> Well, although I am very passionate about honey bees and spread knowledge
about them whenever I have a chance, I believe a homeowner has the right to
live without them if they are causing him/her great psychological
discomfort.  [Just as I do not like raccoons that come and trash my fish
pond from time to time (I trap them live and release them 30 miles away).]
I believe not solving the 'problem' for a homeowner gives honeybees and
beekeepers a bad reputation.
> Waldemar
> Long Island, NY
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While I applaud your enthusiasm for helping honeybees it seems to me the
"problem" you describe is by perspective.  Perhaps the problem isn't really
the honeybees making a home in the hollow of the tree - but rather the
homeowner whom is upset with the honeybees sharing 'his' space.  Attitude is
everything.  After all the honeybees didn't make the tree hollow - and
likely made that tree survive longer by coating the inside with water
repellant (WAX).  I once found a tree hive with a round ~6" sheet of beeswax
the bees had built to shed water from the knothole entrance.  Very
enterprising coexistence between the tree & the bees.

Having spent my share of  'enthusiastic' bee-saving effort swinging from
ladders into eves of houses or the side of a barn - I can safely say with
experience that you're time was better spent calling a local pest agency for
easier to remove beehives.  Many agencies gladly forego their profit for
some beekeeper to remove beehives.  Finding ways to kill bees are easy but
keeping them from coming back is a trick pest agencies usually don't
perform.  Enter the beekeeper - & there's room to make money on top of
gaining the bees, wax & 100's of pounds of honey, provided you live in an
area where you're allowed to profit from bee removals.

But there are some dangerous bee missions you should "just say no" as the
risks are too great.  The removal you describe perfectly fits that
description.  You ended up with a few dollars of workers, some drones, no
queen, no wax, no honey and risked life & limb on the guise of somehow
saving the credibility of bees & beekeepers?  Doesn't sound like a winning
proposition.  I'm guessing your enthusiasm added blinders to your effort.
"Can-do" attitude is important but bees just aren't worth your life.  DO
call and collect other easy to reach bees.  Despite Varroa there are still
lots of hives to 'save' every year.

For those that wish to join the effort, free bee plans for a beevac can be
found at: http://www.beesource.com/plans/beevac/index.htm

Matthew Westall - E-Bees - Castle Rock, CO
(where the nectar flow hit last week and they're really putting it on.... &
praying for rain)

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