My Boys Found The BEE TREE! - Honey Bees Living In The Wild
The following story is one of the biggest reasons why I homestead. My kids probably would never have gotten the experience they got this week if we still lived in the city or in a suburb. I wouldn't change this lifestyle for anything!
Now it's not often that you will ever stumble upon a tree in the woods full of bees and honey. It's like something out of Winnie the Pooh.
Late last week, my boys were out playing on the farm in the forest with some friends and they came across a tree on the property with bees flying all around it. The bees were very active as it was a warm day probably in the mid 50's. That may not seem so warm but after a week of temps being in the teens and low 20's, it was a heat wave.
Excited, my boys came back to tell dad the news of a bunch of bees flying around a tree. It was doubtful that it was a hornets nest as I believe they have to rebuild their colony from scratch every year. And I have seen honey bees in trees before. It's actually quite natural and anyone who spends enough time in the woods will find them every so often.
I was busy with work and chores so we decided the next day we would go and investigate. And sure enough, my boys had found a honey tree.
As my boys peered into the hole in the middle of this dead tree, they gazed with wonderment at what they were seeing.
The hole clearly gives the tell tale sight of golden bees wax indicating that they had indeed found wild honey bees.
Getting the camera a little closer, we could make out additional details of the comb.
The temperature outside was around 30 degrees so the bees were not moving around much. I positioned the camera to see if I could get a shot with some of the bees on the comb.
I could see at least 3 different layers of comb going back into the hive. The comb up front was completely empty. But down below it looks like the entire tree was full of honey. I couldn't get a good shot of that view. It also looked like the comb extended up into the trunks of the dead tree as well.
I'm not an expert, but it looked like a well established hive.
My boys proudly standing next to their find. Everyday is an adventure on the homestead. You never know what amazing discovery will be made tomorrow!
What Next
My neighbor has a few hives over at his house and I will work with him on setting up some swarm traps around this tree this spring. Then we can move them over to some of his vacant hives.
I'm not planning on getting into bee keeping right now. It is very interesting, I just have my hands full with too many other things right now. Besides we get a lot of sweets from our cane sugar and we produce a lot of that every year. But if I can catch a couple swarms a year and get them into the hands of a productive bee keeper, it just means the land is producing something else for the homestead.
I'll keep you posted on any catches we make this year.
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Great find boys! Very exciting. My grandfather and father kept bees. Apiary is a very interesting and important pursuit. Pollination in the crops will improve if you set up a hive on the homestead, not to mention a ready supply of fresh honey, not that the stuff ever goes off.
We especially hear the bees in the summer when the persimmon trees are in full bloom. It's amazing!
w000t! What a win win for the homestead, way to go boys!
The boys had a great time. A memory that will not easily be forgotten.
In years to come the boys will pull these memories out like the treasures they are...
I found one 20 foot up in a tree once. In the summertime you can smell a large hive. I helped my dad with his bees for as long as I can remember. I always thought taking a bee hive from a 20 foot oak tree and but them in a thin walled bee box was like moving someone from a penthouse and sticking them in a trailer park. Paul Stamets has done work with bees that show bees inoculate themselves with fungus. If I ever mess around with bee hives at my place it will in all natural logs. No paint, no sealer, ect..
Interesting stuff! Thanks for the comment!
That sounds amazing...keeping it natural. Is there any special tactics for harvesting honey that way? I'm sure there's safety precautions, of course, but any trade skill secrets? ;) I'm just now stepping into beekeeping so I'm game to learn all I can.
Robbing a wild hive is not for the faint of heart. Nore is doing the cut out to move a wild hive. 1st rule bee suits are for ninnies. 2nd rule dont take bee keeping advice from people who dont use bee suits. People will call you crazy. Me and my dad. 78 in april and still bee keeping .
Awesome! Get that milk cow producing and you will have a land flowing with milk and honey. Good thing you know scripture and know that you can consume those blessings from the Father. Something like that tree full of honey is a good way to trap new swarms every year. The mill I worked at has a 20' wall build out of 2x8's. There are thousands of bees that swarm to it every spring, from different directions every year. That wall has to have several tons of honey in it, as they have been expanding the hive every year for 20+ years. Good job boys.
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That colony will spawn a couple of reproductive swarms this year. To get some free bees set up a couple of swarm traps and bait with beeswax and lemongrass oil, crushed lemon balm works too but not as well as the lemongrass oil.
That is very cool stuff. That's where kids belong outside running around free safely exploring the world around them.
Bee traps is the smart way to go. Good luck to you homesteaders and the bees.
Bee traps are very effective just make sure you have the right gear to handle them.
Looks like any easy hole to plug (temporarily) and steal a hive, just need some young eggs from the neighbors hive and they will make a queen!
Good Find!