[OldNorth] Update #2c from Dennis & the colony/hive in demise

Thu Apr 24 10:13:48 PDT 2008

Bee fans,
	Third try -- getting the photo smaller than the .3 mb limit.

Dennis

Bee watchers,
	Here is the photograph, a bit reduced in size (from .5 mb to 
.2 mb) to facilitate email movement.  The photo is from Wednesday 
around 2pm.  I haven't photoed today's post-removal site of the crime.

Dennis

Bee watchers of OND,
	Minor documentation:  see attached photo of the 636 B. Street 
bee-colony entrance plug.  Showing is both the recent foam plug and 
the waxy/glue-gun plug of about four weeks ago.  Also visible are 
some of the dead bees at the 6 foot height of the colony entrance 
(most dead bees are piled up at the foot of the tree).
	Also, a field observation report.  As of 9:45 this morning 
the foam plug and the wax plug are both removed from the surface and 
from most of the visible interior of the entrance hole (the lack of 
living bees, other than a random exploratory bee appearing from 
time-to-time, allows one to get up close and look into the hive hole 
for the first time).  The city at work?

Dennis

Bee fans of OND,
	Updates show little results.
	I called Rob Cain, city arborist, who claimed no knowledge of 
the bee eradication measures and said his arm of the city didn't have 
any policy about bees in city trees.  He wondered if the school 
district had done it (?).  He said he would go take a look.
	I visited 636 C. Street where only the contractor was on-site 
and he denied any knowledge about the bees.  He said the owner (the 
Schillings) never visited the site and that the selling realtor was 
his contact with the owners.
	I visited Stan Dundon's house (just south of 636 B) and they 
didn't know about the recent plugging-up of the bee hive.  They, in 
fact, had just worried about the need for bees to pollinate one of 
their trees and appreciated the nearby hive.
	Dan Q. has suggested a logic for removing the plug of foam 
from the hive entrance.  I'll look into that this afternoon when I've 
made further effort to contact the owner.  Dan pointed out that for 
the tree's health, holes/hollows like that shouldn't be shutt up but 
should be allowed to breathe.  Bruce and others (see below) suggest 
that bees might return if the plug is taken out.

Dennis
"bee aware!"

Dennis - I saw your message as a result of being on the Old North 
e-mail list, so please pardon the intrusion - I usually do not 
respond to anything, as it really isn't any of my business. However, 
in this case, I am quite interested, and I hope you, and Old North in 
general, pursues the topic with gusto. That is terrible, in my 
opinion, and I consider it an act of vandalism., and should be 
treated as such. Let me know if I can help. Jim

Dennis:
     My understanding is that the parking strip is public property.  Thus,
assuming this isn't a city policy or act, after a suitable notification to
the owners of the nearest house  -- it is possible they have a resident who
is seriously allergic to bee venom -- the foam should be removed.  Even if
the present hive is dead, it is likely a suitable location will be
re-colonized from swarms.  This is important to all gardeners in the
neighborhood, anyone with backyard fruit trees, etc.  Having kept bees, I'm
appalled.
                 Bruce

Dennis,
This makes me sad and mad.  I hope that the city
considers it an act of vandalism and investigates.  Is
there any way that the foam can be removed?  Love,
Robin

Shoot.  Do stay on this.  I'm sad too, and can't believe people could 
be so horrible.

Sheryl

I noticed that too and was equally saddened, but figured the property 
owners had a right to do it. Never thought about the city tree angle.

-=rgb

On Apr 23, 2008, at 10:42 AM, Robin&Dennis wrote:

>Sheryl,
>	A few minutes ago I checked on the honey bee hive in the Elm
>tree in front of 636 B. Street.  Someone in the last 24 hours has
>plugged up the bee entrance with expanding insulation foam.  Dead
>bees are all around the former entrance and the hive is surely killed.
>	That hive was a source of daily pleasure and pride to me
>since I first noticed it about 6 months ago.  Every daytime
>walk-around-the-block with Kirby let me marvel in their
>industriousness in coming-and-going at the entrance hole.  It is
>right about ear height and at night I would put my ear to the tree
>and listen to the buzz of thousands of beating wings inside.  Honey
>bees are dying nationwide from mysterious causes, and bee decline is
>a serious economic and biological trend.  I have a hard time
>imagining the mind-set that would lead to this act of assassination
>of our  honeybee friends.
>	I'll check with the city to see if killing bees in street
>trees is official policy.  However, I suspect it to be an
>unauthorized act by the workmen who are daily engaged in some serious
>remodelling for the new owners (the Schillings).
>
>Dennis
_________________________

At 1:38 PM -0700 4/23/08, Dan Quickert wrote:
>I've taken my stand ;-)
>
>figured if Dennis wants to persue it, he'd call the City or 
>something... don't think this needs the full force of the 
>Association.
>
>Dan Q
>
>On 04/23/08 1:00 PM, sheryl lynn gerety wrote:
>
>>So where do we stand?  Has the city been called, do we need to form a group?
>>
>>Sheryl

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