Rescuing a feral bee hive

Yesterday, I went to relocate a feral beehive that was in somebody's yard.  The hive had apparently been hanging on the branch of a pine tree  for a year or two, and the homeowner wanted it gone.  I heard about it through a local beekeeping club and was intrigued by the whole process of getting a wild hive or swarm as opposed to paying the $90 to get nuc.  A lady from the club agreed to help me get it out of the tree.

When we arrived, the hive was much bigger than I expected and much higher too, about 30 feet off the ground.  I immediately had second thoughts, as getting on an extension ladder 30 feet off the ground with several thousand stinging bees(possibly africanized) seemed pretty stupid. 

I propped the ladder up against the tree and climbed up to get a better view of things.  The bees took little notice of me.  I tied a rope around the branch then threw it over a higher branch, with the intent of lowering the branch slowly to the ground so as not to piss off the bees or damage any of the honey comb.  I retreated down the ladder and started cutting the branch with the pole saw.  When I got about half way through sawing the branch.... WHAM.... the branch snapped and came crashing towards the ground.  The hive exploded with thousands upon thousands of bees angrily flying about.  Fortunately, the branch didn't slam into the ground but got caught up in lower branches at head height.

We waited a moment to let things calm down before we started transferring the hive to its new home. The air smelled sweet with the aroma of honey. The outer comb was completely filled with honey and we carefully removed it from the tree branch and placed it in the hive.  Next came the inner comb which was filled with brood cells.  I couldn't find the queen, but after an hour or two, the bees were already flowing into and out of the box, so I took that as a sure sign that she was in the new hive box. 

I sealed up the hive with ample amounts of duct tape, loaded up the hive and drove home.  The hive is now in my back yard. 

Here are some pictures... The iphone doesn't take pictures with gloved hands and I was a touch reluctant to get too close without gloves...

Sou and I went fishing yesterday in the fading afternoon light.  The simple repetition of cast, reel, cast, reel, cast was relaxing. The fish weren't biting or weren't fooled by the ruse.  Never mind though. Standing lakeside and watching the sandhill cranes, herons, and the wind in the pines while spending quiet time with my wife was reward enough.

Paddling in the Keys and Everglades National Park

Crossing from Key Largo into Everglades National Park

Taking a break and going for a swim

Taking shelter from the sun.


Sou and I rented kayaks in Key Largo this Memorial Day weekend. We paddled into Florida Bay, through some mangrove channels and into Everglades National Park. After a 3 mile open water crossing, we arrived at North Nest Key. While we had perfect weather on the crossing, 3 miles of open water is a long way! We kept paddling and the island didn't seem to get any closer. We stopped for a swim break during the paddle. North Nest Key is surrounded by beach and mangroves. We camped right on the beach and woke up early the next morning for the return trip.

Random alligator

By the side of the road, no water in sight.

Keep out!

While out on a bike ride yesterday morning, I came across this sign. 

Canoeing on the Wekiva River

Sou and I headed to the nearby Wekiva River to go canoeing on Saturday morning.  From the put-in, we paddled upstream towards Wekiva Springs.  During our paddle we saw an alligator, herons, egrets, and turtles.   We had a refreshing swim in the blue waters of the spring that remain a constant 72 degrees throughout the year.

Brown Pelican

While canoeing on the Inter-Coastal Waterway in FL