Started Swarm removal in Compost bin

[Angi_H]

Sorry no pictures as it was dark out. Lady called me at almost dark time saying she was out there a few days ago and there was no bees buzing around her black plastic compost bin you can buy at costco. Well today she saw buzzing and she took a broom handle and opened it up and there were bees in there and they had started comb. Well when she opened it and slid the lid she knocked all of the comb off the lid. It had lots of nector and some pollen and a few eggs. I managed to save one med frame size of comb with eggs. it is a little messed up hopefully they will be able to fix it because I am not sure if the queen died in the nector mess and comb colapse.  there was a bunch of almost dead stickey bees in the pile between comb. I rubber banded up enough for one frame and then brushed the lid into a box and brushed the outside where the bees were and then took handfulls of bees very carefully and put them into the box. I got just about all but a few stragglers and a few that took flight. not very many though. Still not knowing if I got the queen or if I did not if they can make one out of the eggs that was left if they are salvageable. Looks like a small swarm of about 2lbs. Small cell bees as well. Brought them home and hived them via car head lights into a nuc and gave them a feeder with syrup and megabee.  Sorry again with the no pictures. It was almost dark and dark when I got there. She had a side light. I told her on the phone I would charge her 20.00 because of gas prices and she was in another county and it would take me 45 min to get there. She said no prob. When I left she handed me 40.00 so not bad bought me and the kids dinner and we went home. Anyway I am now up to 6 hives 2 I have paid for the rest free or I got paid for them. I got a chance to check on the hive from thursday last week and they have drawn comb but not known if there is eggs yet as it was dark when I checked on them. As I had to move them from the nuc to the reg hive as I had put them togather and painted them today. And was just about to move them over when I got the call so did it when I got home. I will check on both of them in about 5 days.


Angi

[JP]

You are becoming the swarm queen aren't you? Very happy for you Angie, you sound enthusiastic in your posts. Isn't it cool that people call you with bee problems, which of course we don't see as a problem, but a gift.


...JP

[Cindi]

Angi, walk right in, set right down!!!  Man, you are getting into the swarm catching and removals in a big way, good for you!!!  You will become an old hat at this in no time at all, and look at your hive numbers increasing.  What is gonna be by the end of summer, hee, hee.  Nice that you are up to this stuff, have that beautiful and most wonderful day, Cindi

[Understudy]

From my compost bin cut out
http://www.brendhanhorne.com/coppermine_dir/thumbnails.php?album=69

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[JP]

From my compost bin cut out
http://www.brendhanhorne.com/coppermine_dir/thumbnails.php?album=69

Sincerely,
Brendhan

Nice pics, I like.


...JP

[kathyp]

understudy, i remember that one!

angi, you are so lucky to live in the middle of farm country.  i bet a lot of your swarms come out of pollination hives.  that's what i have been hoping for every berry season, but so far, no luck.  i'm pretty sure the ones i did last month were left over from the orchards across the road 

[Angi_H]

Wow Brendan that is allot of comb, I put them in a nuc looked at them today and they are going in and out. Hopefully they can save some of the eggs in the comb I could save. As if the queen got killed they could make them a new one. 

Kathy well this one was in the middle of the city where there are huge old trees. More then likely they are from one of them old trees as these are dark as well as small and comb is measuring about 4.95 that is the new comb with eggs. The one last monday was in a different town but on the outskirts with old walnut orchard with 40 year old trees there. They  were very dark and calm bees as well. The only ones I could think that might be from pollination but they have been gone for several weeks already would be the one about 7 miles away from me in a new housing area that used to be country near an old marsh. I might be doing a cut out this weekend. I took a few photos today but wont post them till I find out if we will do it or not. The guy is just renting the building he is doing his tow business out of and he had bees in his office and he could not process payments with me there to help. They are finding so many holes in that old building to come into his office from the walls behind the electrical box outside. I put my ear to the wall in several places and I could hear them from cealing to floor so for 10 ft tall by 4 ft wide the studs are 24 on center in this old building.  They also started coming out an old mouse hole so are now behind the paneling. So we have 2 walls to do . This one when I talk to the building owner I will be asking for some payment for this as it will take all weekend. And we know how to hang drywall so we will be able to fix it as well. I am thinking 500.00 plus they pay for all supplies like drywall, tape and mud we also have to empty out the office of a computer and fridge and filing cabnet full of business stuff. All of the other beekeepers that are in the 3 county area start at 1200.00 up to 2000.00 for it with out fixing. Do you think we should ask for more. I dont want to loose this hive they sound like the super hive and sounds like they were starting to swarm. There is a bait nuc out by the opening he filled with high expansion foam but they will find a new entrance/exit I told him. I also told him he could not leav it that way it will need to eb done this weekend. And that he can not spray them either as it will still need all of the comb cut out and the wall fixed so that no more bees can come in. There is also no insulation in that old shop building and putting some in will help keep the bees out and it warm and cooler in there

Angi

[Angi_H]

Well if that other guy do not call me back about the cutout then I am stopping by tomorrow and picking up my bait hive. He was seeing his landlord today and he sould have called me as I needed to plan this weekend. And I got no call. So I will go and get my nuc tomorrow and see what he says and remind him again about the problem of spraying the bees and leaving all of that comb in the building walls. He thinks about the problem now just wait till summer hits and the 110 degree temps with no ac in the building. Then he will be leaking honey into his office.


Angi

[JP]

Well if that other guy do not call me back about the cutout then I am stopping by tomorrow and picking up my bait hive. He was seeing his landlord today and he sould have called me as I needed to plan this weekend. And I got no call. So I will go and get my nuc tomorrow and see what he says and remind him again about the problem of spraying the bees and leaving all of that comb in the building walls. He thinks about the problem now just wait till summer hits and the 110 degree temps with no ac in the building. Then he will be leaking honey into his office.


Angi

I think I hope you get this job. I don't quite understand though, you said you have to move furniture and clean out a fridge, etc... Is this part of what you have to do in order to clear your way for the cut-out?

If removals go for $1200.00 in your area, up to $2000.00 you are undercharging significantly. That's sounds extremely high though.

I'm with you on the idea you may not get this as the guy didn't call you back, but you never know, good luck. Btw, if they call you when the temps go way up in late summer, raise your price significantly and let them know that whatever your price is now, it goes up when you have to work in unbearable heat.


...JP