Greg and Melinda Holley wrote:
 
>I have the chance to attempt getting two feral hives.  One is in an old wood
>sided house. There are several holes where the bees are going in and out.  I
>thought about trying to stop up all the holes ,but one and use a screen
>funnel and hive.  Is this possible on an older house or am I just wasting my
>time?
 
The ABC and XYZ describes this method in detail - it seems practicable but
long-winded.  You would have to supply a queen to the transfer hive that you
want the bees to go to so I doubt that you are gaining anything - the
genetic structure of the hive will be changed and it would be far easier to
just start off a nucleus with a purchased queen if you are aiming to
increase hive numbers.
>
>The second one is a colony in a dead tree that is low to the ground.  Should
>I just cut the tree and bring it home and then get the bees or should I use
>a different method?
 
If you can bring the hive intact to a place where you can place a brood
super above it, the bees will transfer themselves.  Otherwise it is
necessary to cut out the brood combs, tie them into frames (I use string),
and leave a hive box in the identical position for the bees to settle down
before moving.  Messy but can be done.
 
Betty McAdam
HOG BAY APIARY
Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island
j.h. & e. mcadam<[log in to unmask]
http://kigateway.eastend.com.au/hogbay/hogbay1.htm