dual standards...

I got a call today.
Somebody has bought a piece of property and is building a house on it.
They discovered "bees" in a cliff in the ground.
Since Bees normally don't house in ground, I am thinking about yellow jackets and not bees.
I look up the address with google maps: 30 miles, 45 minutes one way trip.
I explain that I am willing to come, inspect and make an offer. But in case they don't want to pay for the removal, I will be charging them $25 (for 90 minutes of my time /gas money). And they don't want to do that.
"we will see for another week if we can find someone else who will take them, if not, we will put some kind of bomb on them"

What are people's thoughts exactly about the value of bees ?
Enough for a beekeeper to work for free, but otherwise disposable if you have to pay to get it removed ?

easy swarm catch

Somebody in Camarillo called today about a bee swarm.
They were hanging from a bird bath and was an easy catch
[CLICK ON PICTURES FOR ENLARGEMENT]

This was an easy one!

I was able to catch most of them, maybe 20 or so flew up in the air.
I had to close down the box to keep the majority in.
Drove home with the box in the back, suit on, visor down and windows open.
I wonder what the police officer was thinking when he saw me driving like that...

New bee swarm moved into an existing box

Last week I recovered an almost empty hive on one of the yards where I keep bees.
They clearly weren't in good shape and were reduced to one frame of brood and some honey.
I start feeding them with some sugar water in the hope to not lose the girls.
I thought they were doing better, with lots of activity.
But then suddenly today we heard a load noise, a swarm decided they were moving in.
I had no protective clothing on, 3 in my hair, 2 walking over my forehead when I made these movies:
didn't get stung once.

2012 season has started

Got 3 calls about swarm catches yesterday

Will try and write up article about swarm catches soon.

Danny