Bee Query.

[codlasher]

If you are at all worried look up your local bee keeping club and either ask one of their members to help or see if you can borrow a smoker from them to introduce a bit go smoke to the cavity. A little smoke helps calm the bees. If you feel in any way nervous seek advice from this group before doing anything.

Me, I'd just do it, but I'm ok around bees as I have my own so know what to expect.

codlasher

[arboriculturist]

Possibly a random question.

 

In one of our parks I noticed that a Beech had recently shed a large section. The remaining stem is to be monolithed, but the fallen section has a colony of honey bees which I am concerned that if left near the ground, will be vandalised/predated etc.

Notwithstanding the prospect of being stung, we were talking about the possibility of resurrecting the fallen limb against the monolithed stem, but it would mean that the hive would be inverted as it was right near the union.

Do bee hives have an upside-down? Will they otherwise re-locate this time of year?

At this stage we are not sure whether to leave it alone, or try intervene if it will improve the situation for the bees.

I may well drop a line to a local beekeeper on Monday, but thought I'd ask if anyone had experience of this kind of thing?

 

This looks like a sheltered location so the best thing to do would be to rope it up and pull the section up the monolithed tree to a height out of reach the same way up as it was previously. Secure it in this position. If too large at present, cut to a managable size 1st chainsaw with a bee suit on. Don't pay any attention the bees flying as will soon return.

 

Do not move the hive more than 3 feet in any one day if they are flying or you will find the majority of them dead in a heap the next day where they were previously sited. So it will take a few days to move from present site to high in monolith.

 

Good luck, but you wont need it.

 

Needs to be well above ground to avoid mice in winter.

Edited November 1, 2014 by arboriculturist

[Inoff the Red]

The important thing will be to close off any cavities to stop mice getting in.

As others have said a bit of ply with a small hole is needed to keep weather and mice out.

 

While the bees are still flying they will still protect the hive but when it starts to get frosty they contract into a ball and mice and other rodents will get in to eat the honey stores and the colony will starve.