hive underground

[beebloke]

hi smile.gif
We got word about a hive a couple of miles down the rail line.Found the spot and the bees were coming out of the ground.They were crawling out of the leaf litter.It was like bees slipping through an excluder.They had to get through the debri to take off.

We moved the mulch away.The dirt then had a hole about as round as a beer can.Scraped away about 4-5inches of dirt and hit wood.Kept scratching away,it now was now looking like a log about 2-3 foot round and many feet long.

The spot was in the area along the rail line where a bit of a log dump was made from clearing.Definately not recent.The timber was very weathered and the mulch layer built up.I reckon they were there for a long time.

With all the scratching about not one bee got excited or showed any interest in us.Very quite.

Swarms have little stop overs in strange spots,this was a long established hive.

Anyone else found a hive in an unusual spot?
Or a swarm,got a strange one for that also

Thank you,
Beebloke

[Robert Hawkins]

Well bloke, you don't just say you got a story and not give it? Where you at? oh. ooops. Can't threaten anyone in Australia. Gueess I gotta beg. Pleasec can we have the story???

Hawk

[beebloke]

Hi,
Hawk,
The old mate next door has a shed full of his junk.An old siute case on top of a wardrobe is partially open and for a couple of years a swarm has stoped over for a night in it and left.
Bed and breakfast and their own overnight bag.

Ive heard that swarms sometimes land in the same place each year.Another mate told us that a swarm landed in his fig tree each year for a short time.Sure enough he rang this year and we caught it.Maybe they leave a scent that the next swarm picks up,must be strong to last a year.Anyone know if this is possible?

In the spring we are going to have a go at the one in the ground.The beer can size hole could make it a bit easier for us.

Thank you
Beebloke

[Michael Bush]

I've never seen honey bees in a hole in the ground. It sounds suspiciously like some other kind of insect.

[beebloke]

Hi smile.gif

The bees are not exactly living in the dirt .They are in a log that in time has been covered over, with their entrance remainig open.

When we first got there it appeared they were coming out of the ground,we have scratched enuogh to show they are inside the remains of an old tree.It could be they were in the tree when it was cleared or they swarmed into a log cavity that then got covered. They must be happy with this because they have been there for some time.

100 percent money back gaurentee,they are definately bees.

Thank you
Beebloke

[PaulR]

I've heard of bees living in logs. So having a pile of logs covered by dirt is probably a perfect environment for the bees. A lady here hived a swarm of bees that she found in the trunk, of an abandoned car. Unless there's a tremendous amount of water involved, those logs could lie there for decades.

[JDI]

I removed a hive from a water meter this afternoon. Never seen it before but it was the easiest removal I have ever done. I was done in 20 minutes and the owners were thrilled. I thought I was going out to find a yellow jacket or bumble bee nest but it was honeybees. Only problem was high level of chalkbrood. Standing water at the bottom of the hole. Hopefully a nice dry hive will improve things tremendously. Good luck in the spring removing the hive you found.
James

[David Stewart]

JDI,
Keep a close eye on them for temperment. Folks in the SW corner of Oklahoma tell me that is one of the most common sites for confirmed AHB to take up residence. Of course, with the lack of trees in SW OK, I suppose they will take whatever they can get.

David

[JDI]

I appreciate the advice. I don't think they have any AHB in them though. The reason they were so easy to get is that they stayed on the comb and when I stuck the comb in a cardboard box they began scenting immediately which made it very easy to get returning foragers into the box as well. I just thought bees avoided using ground level holes and especially holes that would be at the top of the cavity. This was a very heavily wooded area. Surely there were better choices around. Oh well, made it easy for me.
BTW is anyone aware of confirmed AHB in Arkansas? I am surprised we haven't had to deal with them yet?
James

[Tomas]

Down here in Honduras you see the africanized bees take up residence in just about any place they can find. It's real common to find them in the ground, usually under a big rock that has a bit of a cavity. I've seen hives in old tires, under neath over-turned barrels, and sometimes even in the open air. It like they can't find a cavity so they find a bush which is pretty much covered with a lot of branches and start to build their hive in there. Usually down by the river you can find them in holes in the cliffs along the water. They're also common in the cemetaries. An above-ground tomb is common down here and if the bees can find a crack they'll move in. People have asked me several times if I could remove one from the tomb of one of their faimily members (causes lots of problems when they want to put flowers on it). I'm usually not too keen on that idea. I usually tell them to spray a little insecticide into the crack at night.

[beecron]

"when I stuck the comb in a cardboard box they began scenting immediately"

Never actually caught a swarm, but what do you mean with the statement above? When they have been removed to a container, do they put off scent to alert foragers to their new location? How do they do this? Does it look the same as when they are putting off alarm scent?

[Michael Bush]

>>"when I stuck the comb in a cardboard box they began scenting immediately"
>Never actually caught a swarm, but what do you mean with the statement above?

They stick their butts in the air and fan for all they are worth. It's Nasonov pheremone.

>When they have been removed to a container, do they put off scent to alert foragers to their new location?

Exactly.

>How do they do this?

It exposes their Nasonov glad (which you can see just between the segments on the last segment before their stinger section) and fan the scent into the air.

>Does it look the same as when they are putting off alarm scent?

I'v smelled alarm scent, but I've never "seen" them do anything other than hit me or try to sting me or actually sting me when they were doing it. If you see them with their butts in the air fanning that is not alarm scent.

[Curry]

"Anyone else found a hive in an unusual spot?
Or a swarm,got a strange one for that also"

Yesterday, a guy that lets me keep bees on his place called and said he thought I had a swarm in between my four hives on a pallet. He wanted me to check it out so I thought I'd humor him, and just see a bunch of hot bees. But sure enough, there was a swarm that went between my four hives, and started building comb and laying eggs in between.

But talk about difficult to catch... man. Bees were on all sides and underneath each hive.

[Drifter]

Just saw on www.trapperman.com (http://www.trapperman.com) a guy from Ar that said AHBs were confirmed on the southern edge there . They also said the bee inspectors told all exterminators to kill every swarm they were called about . Post was by Kent Smith
in his 3rd post .
http://www.trapperman.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=044220

Drifter

[JDI]

Thanks for the information Drifter. I haven't heard anything on the news or through the local grapevine yet but he could be right. I will make some calls on Tuesday.
Thanks again,
James

[Oxankle]

Same information here; Spoke to state bee man recently, said bees now in SW Arkansas. Heard this again at our bee club meeting. Closest AHB to Tulsa is now near Checotah.