Last Friday I cut a colony of honeybees from a bee tree in Fletcher NC. After cutting the comb from the hollow tree, I banded the sections into frames using rubber bands and placed the frames in a hive box. This hive box was left in place for the straggler bees to find and re-establish the colony. I figured one week would give the bees time to start fastening the comb back together so it would not get out of place in moving the colony to Candler.
When I arrived to take possession of the colony, the homeowners came out to greet and we had a great time talking about bees. Like lots of people now days, they have a curiosity about bees and concern for there well being. I enjoyed telling them about the amazing things I have seen in bee colonies as well as what was going on with this colony. They asked about how I managed to get the colony out of the tree and other great questions. We built up a rapport and I am not sure which of us enjoyed the conversation the most. Of course, if I am talking about bees, I am having a great time. I really enjoy discussing theories I have and experimental interests as well as success I have had with non-chemical beekeeping.
I chuckled when I went around to the front of the hive and found three rubber bands that had been chewed on, cut and removed to the ground in front of the hive. The homeowners seemed very surprised they had already removed some of the bands, which means the comb is well on its way to being reattached. Like my good friend Edd Buchanan always says, "I would love to know what that bee that makes the final cut on a rubber band thinks when it lets go".
Well, I now have my fourteenth colony in place and am looking at making some nuc boxes from some of the stronger hives. I am at the point, I need some more equipment or I am not going to be able to super all those hives for the Tulip Poplar flow that is about to take off. If you know where some good used equipment is, a heads up on the information would be greatly appreciated.
Cal
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