Finally got to do the cutout on a huge maple tree today

[USCBeeMan]

The tree crew finally got the rest of the tree on the ground this morning. I was there every day because they were afraid of getting stung. Today I help them decide where to make the cuts on both ends of the main part of the trunk. Came back later and did the cutout. This was a huge tree with a lot of bees, comb, honey and some brood. Most of the bees had emerged already. Of course you would not be able to see any larva or eggs because of the impact when the tree hit the logs already on the ground.

But I probably got 3 or 4 good size sections of brood and I got the queen. She is in a soda cup. When I got home I put a couple of bees in the cup with her and a small piece of honey. The hive is still on my Robo Vac. I did pull out the screen between the bees I vacuumed up into a medium box and the brood box with the cutout frames. Hope to put the boxes together in a hive setup tomorrow. But it calls for storms for the next couple of days.

I did get some of the honey comb in the frames but not a huge amount. Most of the honey comb was too deep to fit in frames and also most of it was full of saw dust and/or tore up when removing it from the log.

Think it will hurt the bees and to bee in the truck under the patio and the queen in the cup for a few days?

Here are some pictures: http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r...view=slideshow

[USCBeeMan]

Did the cutout on Friday afternoon/evening.

Bees were in the back of my covered pickup all of Saturday.

Got 4.2 inches of rain between Saturday morning and this morning (Sun).

Was warm, cloudy, slight breeze as we were in between storms

Set up a spot for the hive. (Cinder block, leveled, SBB with tray for DE, IC and OC)

Got RoboVac from my pickup and rolled it to the hive.

Put the top box (brood box with cutout frames) that was on the top of the RoboVac and put it on the SBB and then added the bottom medium box (was 9-frame PermaComb setup) from the RoboVac on the top.

Got the soda cup with the queen, some bees and a small chunk of honeycomb from my workshop.

Poured all from cup into hole in IC. Saw queen on top of a frame and a couple bees with her immediately.

Brushed bees off top and sides and put on OC.

Checked back later and the bees were settleing in and already foraging.

Raining again with around 1.5 inches in guage.

Hope to be able to find in the bucket of honeycomb some pieces that I can put in at least a medium frame or two and give it back to them. Should help the queen start laying again.

[Mike Gillmore]

I enjoyed browsing through your pics. Looks like you did a great job and it sounds like a success, even with mother nature giving you a fit.

[USCBeeMan]

Yea, I was tired before starting and had planned on waiting until Sat to do the cutout. But the homeowner told me about the bad weather we were going to have so I had to do it anyway. Did my other plans including going out in the country and setting up a trapout. Went home and got everything I needed for the cutout. Called another beek to see if he could help me. I was greatful that he could.

My shoulder was killing me. The joint is in bad shape. Saw the doc this past Monday and it's too early to get another shot. Just got to try and hang in there or get a joint replacement. Take painkillers once in a while. Took 1 just before leaving for the cutout.

Friday night I was really hurting but was glad I got the bees out. This morning I was hurting worse but figured I better get the bees out of my truck and the queen out of a cup before we got round 2 of these storms.
I am lucky I had a window span there that I could get the bees hived.

Have paid for it big time since. My arm has been hurting so bad that I have had to take 3 painkillers since the cutout and just slept most of the time.

My wife just checked the rain guage. It's still raining lightly and there is 3 more inches in the gauge since I removed 4.2 inches this morning.

Those bees would not have made it if I had left them in the log with all of this rain. I took a tarp just in case. A tarp tied down tight might have kept them dry.