Bee Rescue

[Whwoz]

We are in an interesting position here in relation yo bees. Keepers must do all the right stuff for detecting Varroa mite even though it is still 600km/375m away from us. It is also raising concern amongst beekeepers here in relation to wild swarms that could act as a reservoir of Varroa down the track. As such the catch or destroy way of thinking has grown stronger, with the preference being to catch these swarms. As such when I was asked by a co-worker if the beekeeper who owns the bees on our place would be interested in claiming a swarm in a fallen tree the answer was yes and yesterday was the day, I went along to see how it was done. I got some photos but was limited due to sticky hands and doing some of the cutting as his chainsaw was really a bit small for the hardness of the timber and I ducked home to grab mine (both battery operated) as only a couple of miles from home and my saw is larger.

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Intact log with Adrian in suit blocking one exit with newspaper with the short knot on top of log being the main entry/exit to the hive.

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showing comb in middle of log, this is what Adrian was blocking off.

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Different angle showing main entry/exit.

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After removing the first piece of wood, showing the comb better

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After removing the top of the end of the long, showing the alignment of comb

I missed a few photo opportunities here

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After cutting away the hive, we levelled off where the hive was in readiness for sitting the box there so returning bees would find a new home where they were expecting the old one.

[Whwoz]

The majority of the honey comb/wax from the hive was carefully cut out of the log, laid in place within wired frames and tied into position before being carefully hung within the box. This ensured that the majority of the brood and honey within the hive stayed with the bees and should ensure that they settle into the box. The bees will also call the queen into the box if we had not placed her into the box.

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the bee box in position, held in place by the restraining strap with the base of the box sitting on top.

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At the back of the box, the bees were gathered on the log wondering what was happening

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A couple from underneath the box looking up. We left the base off the hive so that the bees could move into the box with only minimal restrictions. Box will stay in place for a couple of days before being transferred onto the base, seal up for transport and relocated. This will happen at night when all the bees are home.

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Yours truely in his bee suit

[MissS]

Thank you. I really enjoy reading this thread.

[Frosti]

Fascinating!

[Whwoz]

I checked the bees tonight on the way home from work and they appeared happy enough. Attempted to take a couple of photos of the underside of box without the bee suit and I was probably jumper than the bees. They should all be snuggled up in the box by now as we are getting a decent shower of rain here. Cliff will put the base under the box tomorrow, then allow two or three days before moving them.

[worth1]

What kind of tree was it?

[karstopography]

I’m going to take a wild guess and say some kind of gum, eucalyptus@worth1

Bee keeping is tough. Tremendous respect for those that are good at it. My one nascent hive absconded after a hurricane launched their box 15’ into the air and destroyed the stand they were on. I didn’t have what it takes to be a beekeeper, mainly the courage. I gave all my gear, suit, the box, the works away. I find I don’t enjoy tending to or the husbandry of any kind of livestock and bees are included in that category. Taking care of plants is relaxing and rewarding, animals, especially bees, cows and horses, the opposite. Anything that can and almost certainly will cause me physical pain, trample me, sting me, toss me off, bite me, step on me, is no bueno. I’m such a wimp.

[worth1]

@karstopography
I used to keep bees with my Mom and Dad.
Our first hive was wild we got from a bee tree.
The rest we ordered from Sears.
Sears used to be a fantastic place already set up for the new age of ordering on line and somehow the CEO tanked the company.

I don't like horses either I don't even like the smell of them but I can ride them.
Keeping live stock and pets of any kind is a responsibility many people want to do but aren't responsible.
The livestock and pets suffer.

[worth1]

I was thinking it was a gum tree of some sorts il have a good amount of red gum lumber at home from Australia.

[Whwoz]

I was thinking it was a gum tree of some sorts il have a good amount of red gum lumber at home from Australia.

Yes @worth1, it is a gum tree of sorts, I have not paid to much attention to which species yet, although the tallest (and only) one locally is the swamp gum, Eucalyptus ovata. This area was a swamp before white man drained it, with this tree being on the bank of a drain that is about 2m/2yards deep. Do not recall seeing any other species of Eucalyptus on the flats locally.

[Whwoz]

Went back to the rescue hive today with Cliff to put a base under the box. Bees seemed happy enough in their new house when we lifted the lid for an inspection.

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Bees crawling around on top of frames, typical bee behaviour,

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Showing where we tied in the honeycomb from the log into a frame and how the bees have started to anchor it to the frame.

With the base in place, we needed the bees to find the door, which did not take long.

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The complete box was then re-anchored to the log to allow the bees several days to adjust before they are relocated, these will most likely go into Warragul to remove them from any reminder of their previous home.

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Bees around and using door

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Blocking off the last of hollow.

Once the box is removed, which will be done at night, any remaining bees will most likely die off after 3 days, but hopefull the will all be in the box.

[GoDawgs]

I love this post! Here's to the bees liking their new home and thriving there!

[Whwoz]

I love this post! Here's to the bees liking their new home and thriving there!

So far they certainly appear to be doing so GoDawgs

[Whwoz]

I collected a small amount of honeycomb from the old hive and extracted 105g/3.75oz from it. Taste is delicious, different from what Ithe bees here produce., not sure of main flower the bees have been working, but there is a lot of Hawthorn about.

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Land owner, who is a workmate and good fellow would be open to having a hive positioned there, so maybe that will happen down the track. Collection and relocation of hive will occur tomorrow night.

[worth1]

This didn't go to well.

[Whwoz]

Meet up with Cliff and headed out to pickup the hive tonight around dusk. Most of the bees in box and were sealed in before the box was placed in the boot/trunk of Cliffs car for a trip to Warragul, where they will live. As the box may have needed to be sacrificed if we had to recover the hive through a different method, the frames will be transferred into another box in two or three weeks as this one had a bit of rot and an extra hole in back of it.