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Gene Weitzel
04-15-2008, 03:45 PM
Here is a cutout I did Saturday. The owner said the bees had been there for about 4-5 years, so I went prepared with several hive setups, ready to split them as I cut them out. When I got there, I noticed there were two entrances, each in an adjacent section between wall studs. I told my son that there were two separate hives, he disagreed and suggested that there was communication between the studs and it was one hive. I stuck to my guns and when we opened up the wall this is what we found:

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb226/geneweitzel/Two%20for%20One/DSCF0013.jpg?t=1208291778

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb226/geneweitzel/Two%20for%20One/DSCF0014.jpg?t=1208292043

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb226/geneweitzel/Two%20for%20One/DSCF0015.jpg?t=1208292077

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb226/geneweitzel/Two%20for%20One/DSCF0017.jpg?t=1208292181

Two queens, two hives. They did my "split" for me!
Barry
04-15-2008, 03:59 PM
Yikes! All this with everything still live? I see the meter is still in place.
Gene Weitzel
04-15-2008, 04:24 PM
Yikes! All this with everything still live? I see the meter is still in place.

The utility company had cut the power at the pole (they did not want to get near the meter), so I think we were reasonably safe. There was a complete 1940's vintage lightning arrestor system in place on the house that came down to the ground just to the left of the photo (you can see part of it in the lower left hand corner of the first shot, its the "twisted" looking metal rod). I was glad it was a nice clear day.
Budster
04-15-2008, 06:41 PM
Wow. comb on the left looks very old. Did the owner say how long they've been there? (The bees) ;-)
Matt Guyrd
04-16-2008, 12:07 PM
Great pics, Gene!

Are you performing cut-outs everyday, or what? Seems like you are regularly posting new cut-out pics.

Very cool.

Matt
Gene Weitzel
04-16-2008, 02:45 PM
Great pics, Gene!

Are you performing cut-outs everyday, or what? Seems like you are regularly posting new cut-out pics.

Very cool.

Matt

Matt,

I wish! I work full time during the week so I can do cutouts only on the weekends. So far I have been booked up about two to three weeks in advance. I have had to limit it recently to one day per weekend, since I need some time to do some actual beekeeping. My son and my wife will sometimes do a cutout on Friday afternoons without me.