Bee tree

[JamieB]

The bee tree came down tonight in the storm. When I got home, I checked on them, the bees were swarmed around their hole, protecting their queen. I cut up a dog food bag to cover them in case of more rain, and rescued a few off the ground. Poor girls will need to find a new tree. It came down at the base, cause these trees of paradise tend to be hollow. I hope the bees stay close, I like having them around, and I’ll snag a small bit of honey if I can.

 

[JamieB]

And because it’s something new, the cats were all over it. Luckily the bees are sleepy and wet. Anyone know of a good way to help them stay close? Or to recover from this trauma? There’s lots of flowers here for them.

 

[addy1]

Call a bee keeper, the queen can't fly they will not leave her. They will stay there until they die.

Or run to a store get a deep bee box, 10 frames, foundation, bottom board, hive top. etc..............set up a hive, get sugar water mixed up like one part sugar one part water, add some lemon grass oil a few drops, spray the frames they will march right in.

If a tractor supply store is near they have bee keeping supplies, buy a set up package.

Mannlake will ship it right to you.

10 Frame Complete Hive Kit Combo - Wood Frames

Not everyone needs the double brood boxes like we do in Minnesota; some climates are better suited for what is often called a \

www.mannlakeltd.com

 

[Stephen Noble]

That's wonderful of you to care for the hive. Our bees need as much help as we can give them. I agree with calling a bee keeper and seeking assistance. I bet they will stay in the area if you provide them with a bee box and get help moving the queen. Sorry about your tree. Perhaps a bee box will turn out better in the long run.

 

[JamieB]

Broke till next payday, so I called a local bee keeper to come rescue them. I’ll be sad to loose my bees, but maybe later I’ll take up bee keeping and get a queen from them! Attached are pics of the hive and the base of the tree where it came down. Darn tree came down right where we were getting posts driven to put up fence for the dogs. It bent two, knocked the others out of the ground, and that means we have to get it cut up and hauled off before we can finish fencing.

 

[addy1]

Thanks for calling a beekeep, those bees are valuable. They have lived without mite treatments. The queens genetics are fantastic. I hope the beekeep tries to raise queens.

 

[JamieB]

The bees swarmed about the time they were working to collect them. Don’t know if a new queen was getting ready and the old queen died, or what. I’ll find out cause they got there about the time I had to get ready for work.

 

[addy1]

Bummer, they may have already started swarm prep But if they had there will be queen cells in the tree on the comb. The beekeep can harvest them. And they leave 1/2 of the bees behind, or they absconded, ie left since the place was not safe anymore. But they need to skinny the queen down so she can fly. IE don't feed her, I am not sure how long that takes.

 

[JamieB]

They got the swarm, and took the chunk of tree with brood, so this may have been a new queen and the old one died. They text and updated me! I do think I’ll save up for a bee box and start learning. I’m not big on eating honey, but it’s good for wounds, and the bees are great for the plants.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Way to go JamieB! You and the local bee keeper are heroes!

 

[JamieB]

I gathered up random bees I found, I think ones a drone? Bigger than the workers, but only a little bit. I put them in an empty cigarette box and put that in my pansies, in hopes they at least don’t die alone in the cold.

 

[JamieB]

Lovely dark honey. It’s full of saw dust, but the flavor is much much better than store bought! Yep, I officially don’t like the flavor of clover. This has a little of that, but more of a “herb” flavor, almost musky. I could see eating this honey on occasion!

 

[JamieB]

Research says I found a drone!

 

[addy1]

Research says I found a drone!

That is the one bee you can pick up and never get stung. The queen can sting but when she is big she can't bend her abdomen like the worker bees can.

I have been stung so much, now it hurts for a bit and just goes away. No swelling anymore, well at least not yet. Up to about 10 stings this year so far and the year is young.

 

[addy1]

Research says I found a drone!

That is the one bee you can pick up and never get stung. The queen can sting but when she is big she can't bend her abdomen like the worker bees can.

I have been stung so much, now it hurts for a bit and just goes away. No swelling anymore, well at least not yet. Up to about 10 stings this year so far and the year is young.