Bee Tree - cut out advice - first time

[electricbluelizzy]

Hey folks, found a bee tree just a few days ago, and I'd like to do a cut out to capture the ferals. I have never done this before. I might also add, that I have considered waiting until spring, since it is so late in the season... However, I have also just found out I am pregnant, so next spring I will be big as a house and unlikely to pull anything like this off. I think now is the time, or two years from now.
Alright, I'd like to make the swarm catching frames, but probably don't have the skill/time. So I will probably band them in. I'm talking to my husband about that, so we'll see.

The tree is about 12 feet high, about 10 inches in diameter. It is a dead hollow tree, with bees all the way to the ground. I can hear them humming if I put my ear to the tree.

Should I cut the whole tree and try to move it (might be too heavy & awkward), or can I cut it into sections (like 4 - 3ft sections), then split those vertically to get to the comb?

Since the tree is so narrow, is it likely to be more difficult to get comb wide enough to band in, without the catching frames.

Also, what time of day would you suggest doing this? Afternoon, then leave the hive near the tree for them to move in? Or evening, when everyone is home, and try to catch them all and move them at once. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, since this is my first time.

Also, do you think one or two deeps will be enough??

Thanks, Elizabeth

[iddee]

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=133059

Here is a forum thread with photos you may want to look at.

[SweetBettyBees]

I say, you go, girl. And good luck. Be sure to wear your stuff.

[SweetBettyBees]

And, congratulations!

[ScadsOBees]

Congratulation! Not only on your beetree find, but also on your pregnancy!

I can't comment on the tree removal, since I've not done one before.

As far as frames to band the comb into, if you have extra shallows, mediums, and deeps around, you can use whatever works. Shallow frames were just perfect for combs I cut out( about 4 inches wide). Deeps wouldn't have worked as well. You could double stack the narrow combs in a deep if you are willing to leave the hive behind by the tree for a week, they will affix it.

2 deeps should be enough, since it doesn't work very well to wire in honeycomb.

I would suggest cutting out during the day and then leave the hive behind for a few days if you can. and then feed them for a while after you get them situated where you want them.

-rick

[electricbluelizzy]

Thanks for all the kind words and advice. That link is great for getting pictures of what to expect. I have lots and lots of extra equipment and frames, not so many extra boxes. All is pretty old & dusty.

Will just bring all the junk and use whatever fits best.

Any advice on cutting the log into sections??

[Russ]

If you have or can borrow a Bee Vac it would be mighty handy as it sure takes the fight out of the bees in a situation [spelling] like this. After you vacuum the outside Bees, it just leaves that many less bees to contend with. The vac is also handy to get the bees out of the way when you retrive the comb. Good luck and Go for it. [It is a thrill.]

Dale
kb0wiz

[iddee]

One more photo...

We cut the tree level with the tailgate, slid a piece of plywood under it, toenailed the tree to the plywood, and slid the whole thing onto the truck.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/Iddee/S3600080.jpg

[carbide]

Any advice on cutting the log into sections?? When I did one I used a stethoscope to try to determine where the top of the hive was. I then cut the tree about a foot above that point. This removed the top of the tree thus enabling me to deal with less weight and length. After cutting the bottom of the tree down, which is where the hive was, I slowly cut the tree lengthwise with a chain saw trying to keep from cutting too deeply into the tree. I only wanted to cut through the tree into the hollow where the nest was. After exposing the entire nest (I had cut within 3 inches of the top of it) I proceeded to vacumn the bees off and remove the comb.

If you can determine the extent of the nest, you may be able to cut the tree open while it is still standing. I believe that this would make for an easier removal than dropping the tree to the ground and dealing with dislocated and smashed comb.

Quite an experience.

[electricbluelizzy]

Here is the problem... The WHOLE TREE is full of bees. 10" diameter, 12 feet tall.. well, maybe ten feet tall. The tree is broken off right above the nest. I basically did the stethoscope test, but with my ear, and I can either see the entrances or distinctly hear the buzzing throughout the tree. It is a very tall, narrow colony.

No bee vac, and no electricity anywhere nearby, so I guess its me against the girls... hopefully they won't see it that way ;)

I'm thinking I should just start at the top, cutting vertically down the dead hollow log, peeling back layers of wood and removing combs from above. I'm thinking a sawsall might be better than a chainsaw, since I'm not cutting through so much wood (can't be more than an inch thick or so) and a lot easier for me to handle.

I like idee's idea of putting it onto a truck, especially since it is on a roadside (I can just see my neighbor stopping by to say Hi and getting a carful of angry bees). But since it is easily a 10ft tall colony, I think I'm just going to have to work from the top down, since I can't think of a way to tranport that thing without tipping it over. Luckily, its a pretty deserted country road, and my nearest neighbors are probably a 1/2 mile away...

[electricbluelizzy]

Oh! I will try to take pictures and post back, so you guys can see my first attempt and tell me where i went wrong!! Its gonna be exciting for sure. I can't believe how obsessed I've gotten with keeping bees. I can't wait!! smile.gif

[ScadsOBees]

Skil saw might work good too, the blade depth is a little more manageable than a sawzall.(if you have a cordless...).

You could also cut off the largest manageable peice of the log at a time and lower that down and cut into it from the ground. Then you'll have some honey dripping,etc and a risk of sawing the queen too, but she's going to be at a pretty big risk anyway.

If there are other trees close you could rig up a rope/pulley so that if you cut it down somebody(somebodies) can be around to lower it slowly to the ground.

Just some advice from somebody who hasn't cutout of a tree before, so take it with a grain of salt.

Whatever you do, do it safely....

I look forward to the pictures!

-rick

[Rod Weakley]

electricbluelizzy

Check your Private Messages on this board.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

Lizzy, sorry my web site and pictures have gone kaput. That happened when I moved last spring.

I have done a bunch of tree removals with varring results. What has worked well for me does not require a bee vac. I tend to kill way too many with the vac anyway.

1: Get the tree on the ground. If it falls, no big deal. If the queen dies it is no big deal either as long as you have her fresh eggs for her replacement. This is a good time of year to raise a new queen.

2: Split the log vertically. Try not to cut through the comb.

3: Remove the honey comb before it gets covered by bees. Toss it in a bucket and remove from area.

4: Find the center of the brood nest. By this time the bees will be congregating in that area. Band the largest brood combs into empty frames. If they are horizonal it makes little difference if you intend to remove it from the hive after they hatch or abandon it. If you want to save it as SC comb then make sure it is in the frame vertically as it came out of the tree. You should only need a few frames and one deep box should be enough. I prefer medium boxes. Be sure to bring some drawn comb to finish filling the box. Do not bother banding honey comb into frames.

5: Take the old combs that you are not going to use and brush the bees off onto the top of the hive box. Use light quick short strokes with a brush or a feather, if there is no honey in the comb, you can just shake them off. Remove the old comb with no bees on it to a bucket and remove from site.

6: Set the hive box with no bottom on the log where the largest amount of bees are located. Put the top on the box and go away. Come back later when all the bees have moved into the box, put the box on a bottom and move it to your final location.

I would tend to leave the hive there for a while to organize. If you leave them there you can leave the bucket of removed honey about fifty foot away for them to move back into the box of drawn comb you provided. After they have cleaned up the honey, then move them home and decide if you will have to feed them more to build up stores to make it through the winter. If you want to keep the honey, go ahead and move them and start feeding them syrup. But be sure to taste the honey before you decide wether you really want to keep it. I've done a couple of cut-outs lately that the honey is just terrible, I'd rather suck on an old gym sock.

Another note. The bees are the most aggressive at the beginning of the process. Once you have their home split open and the comb exposed they tend to become preoccupied with exposed honey and where is momma.

[Barry Tolson]

Bill,
Do the bee's ever get testy when taking a chainsaw to the tree? I know that my bee's sometimes get testy when I mow the grass within 10 feet of them....so I've often wondered about this. On the other hand, I don't recall anyone talking of upsetting the bee's by using the chainsaw.
Thanks.

[Curtis]

I have a Bee-Vac that you can use.
Curtis

[BULLSEYE BILL]

>Do the bee's ever get testy when taking a chainsaw to the tree?

It really depends on the bee. I've seen some that it did not bother and I've had some come after me as soon as I pulled the rope. But none of them stayed mad for long. Spill a little honey and shuffle their combs and they forget all about you.