# My first cut out (tree)



## fieldsofnaturalhoney (Feb 29, 2012)

If they must go, best to have someone who knows what they are doing. Nice work & pictures.


----------



## 220 (Dec 28, 2016)

I wouldn't say I know what I'm doing, have had bees for all of 6 weeks. They could have stayed where they were as they wouldn't have been a problem, nearly a mile from the house and just as far from the nearest neighbours. 
I'm looking to increase my hive numbers and think local bees would be ideal to build numbers with.
A few times as I was trying to remove them the thought I may have bitten off more than I could chew crossed my mind.

I thought I would find a small hive that had not long been established but this tree has obviously held bees for years. There was some fresh comb at the bottom but most is very dark, even black. It may be a swarm from this season just moved in but I'm hopping they are a established colony that has overwintered, if they are they should be very hardy. Last year we had 1700mm of rain (68") 48" of that May-Sept, about 12" snow and average 60 nights a year below freezing. 
What was left of the tree wasn't much more than 1.5" thick, there was about a 12" thick roof of leaf littler, decomposing wood and pulp but certainly not waterproof. Given the location the tree would have spent 2 months over winter in water about 6" below the bottom comb. 
I still cant believe how calm they were and they are certainly industrious little workers, had a constant stream of bees returning with pollen and nectar while trying to remove them that were happy to just wait on the outside of the tree and let me do my thing.


----------

