[onehorse]

I know, I know, why do you need to go 3 hrs away to do a bee tree cutout. Well, I have never done a cutout before and thougth it would be a lot safer for all involved, if I started with something that was already dead, the owner wanted it off their property to start out with, and it didn't include cutting up someone's house.

So, I have had several local cutout calls, but no bee trees, short of this one that's 3 hrs away, though only an hour away from the fiance'. So tree is dead and has blown over, owner wants rest of tree down and to use for firewood, so it looks like a win/win that I am willing to take the chance with. So, what would be the wisest way to do this? Do the cut out where the tree is now? Take the hive to the fiance's place and do it there? Or haul the tree down here (3 hours away) and do it here? If I should haul it, what is the best way to deal with ventilation and containment? Anything else I should really be thinking about with a bee tree cutout over 3 hrs away? Thanks.

 

[Iddee]

If you can leave the hive there for a few days, it would be better to do it on site.
If not, it won't matter which site you choose, just drive direct without any stops.
Once moved into the hive, leave it at the cut out site for a week or so to give them time to settle in. Then move it to it's permanent location.

No problem with ventilation, just cover the holes with screen and go. Again, go nonstop, as the wind will keep them cool. If you stop for 20 minutes, they could start to overheat. Remove the screen as soon as you get it unloaded.

 

[G3farms]

Hauling the tree is not hard as long as you have a way to load it, depending on how big the tree is it will be very heavy. Might need some way to lift it, backhoe, front end loader, come-a-long.....
For containment and ventilation I like to use a bed sheet and duct tape.

Trees can difficult at best. Big trees need respect just because of the weight let alone the bees.

I brought one home a couple of weeks ago and still have not cut it open yet.

Doing the cut out on site, be sure the home owner is cool with it since there will be some mad bees flying around and will take several hours to do it. Hopefuly he is not having a cook out the same day. If the tree is big then you could need some help also.

G3

 

[onehorse]

Wow, what a neat experience! Quite possibly a once in a life-time experience (atleast a once in a long while!), but even neater then the first package, first swarm, first egg, first honey experiences! We came home with a hickory stump, 7 ft in length, 2 - 2 1/2 ft in diameter, filled with bees and comb. Healthy, but a bit mad and still getting over that "I don't think we are in Kansas anymore, Toto." feeling, we have a hive of what appears to be Carnies! Cutout is scheduled for next weekend. We were planning to do it today but got up the rain, so it will have to wait.

 

[Iddee]

Congrats... Hope the cut out goes well. Take pictures.

 

[G3farms]

Bee tree are the best in my opinion, bees in the wild.

Just think of some of the early beeks doing the exact same thing to get bees and honey, except they didn't have a chain saw.

Have fun with it and like Iddee said take some pics.

G3