[Philip Dunn]

I am definitely not doing this cutout alone. It’s so much safer for the bees and beekeepers to have extra hands. Thanks again for the tips. Cheers. – Philip

[Philip Dunn]

Susan, this is very helpful, thank you! I have done several cutouts into TBHs and had success with a method that I found online using hardware cloth ‘hooks’ to attach the comb to the bar. If the comb is really new, soft and heavy, it’s doesn’t work quite as well, but for 90% of the cutouts, it’s made life much easier. I’ve been using 1/2″ hardware cloth and hanging it off the bars, similar to this: http://doorgarden.com/images/critters/bee-pictures/equipment/tie-in-hanger.jpg The thing I haven’t done, yet, is safely bring a large hive down out of a tree. This one will be tricky because it isn’t attached to one large branch but several small branches that criss-cross through the hive. Thanks again for your tips. Cheers!

[Philip Dunn]

I’m going to be doing a bee rescue of a large colony that is 11 feet up in a tree. In three months they have built a good-sized cluster of comb amid the branches (maybe the size of two basketballs). Any advice or resources for bringing them down safely and re-hiving them in my TBH? I’ve done several standard cutouts, just not sure if I should try to cut all the branches loose, lower the hive and put the comb on my bars all in one evening or if I should bring it down and take it somewhere else. Any advice would be awesome. Thanks!

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