Bee Removals and Swarms – 2023

Hundreds of bee removals from trees/houses/roofs/sheds/water meters/etc have been done over the years. Hive access is sometimes difficult and sometimes easy. Every removal situation is different and always an adventure.  If you have bees that need removing give us a chance to relocate them to a good home in an area hobby beekeeper’s apiary.  Click here to contact NaplesBees for a quick response to your request.  Below is a chronological listing of various past bee removals done over the years.

See 2023 year bee removals here
See 2022 year bee removals here
See 2021 year bee removals here

See 2020 year bee removals here

See 2019 year bee removals here
See 2018 year bee removals here
See 2017 year bee removals here
See 2015-2016 year bee removals here

Removal 216:

2/16/2023 – Removal from a water meter on 8th Street South in Naples. Comb was removed and mounted on frames and bees were beevaced.  This small removal is going to be used in a paper combine with a queenless hive in the NaplesBees apiary.

Click on picture for a larger view.

Click on picture for a larger view.

Beautiful queen going about business. Click on picture for a larger view.

 
 

Removal 217:

3/7/2023 – Removal from a water meter at house on Island Pond Lane in Naples. Two frames of comb was removed and mounted on frames and remaining bees were beevaced.  This small hive will replace a deadout in the NaplesBees apiary.

Click on picture for larger view.

 

Removal 218:

3/8/2023 – Things never get dull when you are a hobby beekeeper…… Does the following story support a theory that swarms might prefer a brood size box over a nuc size box when deciding where to set up shop?  
Today I noticed a swarm about 30 feet high in a neighbor’s tree, off to the side of my apiary.  While keeping an eye on it and doing some chores in the apiary, it suddenly took flight and within 5 minutes had settled on a group of nuc boxes behind my garage building next to the apiary………. STEP 1:

STEP 1…….. Swarm moves to nuc boxes. Click on picture for a larger view

After about 20 minutes all the bees seemed  to consolidate themselves on the front of one specific nuc.  At this time, I observed lots of “waggle” dances on the surface of the ball of bees.  Trying to decode the majority of the waggle dances pointed me to thinking the next move might be nearby and back to the south (very tight waggle dance and slight south indication)………. STEP 2:

STEP 2……. The ball of bees consolidates on one nuc, but not going inside. Click on picture for a larger view.

After almost a half hour more and observing many many “waggle” dances, the swarm took off again and within minutes had started to settle on a brood size nuc box high on the south wall of the garage around the corner of the garage building………… STEP 3:

STEP 3…….. the swarm moves to a brood size nuc box around the corner of the garage. Click on picture for a larger view.

Within 10 minutes the entire swarm had settled in a ball under the brood size nuc box……… STEP 4:

STEP 4…….. the swarm settles around the corner on a brood size nuc box. Click on picture for a large view.

The next day, the final step was to move that box in to the apiary and give them a little sugar syrup.  Hopefully, they will stay, but there is never a guarantee when it comes to beekeeping!!

Removal 219:

3/17/2023 – Removal of a small swarm that was found on a palm frond. The bees were vacuumed up and then given a spot in the apiary. A few frames of comb and a sugar frame were provided in the brood box in hopes they will stay.

Click on picture for a larger view.