Open air nest

    There was a fair honey flow on and the comb building was well underway by the time I noticed the swarm. Actually, my son found a teardrop of white comb on a oak leaf on the ground.

     We enlisted the aid of a beekeeper friend of mine, Jim. It was in the branches but not on the lowest one. After trimming from around it we decided to drop the hive into a hive body, main branch and all.

   Main branch that was supporting the hive is about 2 inches in diameter. Built around a fork, a smaller branch runs through the middle of the nest.

   We lopped off the fork branch and set up two ladders to provide access for the final cuts of the main branch. The bees were gentle and tolerant. We did not use smoke.

   Working mid-morning, most of the forager bees were coming and going. As I stood on the ladder very close to the nest a bee did the waggle dance on the beautiful white comb.

 It was obvious that if we hived them at this time of day we would lose a great deal of adult bees. Without a way to suspend the box at nearly the same spot, I felt returning bees would be unable to find home.

   After some discussion of our options, we decided to tie off the nest with rope and them lower them into a box after dark.

     The prepared box would be two deep bodies since the nest comb was too long to go into one box. I cut some small wooden blocks and nailed into the corners of one box to set the main branch on. A third deep body would be added on top with frames of foundation so they could move up.

   Using a branch above, we tied a rope to each end of the main branch. The nest would swing slightly, maybe a foot or so when we cut it loose. Here is what it looked like hanging in place.

    Even though we used extreme care, we lost some comb.

    New white comb is very fragile.

It was a good experience but would do it differently if there is a next time.

We would leave them alone for a few months to let the comb mature some. Maybe fashion a roof out of plywood to keep the rain out.

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