'Feral' colony

[JWF]

Where I work we have found a colony of honeybees living in a tree, inside a knot hole. Not necessarily an issue and I'd be happy to leave them, and see if I can catch a swarm from them in the spring, but if you look on the picture you can see that there is extensive bearding on the trunk. This bearding has been present even in the horrible weather we had earlier this week, with the bees looking rather sorry for themselves.

I assume this means that there is insufficient room inside the trunk for the full colony, and I wonder therefore how well they will come through the winter.

I have popped a spare hive down fairly close to the tree, but beyond that, is there anything else I can do to encourage them to move? Admittedly it is getting a bit late in the year for them to move.

Its not an issue at the moment, but sooner or later they will come into conflict with the gardeners!

 

[Erichalfbee]

You need to make them an open ended box then attach it round them to the tree, thereby giving them shelter

 

[JWF]

You need to make them an open ended box then attach it round them to the tree, thereby giving them shelter

Good thinking! If the mountain won't come to Mohammed!

 

[JWF]

The colony are now showing lots & lots of interest in the hive I put down close to them. Possibly they're just robbing out the last of the stores that are in the drawn comb, but fingers crossed they show a little more interest and move lock stock and barrel.

Hopefully the nice weather this week will give them the opportunity, if not I'll make them a nice rain shelter to go over the entrance into the tree and see what happens in the spring.