Here is the second bee tree. There is less activity; it's a smaller hive; and as always with a tree felling, the queen may not have survived the "earthquake" that happened to the tree. But I'm going to proceed with hope that she is there and the hive may survive.
I've nailed the plywood over the hole. Then I set a box filled with drawn comb frames.
Finally I set a baggie of sugar syrup over the frames and slit the baggie. This treetop is quite slanted so the sugar syrup wanted to run out of the hive box. I am going to have to try to level the box with wood shims the next time I am over there.
I put a second hive box (empty) around the baggie and put an upside down bottom board on for a top. I have a better top and will bring it the next time I come to these hives.
The whole contraption looks a little crazy but I think it may work if we can entice the bees to move up.
What an adventure! I love reading your bee blog!
ReplyDeleteOH! I hope the queen is in there. Good luck! I'm praying the bees do very well under your care - you are such a great bee-keeper and thank goodness for the bee-savers who are thoughtful enough to go to the trouble of saving a hive in a tree. So many would just bull there way through without a second thought.
ReplyDeleteWe recently experienced a wild honey bee colony find when a tree was felled. We're hoping for a good outcome, but in New England, winter is fast approaching (which will be apparent to anyone whot watched the Patriots vs. Tennessee Titans today), and time is not on our side.
ReplyDeleteWe wrote a little about the unfolding adventure on our site.
Thanks for an interesting chronicle, with great photos.
Look at beetlejail for a neat new entrance trap for hive beetles the beetle are trapped before they get in the bee hive.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egLroAZ_Qn0