Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Bees!

Cue Tommy Boy reference here. “Your firearms are useless, save yourselves” someone should also post the news clip of the dude from Kentucky saying “they’s getting et up by bees”

Anyway. Me and the boy were cutting some exhibitions grade firewood this past weekend and once we’d finished with a rick of black walnut we started on a huge red oak that had died and the top had blown out. When I cut into the top a bunch of honeybees started boiling out and I discovered that I’d exposed a honeycomb about big as a 5 gallon bucket and 5 foot long. By some stroke of luck I didn’t saw directly into the hive and it appears to be all intact.

They’re out in the open now and it’s supposed to get down into the teens this weekend and I figure they’ll likely freeze if I leave them alone. I’d like to move them to a box to keep them where they are as they’ve obviously been doing well until some [bleep] sawed their house up. Plus I’d like to steal a bunch of th e honey out of that hollow tree. Any great tips on how I can do this without getting stung to death?

Google beekeepers or a beekeeping club near your. Being winter, they might not survive, but some keeper might take a chance.

A Lexington radio station often has a news break called "only in Laurel Co." this report made it.

^^^ 😂 That’s the one!

It's to cold to move them ,just cut a piece of plywood big enough to cover the end you cut off, drill a half inch hole in it and nail everything shut .the bees will go back into hibernation and move them in the spring when you see them flying in and out of the hole , patience grasshopper

I would try to shore up their current spot.

I don't know how....


I hear bees are crankier when it's cold.

The entire side of the log is split open for about 4 feet from the fall besides the end I cut off. I thought about tarping it down or something. I figure if I dally around much longer the coons will find it a wreck the whole works.

Temps are in the high 40s to low 50s now and for the next few days but it’s supposed to break cold for 3 or 4 days over the weekend so I need to do something.

I didn't read properly...I for some reason thought you had topped it and the tree was still up.


How heavy is the hive portion of the log? Just cut it out?


Could you move the whole thing someplace safe?

I reckon the log weighs several hundred pounds Jim, it’s about 18” diameter and the hive portion is 4 to 5 foot long as best I can figure.

It’s on the edge of a steep creek bank that wouldn’t be safe to get a loader close to. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Dang.

About the only way I have seen it done is to start taking the hive out and place it in a bee box.

They will frame up the comb and get as much as they can out of the old location. Transfer the bees manually or sometimes they move themselves.


Then sometimes the bees will stay in their new spot....or they might bugger off to a new spot.


Would need a bee suit and a smoker though.

Nail a piece of screen wire over the split ,quarter inch or less get a can or two of foam sealant and fill the wire with it then tarp it or board it up if the Temps are below 45 or o you shouldn't have much trouble with the bees the smell will not hurt the bees . Then you can board up the cut top just make sure you leave an air hole /bee escape for them to get out when it warms up they will start becoming active when the day temperatures are around 50.call the local ag agents for the name of the local beekeeper who can come and collect them

Little known fact: honeybees are actually friendly and kind. All that gear they say you need is just Big Bee trying to sell stuff.

Yea right that's like old people's underwear, it just depends, a swarm in move outmode will let you pick them up barehanded , the same swarm six weeks later after they are established in their new home may try to run you out of the neighborhood no matter how much smoke you use . Lots of things to consider, how hot, sunny, rain coming, morning or afternoon, bottom line. Wear the veil and the coveralls put the gloves in your backpocket and fire up the smoker junk in case

At this time of year, the chances of the hives survival is pretty slim.
If the comb "pancaked" when the tree hit the ground, they may have lost their queen. The queen usually lives in the deepest part of the hive. Normally in the "brood" area.

We (Harry and me!) have cut a tree section out that contained an entire (small) hive, plugged the holes and just taken the entire thing.

Remember, honey bees build "up".

At this time of year, the chances of the hives survival is pretty slim.
If the comb "pancaked" when the tree hit the ground, they may have lost their queen. The queen usually lives in the deepest part of the hive. Normally in the "brood" area.

We (Harry and me!) have cut a tree section out that contained an entire (small) hive, plugged the holes and just taken the entire thing.

Remember, honey bees build "up".




Good idea! ^^^^^

Maybe tarp it and then cover with some blankets for insulation. If expecting precipitation, over with another tarp.

I might have some old U-Haul packing blankets I could insulate them with. I’ll have to look when I get home.

The top has been out of this tree for a couple months and fell probably 20 feet or more when it blew out. I presume the fact that they are still there means maybe it didn’t ruin the whole works when it fell?

I just got off the phone with some bee folks that are local here. They weren’t interested in messing with any wild bees. Might be on my own.

good luck with getting them moved/saved especially with the bee folks not being interested.

You may just end up with a good supply of honey. Just be sure to try to protect that from the critters, then check in a few days, see if the bees are still alive. If it gets really cold, they may have all died and that honey is yours

I like the insulating foam idea, but know nothing about bees. Keep a couple epi-pens handy if messing with them. Just because they are "friendly", and you haven't been allergic before , don't count on it.

My cabin-neigbors keep bees. Cold wet weather made it a bust this year., tho.

Last summer she got stung and went into shock- she never had before with other stings.. By the time they got to their house 100 yards away her hands and feet were numb. Mark hit her with both epi-pens they had and called the Ninilchik FD. Chief told him to get her out NOW, and he would meet them on the road in, which they did. By that time, they had to move her by stretcher into the ambulance, as she was totally immobile. Helicopter was waiting in Ninilchik FD lot, transported her to Soldotna Hospital, where they stabilized her and sent her home the next day. OK- that's the bee part of the story.

After getting his wife iro the ambulance, Mark returned home only to immediatly get a call to find a spot for a helicopter to land on Pucker Hill, a half mile from our places. " What?? My wife is already on her way to NinilchiK"

A couple teen girls had rolled an ATV. By the time Mark got there with brush clearing equipment the chopper had been called off. One girl was dead, the other was lightly injured and transprotable by ground vehicle so the chopper was canceled.

Busy day!

Or kill them off and take their honey, now, before they start using it up to over-winter. It's been done....

Twas me, I'd try to overwinter them and hive them in the spring- the start of a new, tasteful hobby!

It's kind of like finding a new, free set of tires, then buying the stuff to go with them.