# Promised photos of bee tree removal



## Sr. Tanya (Feb 9, 2007)

Here are the promised photos I took when we cut down the cherry tree with a huge hive in it. I think it was late April when we did it. Hope you enjoy the photos.

I don't know if my misspelling of "Handling" came through but I'd just call it creative spelling...

Tanya


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

seems to be no picture.


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## Sr. Tanya (Feb 9, 2007)

Well, I forgot to add the link!!! 

http://s207.photobucket.com/albums/bb182/Tanyaocd/Handeling bee tree/

Tanya


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## Sr. Tanya (Feb 9, 2007)

Also, forgot to mention that when I uploaded the photos they were in the proper order from the beginning to the end of the process and they are now in reverse order. Oh, well... You could just start at the end. 

Tanya


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

These are nice pictures Tanya and the picture that has all the bees with pollen is cool.


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## Sr. Tanya (Feb 9, 2007)

Chef Isaac,

I liked that one too. I have another bee tree I hope survives the winter and hope to take it down in spring. This is a tough way to get a hive but if they've made it through several years without any medication help then I would guess they've got some good qualities that I'd like to have in the apiary.

I was the photographer- so no photos of me.

Tanya


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## JBJ (Jan 27, 2005)

Nice work...looks like a big job....did get the queen?


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## Sr. Tanya (Feb 9, 2007)

Yes, didn't see her but did get the queen. We had so many bees I used the bottom of a gallon plastic milk bottle to scoop out the bees and shake them in front of the hive. We had planned on just setting up one deep and had to add a second one.

Also added some bees later to my smaller hive and got about 85 quarts of honey from those two hives. It wasn't a great year but good enough.

Tanya


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## Jim Fischer (Jan 5, 2001)

Very nice photos, and a very neat and tidy extraction job.


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

Did the ol boy doing the work say why he installed the comb sideways into the frames?

If I were going to try to save the comb I would install it the way it was drawn in the tree. I don't like to keep drawn wax too long and want the bees to abandon it so I will either install it sideways or better yet, upside down.


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

Excellent photos. Thanks for sharing!


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## Sr. Tanya (Feb 9, 2007)

*D Coates and Jim*,

Thank you for your kind comments. It really was an exciting adventure.

*Bullseye Bill*,

No, he didn't. From what I saw coming out of the tree, it seemed the best way to save most of the brood.

Another observation- The queen really liked that comb since I was having problems with the bees filling up the rest of the frames with honey and she kept laying in those old combs of hers.

Did you have some thoughts on the way the comb should be put in?? I'd be interested in hearing...

Tanya


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## Sr. Tanya (Feb 9, 2007)

Bullseye Bill,

Sorry, I see you did explain your reasons--

Thanks!
Tanya


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## carbide (Nov 21, 2004)

BULLSEYE BILL said:


> Did the ol boy doing the work say why he installed the comb sideways into the frames?
> 
> If I were going to try to save the comb I would install it the way it was drawn in the tree. I don't like to keep drawn wax too long and want the bees to abandon it so I will either install it sideways or better yet, upside down.


Knowing Dean (the ol boy) the way I do, I would say that he simply put the comb into the frames so that he did the minimum amount of cutting that he could get away with. He taught me to try to save as much comb in it's original condition as you possibly can. Every time you have to cut the comb in order to get it into the frame, you kill a lot of brood that is critical for the colony's recovery in their new home.

Most colonies' comb from a cut-out is taller than it is wide and if you place the comb sideways in the frames you can normally fill the frames up with comb while doing the least amount of damage to it. If the bees re-use the comb once they are established in the hive that's great. If not, you can always replace it later.


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## Sr. Tanya (Feb 9, 2007)

Hi Carbide,

Yes, that was my thought too. Dean said it was the largest hive he'd gotten from any tree.

We've gone into beginning winter with hives full of honey-- not like last year-- and much of it was due to this hive we got from the tree. They were hard workers.

Tanya


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

carbide said:


> Most colonies' comb from a cut-out is taller than it is wide <snip>.


True when the hive is either in a vertical part of a tree or in a stud wall, not true when they are in an eave, a floor, or ceiling Joice. Combs in Joice's fit very nicely with minimal trimming in deep frames. I usually put them in upside down so I can remove the wax asap. When I have long vertical strips of comb, I will do as Dean did in mediums and then remove it the next spring after they have moved up and off the frames.


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## WVbeekeeper (Jun 4, 2007)

BULLSEYE BILL said:


> True when the hive is either in a vertical part of a tree or in a stud wall, not true when they are in an eave, a floor, or ceiling Joice. Combs in Joice's fit very nicely with minimal trimming in deep frames. I usually put them in upside down so I can remove the wax asap. When I have long vertical strips of comb, I will do as Dean did in mediums and then remove it the next spring after they have moved up and off the frames.


True. I liked that picture that Iddee posted a few months ago when he got that 
colony that was between some floor joists in a crawl space under a house. 
http://208.69.121.208/forums/showthread.php?t=211659 Other than 
being a little wavy, the comb looked great for filling a frame. BB, why do you 
want to replace the wax so quickly? I can understand if it's all wavy and funky 
and you can't keep your frames tight together, but is there another reason why 
you prefer to eradicate the natural comb?


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

Thank you for the pics.


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## Sr. Tanya (Feb 9, 2007)

You're welcome, *Bjorn Bee.*

* Bullseye Bill*- I too would be interested in knowing why you wanted to replace the natural comb soon.

I still have mine in and will replace it in the spring. It just seemed that the queen really liked it, more than my other comb, so she kept it populated.

Tanya


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## power napper (Apr 2, 2005)

Wow--great photos!
Thanks for sharing. 
Good job!
The gentleman named Dean looks cool as a cucumber. 
He sure resembles a now gone friend of mine named Fr Bertolina.


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