I received a phone call from the owner of the farm where I keep some hives. The council have been cutting back some trees between his hedge line and the road. In particular, this oak which I think was partly dead.
I imagine the tree surgeon doing the work (from a cherry picker) got something of a surprise when he cut off one of the limbs, right into a hollow that was occupied by bees, hence the call from the farmer. I arrived to find the branch lying in his field about ten metres away from the tree.
There were none left around the tree, so I assume they’d found there way back to the rest of the colony. Remember that “three feet or three miles” rule? I’m beginning to suspect that it’s “mostly guidelines”.
Closer inspection showed plenty of bees inside the hollow, and comparing that part of the branch with the piece that had been cut off first clearly the tree surgeon had the incredible fortune to cut through right at the very top of the cavity, leaving no sign in the other part, meaning there was probably a fair chance of a queen being present and in good health.
I felt there wasn’t much I could really do that would make anything any better so late in October though, so I closed off what had been the top of the colony with some ply and added another piece to try to keep the rain off that. If they make it through to the Spring then we’ll see what can be done then.
