Bees in trees

I decided to shoot some photos of a honey bee hive that's 30-35' up in an old red (or scarlet) oak. The hive has two entrances, the main opening is about 12 feet above the secondary entrance. Three years ago I found a pair of raccoons sleeping in the hole, during a climb last year I checked the cavity from above, determined there were no raccoons in it and rappelled down to check out the opening. I landed with one foot on the edge of the hole and looked down to see my foot surrounded by honey bees. A quick swing and I was away from them, no problem.

This time I approached much more carefully, tied in both ends of my rope well above the hive and lowered down gradually until I was close enough to get some photos.

Base of the tree


Looking down, the hive is on the other side of the leader/limb on the right, next to the broken off stub just peeking out facing up. Rope over a limb at about 75', tree's a little over 90'.


There's the same dead stub now on the right, hive on the left


Closer in


Angle from above a little closer


Now the raccoons sleep on top of a bittersweet vine that's covering a smaller tree next door



I was shooting with a 100-400mm lens so I could keep a comfortable enough distance, around 10 feet. The tail of my rope was up and over a crotch and down the other side of the tree so it wouldn't agitate them. I moved slowly and watched them carefully to make sure they weren't getting excited after I made a move closer

Rest of the climb photos
-AJ

Great Pictures Moss! You are a brave sole; if the Queen was an aggressive one you might have set new records for descent speed.

I especially like the pictures where you are looking down. It is a beautiful tree.

Glad you enjoyed that 'breezy. I had no quick escape route, had to go up before going down. However standard honey bees are quite calm (we don't have the Africanized honey bees this far north). So no bravery, just careful planning and caution.
-AJ

I have heard that bees are good for the tree because they clean the hollow and create a sterile environment. This slows the decaying trunk wood while allowing the tree to maintain structurally sound wood. I wood let them be. (pun intended)

Nice pics indeed. By the way moss, how's your shoulder? I remember you saying you injured it a little while ago.

Shoulder is coming along nicely. I'm back to climbing with both arms, pain is down to nothing, mobility is returning, still more to go to regain full shoulder mobility. Thanks for asking.
-AJ

Treezybreez wrote:

I have heard that bees are good for the tree because they clean the hollow and create a sterile environment. This slows the decaying trunk wood while allowing the tree to maintain structurally sound wood. I wood let them be. (pun intended)

That is really interesting. It might be a cool idea to introduce a new hive into a hollow to help lengthen a tree's lifespan.
-AJ

How in the world would you introduce a queen to a tree? Go out and buy a queen with a few workers? Maybe there's some beekeepers on the forum here that can tell us how you would do that. Now that would be an interesting project!

So here is a few questions that come to my mind.
1. What size cavity would qualify for a beehive?

2. What time of year would you do it?

3. How would you know that they would stay in the cavity that you drop them into?

4. Is there any optimal height in the tree that you would try to locate them into?

5. How about a sign near the new hive? Like "Bee Mine". Safety orange of course. What do you think?

Treeman

The way I figure it, If you put up a sign indicating the presence of a tree hive, and you post a sign notating "Bee Mine", then the time of year one would try to establish the hive would of course have to be the second week of February.

Ron

treeman wrote:

How in the world would you introduce a queen to a tree? Go out and buy a queen with a few workers? Maybe there's some beekeepers on the forum here that can tell us how you would do that. Now that would be an interesting project!

So here is a few questions that come to my mind.
1. What size cavity would qualify for a beehive?

2. What time of year would you do it?

3. How would you know that they would stay in the cavity that you drop them into?

4. Is there any optimal height in the tree that you would try to locate them into?

5. How about a sign near the new hive? Like "Bee Mine". Safety orange of course. What do you think?

Treeman

I'll check with my beekeeper friends for expert answers to your questions. From what I know, you want to start them in spring so they'll have time to establish the hive and collect enough honey to make it through the next winter. You'd start with a queen and small number of workers, this can be purchased. Need a hollow that doesn't have too many large openings, for instance the bees I photographed are in a hollow with only two openings, the main opening maybe 7" across, the small opening 2-3". Probably want to verify that nothing else is currently occupying/nesting in the cavity like small owls, raccoons, squirrels, 'possums etc.
-AJ

treeman wrote:

3. How would you know that they would stay in the cavity that you drop them into?

4. Is there any optimal height in the tree that you would try to locate them into?

5. How about a sign near the new hive? Like "Bee Mine". Safety orange of course. What do you think?

Treeman

I've seen honeybees exiting trees at ground level, head height and 30-40'. I think any height is ok, quality of the hollow (from a bee's point of view) is more important.

If the queen decides it's not acceptable she'll move to a better location.
-AJ

most bees nest at lower levels because that is where the hollows are. This is why you should always have a bug net on under or over your helmet. Host bees are docile enough to be allowed to climb on you just tread lightly and perferably don't anchor on a branch above the nest. If you bring sugar syrup you can get a bee glove and not get stung. A quick method for dealing with a nest is to lightly mist them with sugar water as it preoccupies them with eating rather than attacking. avoid this on cold days... Its an old Beekeeper trick

I've cut a tree and discovered a honey bee hive inside a hollow.

As a beekeeper yes bees protect trees they coat the interior of the void with a substance called propolis. All you'd have to do to introduce them to a void is collect a swarm and put it in the void or just thro a swarm lure in the void during swarm season. The void needs a smallish entrance and be the size of a basketball or bigger inside.