# Had a BEE RESCUE TODAY, NEED SOME ADVICE



## stixin2016 (Feb 1, 2016)

Today, while I was on Bee Source,Here in upstate NY, I was called to rescue a colony who was in a tree. The town (who will remain anonymous) were cutting trees down, well this one big oak had a hive in it. the tree split into pieces when it was dropped. there was comb all over. I was told the tree had to go tomorrow. I new time was not on my side. it will be 26 degrees tonight. they were all out in the open.I was able to get ALL the honey, comb, and bees. I even picked some off the ground. The colony buzzed in the deep, and the rest went in. I do not want these guys to die. The fact I got there before they were going to be sprayed is an accomplishment. Thank God a pest control guy drove by and told them not to kill them. SO>>>> they are in a deep with the queen and all the honey with an over wintering cover. anything else I can do to help them make it???? Thanks for your help!!! I just don't know anyone who has done a removal in February up here!! They were all in the deep by 1pm today and the temp was 46


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## charmd2 (May 25, 2008)

good luck, sounds like you did the best you could with what you had available. Did you rubberband the comb into frames or just sit the comb inside the deep?


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## kevindsingleton (Jun 6, 2014)

Might need to start feeding them, right away. They're probably pretty shaken up, and you don't want them to have to work too hard to keep their energy up.


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

Welcome to Beesource!

Congrats on your good fortune.

The combs can be wired to the frames - try to get them right side up. Combs of honey can be fed to them from outside when it is warm. They'll soon need the pollen more than anything. I'd provide them a feeder - liquid if it is not freezing, dry sugar if it is freezing, and a high quality pollen substitute patty such as Megabee or Ultrabee, the former available from Dadant & Sons, the latter available from Mann Lake.

Find a good location to place them, preferably protected from wind and snow, but with outdoor access. I like a 3-walled straw bale structure with a quickie roof to keep them dry and out of the brundt of the wind. 

If you are in deep-freeze country, and NY is mostly deep-freeze country, you could wrap the hive with roofing paper, leaving an air hose for upper hive ventilation.

Keep checking in here on Beesource, and learn, learn learn. Another good source if Randy Oliver's website, www.scientificbeekeeping.com. You may want to pick up one or two of the great beginner books available these days. My favorites were First Lessons in Beekeeping by Dr. Keith Delaplane (a re-publishing of the same title originally written by Camille Pierre Dadant), The New Complete Guide to Beekeeping by Dr. Roger A. Morse, and Beekeeping for Dummies by Howland Blackiston. There are LOTS of other good beginning books - I hope others will chime in here on your thread.

Best of luck!


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## stixin2016 (Feb 1, 2016)

I RUBBER BANDED 4 frames the rest i put in as neat as possible with trying to give them enough space to move around. it will be above freezing everyday this week. I hope this works. There was a 6" round x 8" long piece of honey comb, it must weigh 12 pounds, I could not frame that thing, lol. so that is more in the middle of the box, with honey comb all around it.


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## stixin2016 (Feb 1, 2016)

Thank you for the help! I put on an inner wintering rim, so I can put fondant when it is warm enough to go in. The rim has an extra vent hole/entrance in it.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

Feed them as other said. 
Screen the entrance put them in your garage until it's warms enough for flying.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-295359.html


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## Cuttingedgelandinc (Mar 3, 2015)

Being that he is in NY and the temps look like they will be falling again wouldn't it be best to feed Sugar Bricks, Fondant or Winter Patties of some sort rather than Syrup this time of year?


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

I would plan on insulating the box heavily with foam insulation pieces - four inches of foam would not be too much ( two layers of 2" foam ). I must run now. Will be back later with some more suggestions.
Enj.


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## stixin2016 (Feb 1, 2016)

ok Im looking for something right now to insulate with. Thanks enjam!


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## Cuttingedgelandinc (Mar 3, 2015)

This is what you seek. I make my swarm traps out of this as it's very light
http://m.lowes.com/pd/Pactiv-R10-Un...ft-x-8-ft-Actual-2-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft/999972968


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

I would leave everything just the way it is until warmer weather in the spring. They have lots of honey so why feed? They've been through a traumatic experience and don't need any more trauma. They will do fine with the way you have the combs in there now. Putting them all into frames is for the beekeepers comfort, not the bees. Just leave them alone and let them recover as best they can and then in warmer spring go in and feed if needed, cut out combs and tie into frames at that time, and get it generally fixed up as a hive under management of a beekeeper. That's just my thinking about it.


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## stixin2016 (Feb 1, 2016)

I like that Plan. it makes sense. I just hope they can move around easy enough, then again, they only have 4 frames to get around.I have many people saying to wrap. Iput some temp. insulation on 3 sides. i have an extra vent on the winter rim as of right now. I like to leave my bees alone. I go in if i see something like, slower activity etc. or to check on frames being drawn etc. Thanks Ray!


RayMarler said:


> I would leave everything just the way it is until warmer weather in the spring. They have lots of honey so why feed? They've been through a traumatic experience and don't need any more trauma. They will do fine with the way you have the combs in there now. Putting them all into frames is for the beekeepers comfort, not the bees. Just leave them alone and let them recover as best they can and then in warmer spring go in and feed if needed, cut out combs and tie into frames at that time, and get it generally fixed up as a hive under management of a beekeeper. That's just my thinking about it.


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

The reason I posted what I did, is that I have had occasional bad things happen from messing with hives so early in the season. Queens have gotten damaged or they fell off a frame and I didn't see her until later or something. I try not to mess to much with hives so early in the year, and figured that in this case, the chances of messing something up might be as high as helping things by trying to straighten things up now, especially as you are not only needing to inspect, but to also cut and tie combs into frames and re-arrange things. That is pretty drastic moves to be trying so early in the season, is what I was thinking.


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## Richard P (Feb 12, 2016)

I use that too to wrap my hives up with when cold. Just duct tape em to is quick


Cuttingedgelandinc said:


> This is what you seek. I make my swarm traps out of this as it's very light
> http://m.lowes.com/pd/Pactiv-R10-Un...ft-x-8-ft-Actual-2-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft/999972968


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## mrflegel (Mar 23, 2014)

right side up is a good point.


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