On a sunny day in July, Urban Forestry responded to a challenging situation. A honeybee colony established itself in a tree in a high-traffic area in downtown Portland. Honeybees, both domesticated and wild, are social insects that multiply to form new colonies. Most of the time, these free-form bee colonies are not a problem. But a beehive on a narrow branch over a bus stop, well, that’s another story.
An astute resident noticed the hive requested help to remove the colony. Urban Forestry Arborist Rick Bunch accepted the challenge to work with a local beekeeper Alasdair Mackenzie to address the situation. Rick and the beekeeper donned protective gear and climbed aboard the bucket of a lift truck to move into position. As the beekeeper held the branch steady, Rick used his chainsaw to remove the branch section containing the bee colony.
The two then lowered the bucket while holding onto the branch and honeycomb structure. The colony was placed in a plastic bin and covered with burlap. The colony was then relocated away from the busy downtown location to a more suitable home.
Urban Forestry responds to thousands of tree emergencies each year and on occasion branches out to protect and rehome some of the important pollinators for the urban ecosystem.
