I had a call yesterday morning from a lady who had 'lots of bees' hanging in one of her trees and she wanted them 'gone'....'please?'
I drove the twenty plus miles one way to find a beautiful extra large cluster on a tree branch right next to her bedroom window! About 8 feet off of the ground....I wish that they were all that easy to get. I had them off of the branch and into a hive body within minutes and they all crawled right in with the queen....I got her on the second shake. She seems to be a very fat and dark colored Russian.
The couple had been out in the yard and seen the swarm arrive. They also pointed out a hole in a limb high up in a large white oak tree. Sure enough, that is where they came from. I am thinking about doing a trapout, as they do not want them there either....but that depends on if I can can get a tree trimmer who has a bucket truck for that one...too high for ladders and I am not that crazy yet.
The home owners had thought the bees would 'move on' and when they stayed there several days, they got worried. The swarm had arrived on the morning of the 1st of May. They said they even had a ladder that I could use and to 'please hurry'! Of course the girls were hungry and very cranky when I got there....so I had to use a veil and jacket....and got only one sting on my hand when I put on my glove, as there was a bee in my glove...how it got there I have not a clue, as the gloves were in my truck.
While I was there waiting and watching the swarm move into the hive body, I could see lots of the workers shaking their behinds up in the air....scenting! ahhh, now that really made me feel good that they liked their new home. All was going very well....but it got better before I left!
Like I said, I wish that they were all this easy!
Oh yes, the best part is that I had my work done before noon, so the couple asked, or more like demanded that I stay for grilled Black Angus rib eyes and all the extras!
I wish they were all like that!
Brenda