hunting feral bees

[WVbeekeeper]

i found this on the internet and thought some of you may be interested
http://www.mitzenmacher.net/photogallery/v/TheBeeHunt/
here's some good pics of what happens after a bee tree is found.
http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/periodicals/bittersweet/wi80d.htm

[Chef Isaac]

That was pretty cool. I would love to do some beelining sometime.

[D Coates]

I see a "let's try it" project for a cool day in Fall or a warm day in Winter (relatively speaking). If I find anything I won't be able to touch it until Spring anyway. I'm always looking for reasons to get into the woods before or after hunting season anyway. Very cool.

[WVbeekeeper]

try sitting some bait next to your deer stand if it's warm enough. get a good course and follow it the next day with more bait. coursing bees and hunting deer sometimes can both require an immense amount of patience and time.

[Budster]

Definatly could use this idea to find some good locations for swarm traps as well.

[Ron Young]

It looks like they are doing the beelining in very early spring or maybe even a late winter day. There are no leaves on the trees. I guess the sucess is better when there is not a nectar flow going on to divert the bees from the bait.

Anyone know for sure?

[Ron Young]

I would love to try this sometime. I am wondering about the time of year and how well it works when a flow is on.

[D Coates]

Logically you would want a dearth. Because your bait is the only game in town they will be motivated and come in numbers that are easier to track. Late Fall or late Winter, warm enough to fly but no flowers to work, and no leaves to block vision should be the best time to do it. Again, I haven't done it yet but I'll be putting my thoughts to the test in a few months