The problem is, only time will tell the difference.Ī good analogy for wild rescue bees is that they are like cultivating a fruit tree from a wild seed. On the other hand, a healthy wild colony may have rare genetic traits perfected by nature that are essentially priceless to the beekeeper. The rescued colony could easily spread disease to the beekeeper’s other hives. Additionally, if the colony is in poor health, they put the beekeeper’s apiary at risk. Resolving these problems often costs the beekeeper money and time. They may be ill-tempered (a trait that will not reveal itself until the colony is established), unhealthy and/or queenless. Wild rescue colonies make no such promises. They should also be guaranteed to be in good health and have a queen. Yet, these bees have been bred to have desirable traits like docility, disease resistance and honey production. Beekeepers typically pay $125-250 for a new colony of bees (and that’s just the bees, not the equipment). Some try to base the value on the going rate of new colonies. Judging the value of a wild colony isn’t as straightforward as you would think. Most beekeepers are not willing to do these types of removal for free. The process can be messy, exhausting and time consuming with a greater risk of stings. Especially if the bees have ensconced themselves inside a structure. These kinds of removals require extra skill and knowledge. The longer the bees have been there, the more comb they will have built and the bigger the colony will be. If the bees have been in the same place for more than a week, you can assume the they are established. It’s fairly common for beekeepers to remove swarms for free. Most beekeepers are capable of swarm removal and many even enjoy the process. ![]() If the swarm is easy to get to, then it should be a simple and quick removal. If the group of bees has just arrived, they are most likely a swarm.Ī swarm is only a ball of bees with no comb. ![]() Difficulty Levelīee removals can be divided into two categories: swarm removal and established colony removal. Even if the colony you want to have removed is mature, the amount of honey they have stored depends on the time of year and their health. Bee colonies typically need to mature for a full year before honey can be harvested. Just because you have a colony of bees, does not mean you have honey. A beekeeper who rescues a colony of bees for free is therefore taking a gamble. Some removals will result in a honey harvest, but many will not. Some bee removals are simple, while others can take hours. The truth is that wild bees may have some value, but that it’s difficult to judge right away. ![]() Some believe their bees have a value that outweighs the value of the beekeeper’s time and efforts. People who expect free live bee removal often assume the beekeeper wants the bees, that the task is easy and that those bees will make them honey. So, why do some beekeepers charge while others do not? What should you expect from your local community of beekeepers? Let’s look at some of the misconceptions and unseen costs of rescuing bees. ![]() Unfortunately, it may also result in some unpleasant interactions between the beekeeper and members of the public. This inconsistency among beekeepers can create some confusing expectations for homeowners. While it’s true that some hobbyist beekeepers will gleefully remove a colony of bees for free, many beekeepers charge for live bee removal.
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