Collecting Wild Honey

[ak474u]

My brother and I found one once, it was probably 1' wide and 3' long, we didn't hang around very long because the killer bees were here back then, I don't know what happened with that whole thing, but we didn't wanna mess with that. I've been in the woods a lot over my life, and it's the only one I've seen.

[bacpacker]

I have saw swarms of bees that had left an exisiting hive. My uncle used to keep several hives at the house when I was growing up and after he came up once to capture the swarm one time. I ask him why they did that. he said there was a 2nd queen and she along with a portion of the hive were forced out by the other queen.

They had attached to a small maple tree we had in the yard and by the time they were all on it, the tree was bent over. He brought up a empty hive and after smoking them some he just cut off the limb and dumped them in the hive and closed it up.

He always used a "smoker" and basically used old rags smoldering to create the smoke. I really have no clue as to whether different types of smoke from various products would have different effects. In a survival situation I would think the best way would be to get a decent fire going underneath or upwind from the hive and then throw the green leaves/wood on the fire and build up as much smoke as you can get. Then have at it. But be sure you have something to put it in when you take it down. Maybe double layers of a heavy garbage bag or something similar.

[piranha2]

grab it and run like hell?

I would leave out the 'grab it' part.

[Sniper-T]

wild hives aren't that uncommon around here, but they usually aren't as nice and contained as a kept hive would be.

ie a hollowed out tree stump, the inside of a hub of a parked vehicle, under the hood of the same. The odd time I have seen what looks like a giant hornets nest on acid. same kinda set up, but more of a shapeless blob than a nice hive. And when I do see them, I walk away quietly in the other direction. (I too am allergic)

I had a friend who used to tell of his dad collecting them though, although I never did hear it first hand, nor saw it happen. Seems if he found one, he would mark the position, and then return after dark. then using a putty knife and a large HD garbage bag, he would scrape it off and into the bag, or as much as he could. Apparently they are pretty lethargic at night, but once you do get them riled, they're none too happy. So, when he had a good chunk of the hive in the bag, he would high tail it back to his truck. Once there, he'd uncerimoniously toss the bag into the box, and drive home. with the bag flapping open in the wind, by the time he got home, most or all the bees were gone and scattered down the highway.

apparently he kept bees as well, but liked the flavours of wild honey as well, or he blended them together. When I asked if he ever got stung... buddy said "dozens and dozens of times a day".

So if you have the gear, or don't mind some stings, or both. go for it! the old smash and grab!

[ladyhk13]

Well if he kept bees I cannot see him throwing a bag of them in the back of his truck and just letting them scatter all over the place, most bee keepers I have met have respect for the bee and the hive and wouldn't treat them like that. This would be true especially if he liked wild honey - why would he just throw it like garbage? Sorry, guy sounds like a turd.

[Sniper-T]

no offence taken Lady, as I said, I never met the guy, and if you notice the reference to the friend... it was past tense. He was a bit of a turd too.