Gentlestfolks,

Allow me to introduce an old topic here at least to get away from the
natural/unnatural beekeeping esotericism which invariably insists that
everyone keeps bees the way *I* do, assuming everybody can wear his/her
straightjacket, regardless of location and circumstances.

An elderly couple asked me the other day to remove a colony from the wall
of their shed.  Repeat, not a swarm, but a two-year-old colony, alive and
kicking.  Of course, the archival consensus is that most of us charge for
the removal of an existing colony while many do not for simple swarm-
removal although some lucky ones do.  In my area, I have been charging for
a colony-removal about $150, a flexible flat fee, depending on the size
and difficulty associated with the chore and the economic status of the
people asking; I much dislike the mess of rubber-banding the brood and the
whole sticky mess although that is the only way to rescue the brood.  The
elderly man whined that they were on social security although he and his
wife own 230 acres.  Considering all that I told him I would charge a
cott’n pick’n $50 for the gas and the time spent; however, he said he had
to talk to his wife.  The man then said he would rather spray the bees
although I warned him that was against the State law.  Of course, I
explained the possibility that his bees could have mites and other
problems, which might necessitate expensive treatment. He did not call me
back.  At this point, I feel I should just call him and do it for free to
save the bees.  And am still debating.

Now I love to save the bees—-given that I collect the feral bees so that I
do not treat them no matter what—-as an experiment to prove Adrian’s
earlier postulation that there could be pathogen-resistant bees out there
in the outback, of Oklahoma, in this case.  Certainly, I can do without
the chicken feed $50 I wanted to charge; however, I really do not like the
attitude shown by people against the beekeeper.

Now if you call an exterminator for other insect problems, they will pay
nearly $200 without a word of complaint.  But when it comes to honey bees,
these people must be thinking that I come and get them free?  Sure, I love
bees.  But does that mean I drive about thirty miles one way and spent
about three hours and rescue the bees free of charge?  Given the small
size of the colony, I am almost certain the bees do not have much wild
honey at this swarm season:  they pretty much consumed the reserve for
brood-explosion.  Sure, I am willing to accept that these bees are free of
disease.  I took down a similar size yesterday and there was very little
honey for me to take.  But I can use the bees to strengthen another.
[when I combined them, I saw at least three queens in there—one from the
original and two from the one I took down!!!]  Should I do it for free?
My wife thinks I should; however, I really do not like the general
attitude that we remove bees free.  Then again the bees must have gotten
out from someone’s yard if we trace the original source.

I jess dung know.
What say you?

Yoon
People’s Republic of Oklahoma
(waiting for the long-waited summer vacation and swarm-chasing season)

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and  other info ---
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::