# Tagging along for bee removals



## Monkadelic (Feb 5, 2010)

Today I had the pleasure of following B. Keith Councell around today while he did a few removals. I was able to get some great photos, so I wanted to share...

Huge colony up in a tree









Keith clipping the queen









Passing comb down. I love how you can see all the bees in the air.









Next stop was a water meter. These bees were delightfully docile.


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## Monkadelic (Feb 5, 2010)

I had more fun today than I can express.










Queen of the water meter









Queen cell









My favorite shot of the day, well worth the two stings I took to come along!


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## Laurence Hope (Aug 24, 2005)

Nice shots! Thanks for sharing.


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## WilliamsHoneyBees (Feb 17, 2010)

That's a nice hive in that tree, really neat. Thanks for sharing your pictures.


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

VERY COOL! Thanks for sharing. I'd requeen the one from the water meter box. From what I've read that's a strong sign that the hive is AHB. Never found one like that up here but did when I lived in TX (before I kept bees).


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## Scott Allen (Apr 2, 2010)

Cool shots! Wish we were having that weather up here....

Scott


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## Monkadelic (Feb 5, 2010)

Thanks, everyone. It was a gorgeous day yesterday, eighty and sunny. I was just happy for the opportunity.

*D Coates*, I asked about that queen, since she was so different looking. Keith said that she probably had some AHB in her, which shocked me since that colony was so docile. He also mentioned the possibility of a hybrid. She was actually a lot lighter than the photo shows onscreen. I'm sure those bees will be requeened, it's pretty much par for the course here in SW Florida.


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## WPG (Mar 28, 2010)

Monkadelic said:


> Keith said that she probably had some AHB in her, which shocked me since that colony was so docile. He also mentioned the possibility of a hybrid.


Would it be possible to have that queen DNA'd? 
I would be very surprised that she had _any_ AHB genes in her and have the hive at all docile.

I have never heard of that happening. I understood the AHB aggressiveness gene was dominate.

Great camera work.


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## Barry Digman (May 21, 2003)

These are the moments that never make the 6:00 news, but should. A competent and confident beekeeper going about the business of relocating bees. Nice work on both your parts.


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## John C (Sep 19, 2010)

Great pics. Must be awesome to be able to tag along like that!


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## BigDru (Aug 4, 2009)

Great pictures. Thanks for sharing


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## broodhead (May 30, 2009)

Hey Monk, glad to see that you are hanging out with one of the best bee guys in the country. I have had the pleasure to meet Keith on several occasions and he is truly a good guy. 
Keith knows his bees, and is one of two guys that I consider as real pros. You were lucky to hang out with the best cut out man around.


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## Monkadelic (Feb 5, 2010)

Thanks to everyone for the compliments!

*broodhead*, I know--Keith really is the best!

He called me today to come shoot another tree hive removal, I have to get those off my camera so I can post them. That hive was HUGE and just as sweet and docile as the water meter bees. I had a handful of tired bees at one point, they just kept landing on me!

*WPG*, I don't know much about the gene and how all that works, I just know the theory that all feral bees here in our area seem to have some AHB genes. I just know that I have dealt with some really lovely, gentle bees lately!

*Barry Digman*, the big one did make the 6:00 news!
http://www.winknews.com/Local-Flori...ees-found-in-a-tree-off-of-Santa-Barbara-Blvd
http://www.nbc-2.com/Global/story.asp?S=13957537


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## WPG (Mar 28, 2010)

Monkadelic said:


> I just know the theory that all feral bees here in our area seem to have some AHB genes. I just know that I have dealt with some really lovely, gentle bees lately!
> 
> 
> Sounds like you may have stumbled onto something special.
> ...


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## Monkadelic (Feb 5, 2010)

I finally got the photos from the 9th up, so here they are. Keith had removed about half the hive when I got there. The bees had eaten pretty much all of their stores, there was very little honey in the hive.


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## Monkadelic (Feb 5, 2010)

And my "gentle bee" photos from the day...they were tired and kept landing on me. One crawled over my camera for a few minutes, it would have made a great photo!


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

Does he requeen all his removals?


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