AHHHH! BEES! Run for your lives!

[DrPizza]

Actually, just honey bees. Very docile, well, until I my foot pushed the bit of brush into them, then I decided 4 feet was close enough to take a picture from. I wish there were a way to harvest their honey without risking the colony(ies) in that wall. AFAIK, the hive is up to 12 feet long, 8 feet high, but it might be multiple hives.

 

[rudeguy]

where's the pics doc???

 

[Anonemous]

throw a bear at them

 

[DaveSimmons]

:thumbsup: nice photo, and (non-killer) bees are our pollen-spreading friends.

 

[Leros]

What's attracting all the bees to that particular plank?

 

[gorcorps]

That's pretty neat. You should build a hive near it to harvest the honey. Bee-keeper could be added to your list of trades, and you get fresh honey!

 

[sjwaste]

Beads?

 

[mmntech]

Looks like a swarm to me, not a hive. That's why they're so docile. They'll probably go away eventually. Hopefully they don't decide to build a hive on your property!

 

[cKGunslinger]

Oh, the Beemanity!

 

[DrPizza]

What's attracting all the bees to that particular plank?

It's hard to see in that photo - there's a dark spot about 3/4ers of the way down. That spot is one of the holes that goes to their nest. I think it's a little too late in the summer for them to swarm - not enough time to set up a new colony & get enough food ready for the winter. Every evening, it looks like that. The swarms I've seen in the past look more like a big ball. As far as them setting up a hive on my property, I absolutely want them to stick around. Better pollination in the garden, apple trees, etc. That hive has been present in the side of that shed/barn for a long long time - many years before we lived here. There are signs that they attempted to eradicate the hive in the past - nailing up things to cover entrance holes, etc. I removed everything like that this spring.

 

[RavenSEAL]

Firehose!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MovingTarget]

KILLABEES! RUN AWAAAAAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not really. That is an interesting pic though. Perhaps you can set up a beekeeping operation next season. Hooray for honey!

 

[RavenSEAL]

KILLABEES! RUN AWAAAAAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not really. That is an interesting pic though. Perhaps you can set up a beekeeping operation next season. Hooray for money!

Fixed that for ya.

 

[mizzou]

soapy water hose them down, that is easiest way to kill them

 

[destrekor]

I wonder if it'd be an amazing experiment as well as a terrific boon to the surrounding area. I say experiment, because the health of honey bees has been a common concern lately; what I think is possible though, is the breeding of those bees for the establishment of additional colonies; if they can survive in the wild, they may have a reason for their avoidance of recent health threats of colonies.
However, I don't know if they are same species, nor do I know if the European Honey Bee is facing colony health risks in both Europe and America, or only in Europe. I can't recall... haven't been paying much attention.

 

[MrMatt]

Look at that a-hole flying in on the left. Just has to be in EVERY picture doesn't she. ugh.

 

[DrPizza]

I wonder if it'd be an amazing experiment as well as a terrific boon to the surrounding area. I say experiment, because the health of honey bees has been a common concern lately; what I think is possible though, is the breeding of those bees for the establishment of additional colonies; if they can survive in the wild, they may have a reason for their avoidance of recent health threats of colonies.
However, I don't know if they are same species, nor do I know if the European Honey Bee is facing colony health risks in both Europe and America, or only in Europe. I can't recall... haven't been paying much attention.

I believe they've suffered from colony collapse twice. Early this spring, I saw a lot of bees. This continued until about May. Then, there was a cessation of any signs of life around the hive. A few weeks later & there were a few, then thousands.

 

[Locut0s]

It's hard to see in that photo - there's a dark spot about 3/4ers of the way down. That spot is one of the holes that goes to their nest. I think it's a little too late in the summer for them to swarm - not enough time to set up a new colony & get enough food ready for the winter. Every evening, it looks like that. The swarms I've seen in the past look more like a big ball. As far as them setting up a hive on my property, I absolutely want them to stick around. Better pollination in the garden, apple trees, etc. That hive has been present in the side of that shed/barn for a long long time - many years before we lived here. There are signs that they attempted to eradicate the hive in the past - nailing up things to cover entrance holes, etc. I removed everything like that this spring.

Another reason to keep them around is for the very survival of the species. While not quite that dire bee populations are still struggling world wide from their much publicized recent crash.

 

[Newbian]

I would still use fire on them.

 

[OCGuy]

You cant tell if they are Africanized or not without a microscope.


So basically Pizza.....you have 3 hours to live.

 

[Bignate603]

This happened in the walls of my grandfather's old farmhouse. They eventually had to be removed and there was LOADS of honeycomb in the wall. It was crazy. I don't know if a professional could successfully transfer them to a traditional apiary though where you could harvest some honey. It's probably worth a phone call to see. In the part of NY I used to live in there were quite a few bee keepers that did stuff at the local orchards so I'm sure that there must be some near you.

 

[LtPage1]

Beads?

Gob's not on board.

 

[BurnItDwn]

If you lived in Illinois, I would try to buy the honey from you to use in my mead brewing.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

you should do some small-scale beekeeping, instead of letting them stay in the wall.

 

[DrPizza]

This happened in the walls of my grandfather's old farmhouse. They eventually had to be removed and there was LOADS of honeycomb in the wall. It was crazy. I don't know if a professional could successfully transfer them to a traditional apiary though where you could harvest some honey. It's probably worth a phone call to see. In the part of NY I used to live in there were quite a few bee keepers that did stuff at the local orchards so I'm sure that there must be some near you.

I sought out the advice of a couple bee keepers & out of dumb luck, have been talking to a few other guys when I discovered that they also kept bees. Every single one of them said something to the effect of "wait a second, let me get this straight - you have a honeybee colony & they're wild? They've been there for years? Leave them alone! The risks are too high to the colony for you to attempt to get the honey out." I've had a couple of monetary offers for them as well. My brother just picked up a bunch of been keeping stuff & has some for me. If they do eventually swarm (probably will around mid June to July next year), then I'll capture that group to raise.