Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Hive Recovery Advice  (Read 3531 times)

Offline JimW

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 33
  • Gender: Male
Hive Recovery Advice
« on: December 16, 2017, 08:35:42 pm »
Hi all,

I work for a utility that has a fair amount of vacant land, and was advised of a hive that was laying on the ground.

I had a look yesterday and it appears that a very large hive in a tree has been snapped off when the tree fell.

There is a chunk of hive on the ground that would be just shy of a metre long by 1/2 a metre wide. It is covered in bees. In the tree where the remnants of the hive are left, the bees are clumped.

I'm not sure what to do, if anything. I'm keen to do something as if they aren't removed, my company may get in an exterminator.

If I was to try and move the chunk on the ground, i'd likely have to cut it up to do so. I'm not sure where the queen would be, as there are bees coming and going to both locations. From what I can work out from other people, i'd say the chunk on the ground has been there at least a week.

Should I just leave it and see what the bees do? Would it be worth putting an empty box with frames and some lemongrass oil nearby and hope the bees move in?

Any advice appreciated!

Thanks
Jim


Offline jtcmedic

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 535
  • Gender: Male
    • Sweetest sting honey
Re: Hive Recovery Advice
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2017, 09:55:53 pm »
I say relocate  what a great chance to learn. Other on here with more experience but if they exterminate the hive it all will be lost

Offline azzkell

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 62
  • Gender: Male
Re: Hive Recovery Advice
« Reply #2 on: December 17, 2017, 10:02:24 am »
Hi Jim, I'd recommend you find a local bee keeper or group (google should sort that for you) and tell them, can almost guarantee someone will want to take them. Get involved with the process as you will be amazed by the bees. I assume you are not a apiarist yourself of course.
Generally the comb (constructed wax, honey comb etc) will be cut and put into empty frames held in place with elastic bands then transferred into a hive box.
Once all comb containing brood (baby bees) is in the box the adult bees will need to be placed into the hive also with hope that the queen is among them, this takes a lot of time but once the queen is in the box the rest of the bees will be drawn to her scent and 'march' into the hive. At night most bees should be in the hive ready to be transported to a more suitable location.
There is a little more to it but thats the general outline of how it could be collected and removed.
Interested to hear how it goes.

Aaron.

Online BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13496
  • Gender: Male
Re: Hive Recovery Advice
« Reply #3 on: December 19, 2017, 08:30:30 am »
If you do it yourself, remove all of the honey comb and keep it for yourself. Just put the brood comb in the hive.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline JimW

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 33
  • Gender: Male
Re: Hive Recovery Advice
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2018, 07:38:54 pm »
Ended up being two hives in the same situation - trees had snapped exposing hives inside.

The hives were built right in to the trees. I had a look at trying to coax them out, but they were too well established. Being an amateur I had a look but didn?t want to stuff things up, so called up my local beekeeping club. Unfortunately they didn?t have anyone experienced enough available due to the holidays.

Sadly due to the dangerous situation of the trees the hives are going to be destroyed so the trees can be removed. The good news is that I?ve been able to create some awareness of bees on site, so now I?m going to try setting up our own controlled hives on site with the help of Illawarra beekeepers.

The chunk of hive on the ground had started to ferment and was full of wax moth larvae. At least I?ll get lots of wax out of it once I melt it down.

Offline Acebird

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 8110
  • Gender: Male
  • Just do it
Re: Hive Recovery Advice
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2018, 08:26:32 am »
Sadly due to the dangerous situation of the trees the hives are going to be destroyed so the trees can be removed.
That is sad.  A shop vac and a couple of queens could have made two good hives.
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

 

anything