The oak tree will have a drainage mark on a hollow tree or limb.  It
maybe down from the area of the hive entrance.  The bark may wrinkle as the age
increase below the hollow.  Laurel oaks life span is 85 to 125 years.
Cutting a limb off on a mature tree will open a hollow.  It may seal itself for a
few years but most will open as the tree gets older.  Paints and tars help but
the opening will appear sooner or later.  Woodpeckers will put larvae to feed
their young, wood ducks will nest, and raccoon den in these hollows.  Storms
will twist and crack limbs which work the same as the limb cutting.
       These hollows are sealed by the honeybees and will help in the life of
the tree.
The limb is weaken before they put the nest in the hollow.
       This limb or tree is weaken and will fall.  It will fall sooner than
the remainder of the tree.  Its life is shorten but not by the honeybee.
       The tonnage of weight from an oak tree will crush a house or car.
Advice of removing limbs that are over a building is important.  The rest of the
tree and the hollow of bees can go for 10 to 20 years without problems.
       Working with the tree remove crew by removing the bees if the limb has
to be cut or screen covering it while they cut the limbs above.  Screening it
will leave the bees in the tree for years.
       Michael Housel                         Orlandobee

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