# Beginner .. found wild hive behind my house



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Welcome to Beesource!


Yes, it is possible to move those bees into a manmade hive. Probably the most straightforward way to do that is known as a "cut-out". This would involve cutting open the log and removing comb, and trimming those combs to fit within a frame. They can be held in place with rubber bands until the bees attach the comb to the frame.

But ... it may be getting a little late in the year to be doing that in Oklahoma. My suggestion is that would be better done in the spring when its warmer .... and by then you will will have had more time to research _how _you want to do that.


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## stan.vick (Dec 19, 2010)

Ditto with waiting until spring, wouldn't hurt to set out a feeder to give them a better chance to survive the winter. Join a bee club if you have one nearby, and get an experienced beek to help you do the cutout next spring, it is risky to do a cutout, very often the queen is killed or lost in the process. If so you would need to salvage some young larvae to get a queen back in the hive. At the least it would be a good chance to learn from an experienced beekeeper, and you could end up with a colony or even two if they are strong, and you would have a good start with survivor bees.


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

Welcome to BeeSource! Cleo Hogan has just the item for that type of trap out. Research the threads on trap outs, cut outs, swarm trapping. His system does not require cutting the log and when done correctly usually gets the queen too. If nothing else you can get free starts to add a queen to and start hives.You might think about putting a board over the entrance to the log with a smaller (1.5 to 2 inch opening) opening to keep raccoons or other varmits from bothering the bees until you can rescue them. Good luck!


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## Slow Drone (Apr 19, 2014)

If you are getting close enough to see comb they would not be Africanized. AHB are more defensive and will not easily allow close observation. Put your protective gear on and see how close you can get, if they are Africanized they will thickly cover you an a hurry if not get close observe and get used to bees. It's a good opportunity to observe up close. Exactly as Rader Sidetrack says wait until spring and do a cut out. Pictures would help so we can collectively give you the proper method to hive them. There is a lot of people on Beesource that can give you good advise. In my opinion Cleo Hogan is the best for advice on this.


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## Beeonefarms (Nov 22, 2013)

Welcome .... you are in good hands here.....


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## kd5uwl (Oct 17, 2014)

Thanks everyone! I'll get closer tomorrow and take pics to post.

Thank you very, very much for all your help.

kd5uwl


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

kd5uwl... Send me an e-mail, [email protected] and I will send you info on how to do a trapout. All free, no salesman will call.

cchoganjr


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## kd5uwl (Oct 17, 2014)

Thanks again to everyone, and Mr. Hogan did send me that info .. thanks! But just one more question:

In answering my concern of whether or not these might be AHB Slow Drone said, "...Put your protective gear on and see how close you can get, if they are Africanized they will thickly cover you an a hurry..."

Ok, I'll do that ..seems like a sure way to find out, and I want to get closer anyway. But, in the unlikely went these _are_ AHB, and they "...thickly cover [me] in a hurry ..." -- then what do I do?!?? I'll be covered in angry AHB.

I just want to be prepared in case it does happen.

Thanks again to everyone for being patient with a noob.

kd5uwl


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## kd5uwl (Oct 17, 2014)

...but I really doubt it. These have been model bees as far as I can tell.

They are 10' or less behind the neighbor's back fence which is a low open wire fence. I'll be talking to her today about letting me walk around back there to check them out and ultimately trap them. The log is in a wooded abandoned lot that runs behind both of us but she's elderly and I don't want to alarm her.

She had a big yard sale recently with lots of people in her backyard and she has the grass mown regularly so they get right up to that back fence, and I mow my yard back there and often climb a ladder and watch the bees over my board fence. I never saw the bees bother anyone. I think I'm the only one who knows they are there.

I often see bees on my hummingbird feeders which are by my back door, maybe 100' from this hive and so I'm assuming they are mostly these bees.

I spend lots of time in the backyard and have recently spent days cutting limbs large and small within 30 and 50 feet of the hive.

I've yet to have even a single sting. From the ladder at the back corner of my yard I've watched them slowly build comb over the last several weeks and as far as I know they've never bothered anyone. They seem oblivious to me.

In fact, for all the years it took me to convince my wife to let me try this in our tiny city lot, she now sees these bees only feet from where I want to set up my hives and how if you didn't know they were there you'd have no idea. They seem to be model citizens.

I haven't been closer than 25' from the hive yet .. but when I get on the ladder I don't hide behind my 6' board fence. My head and half my torso are exposed. They seem to ignore me.

Anyway, I'll approach cautiously, but so far they seem mild.


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## Slow Drone (Apr 19, 2014)

If they are mowing the yard at the neighbors and they haven't bothered you in your yard I would safely say not AHB. AHB are sensitive to vibration at a good distance from their hive. A can of insect repellent with DEET is the best defense against AHB if attacked spray a cloud of it in front of the bees, calmly walk away while continuing to fog the area all around you and get to a safe place. If in an area with AHB always carry some DEET with you when attempting to harvest wild bees.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

KD5UWL de KQ6AR, Welcome from the west coast.


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