Weekend cut-out

Posted by on Jun 29, 2010 in Beeyard, Cutouts, Swarm removal | 0 comments We pulled a good-sized colony from the walls of a home this weekend. Every single one of these is a learning experience. According to the homeowner, bees have lived there for much of the last 30 years. Not the same colony, obviously and it’s not been continuous. They’re planning renovations to the house and they wanted the bees safely relocated so the contractor could do his thing...
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Next up: pulling open a house

Posted by on Jun 12, 2010 in Swarm removal | 1 comment It will be interesting to see how it goes, but we’re removing a well-established colony from the walls of a house tomorrow. The homeowner says that they’ve been there for much of 30 years. It should be an interesting day.
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Swarmus interruptus

Posted by on May 25, 2010 in Swarm removal | 0 comments You win some and you lose some. We lost one today. I got a call early this evening form the manager of a local truck stop. They had a swarm on the canopy over the gas pumps. Apparently, the came from a hive on the back of a truck that was there earlier. I’ve never heard of a migratory hive swarming in transport, but I guess it happens. The problem: he sheepishly admitted that his first...
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Swarm season has arrived

Posted by on May 19, 2010 in Beeyard, Swarm removal | 0 comments It’s been a busy day in these parts. First, the scheduled bit: I headed over to Simcoe to check on a split that Greg made on Monday and to split the other hive. All is well. One hive is still defensive and grumpy, but I made the split tonight with zero problems. I wasn’t wearing gloves and could very well have done it without the veil and suit. They’re amazing, these bees and...
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Hiving a Swarm II

Posted by on Jun 15, 2009 in Beeyard, Swarm removal | 2 comments Gord wrote about a swarm we captured a week ago Monday. Since both he and I forgot cameras, the couple in whose yard the bees had congregated took lots and emailed them. So here are a few pics of the swarm removal. Setting up the step ladder. BTW – This tree has thorns! Holding the box under the swarm. Gord snips the branch off and into the box they fall. The bees are in the box! Bees...
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Hiving a swarm

Posted by on Jun 9, 2009 in Beeyard, Swarm removal | 4 comments We had an extra bit of excitement Monday morning. My phone rang at work and there was a gentleman on the other end with a problem: a swarm of bees had moved into a tree in his backyard on Saturday and he’d really like them to leave. No problem, says I. After consulting with Greg, we decided to go right away rather than waiting: two days is a long time for a swarm to hang out without...
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