Bee colony in log

[imcamod36]

My brother is a logger and cut a tree down which he found out has a bee colony in it. What is the best way to get the bees and comb out and in a hive?

[Psparr]

This late in the year, your best to get that section of log standing upright and hope they make it through winter. If you do a removal this late, they most likely won't make it through winter.

[BeeMaster2]

I agree but:

Was the log dropped to the ground? If so the chances of the queen being alive and the hive surviving are slim.
If it was lowered to the ground, smoke them pretty well, wait 10 minutes, smoke it again, staple window screen over all of the holes and handle it gently to get it to your site and stand it back up in the same orientation as it originally was. Cover the top cut to protect them from the rain. Make sure they have an entrance if it was removed. Then wait till spring.
Jim

[imcamod36]

Thanks for the replies. I was planning on getting the whole log home. I'll just stand it up and wait till spring to get them out. What is the best way to get them out come spring? Do a trap out or try to cut the log open?

[BeeMaster2]

If you do a Trapout you lose the queen. You can cut them out or you can try to force a swarm. In the days of skeps, beekeepers would place an empty skep with all entrances blocked over another full skep and bang on the full skep with the entrance in the top skep and bang on the full skep for 5 full minutes. This will cause the hive to swarm into the top hive, queen included. Bee sure there are no escape routes except into the top hive.
Jim

[Psparr]

I'd cut it. The bees should be surprisingly docile while you cut.

[imcamod36]

Thank you for the replies and advice!

[Acebird]

Do you have other hives?
You have a good week of warm whether.  I am not sure if you can get a queen this late or not if the queen is damaged in this log.  If the queen is damaged the hive won't make it through the winter.  If you cut it open now and there is no queen maybe you can find one and then you would have a chance of success.

[BeeMaster2]

One of the great things about collecting a feral hive is that this hive has the genetics to survive on its own without any treatments. If you buy abbey queen, you lose those genes. These are the bees that you want in your apiary.
Jim

[Acebird]

Sure but I don't know what the intent of the OP is.  If the queen is dead she is dead so if he wants to save the bees he has to get another queen.

As crazy as the weather is right now he doesn't have enough time to raise a queen from eggs.

[paus]

If the Queen is dead use yesterdays news paper and combine with a weaker swarm and feed them.

[Acebird]

If the Queen is dead use yesterdays news paper and combine with a weaker swarm and feed them.

I asked if he had other hives.