Are you above or below angry bees?

Jimmy (local Bee officianado/expert) and I went to extract a bee hive from a porch overhang. We were unsure if the bees were in the wall or the soffet of the overhang. We started by cutting up the wall (removing the fascia), then proceeded to removing the soffet. We found them between the floor joists. About a half dozen combs. Lots of brood, not a lot of honey. We took the comb and placed them in the frames, and the frames in the box. After we realized we were still missing the queen. The survival rate of a queenless hive is pretty low. We could see that the bees were swarming back towards the house. We began to cut more and more. We realized we were overwhelmed by the sheer number of bees and not being able to locate the queen visually. There must have been several thousand bees.

We borrowed a "bee vacuum" from another local bee keeper (named Ya). The Bee vacuum is a bee safe vacuum for collecting a large number of bees.  Its weird when you grab a handful of bees and it feels like firm jello.  We were able to collect a pretty fair amount of the hive. Including what we believe to be the queen (as the swarm quickly started gathering on the vacuum.

I accidentally tipped over the vacuum filter (full of bees) they didn't like that at all. All of sudden the buzz volume went from a 5 to a 9. They all start buzzing and flapping their wings (signalling danger).

That night we moved the bees over to my new place and set them up. They were pissed by nightfall. They were following me everywhere with quite a ferrociousness. They were tame all day, but when they were pissed, they got piiiissed. Now I know what angry bees are like.  Next is to learn what angry african bees are like (fortunately we don't have the African bees here (yet)).

Now to see if they survive in their new home.



When we arrived just a few bees were outside. The bees were entering the house under the flashing, but we were unable to tell if they were going up between the studs to the window, or down into the overhang.

When we arrived just a few bees were outside. The bees were entering the house under the flashing, but we were unable to tell if they were going up between the studs to the window, or down into the overhang.

Found them in the overhang.

The comb

Me helping pull the comb out.

Serious bees, still not pissed, just a little confused that their home is gone.

In the vacuum canister, waiting to be transported.

I brought a piece of brood comb home for Nathan. we were able to watch this bee come out (born) this morning during breakfast.