honey. I was afraid my other hives would attempt to rob them. As strong as this hive was, it would have been "bloody".
Now my question, what do you think is the best way to migrate these guys to a regular hive. I am tempted to build an "special" hive box and set the drawers into them. They would almost fit in a regular deep with a medium on top.
What are your thoughts?
Scott
Seeing an opportunity, I pulled over and asked what the problem was. I was told about some mean bees in a old desk at the edge of lot. The irrational crowd was formulating a plan to kill the bees with gasoline. Just so happened, I had my jacket in the truck and offered to take care of them for the land owner. I put on my jacket and went to check it out. Sure enough, the bees had established residence in the "file drawer" of an old wood desk. I went back and told the land owner I would be back to capture the bees to which I was impatically told that the bees had to vacate immediately or die.
I went back to the desk and managed to pull and pry the "file drawer" and smaller top drawer (acting as top frame for comb) out of the desk. The bees seemed to care little about my activity. I then dispersed the crowd put the back down on the truck to set the hive on.
I then went back and finished pulling the hive out. What beautiful comb. The entire "file drawer" was full, top to bottom. Additionally, they had expanded out the back in some void space with obviously new comb. I found two sides I could grab on the drawers and picked them up. I would guess the weight of the hive at 80-100 lbs and barely made the 60' to the truck without dropping the hive. I set it on the back of the truck and then moved it to the center behind the cab. During this process, the bees still showed little concern over my jostling and jerking. Since it was almost dark by this point, I feel like I had most of the field bees as well.
I slowly drove the 5 miles home over "washboard" gravel roads and eased back to where my hives are located. I expected to see the air awash with angry bees when I stepped out of the truck, but once again the bees were calm. They had gathered on all four sides of the drawer and some were marching across the bed of the truck. I set a pallet under the barn and set the hive on it and then went back and scooped up the bees marching across the truck and took them to the hive. Still the bees were calm. Not a "head butt" yet. I covered the hive with a black tarp being careful to leave air space underneath and left an entrance for them to use (I covered the hive due to the exposed honey. I was afraid my other hives would attempt to rob them. As strong as this hive was, it would have been "bloody".
Now my question, what do you think is the best way to migrate these guys to a regular hive. I am tempted to build an "special" hive box and set the drawers into them. They would almost fit in a regular deep with a medium on top.
What are your thoughts?
Scott