In case someone is interested:
For the past many years my big eucalypt has hosted a nest box, supplied as part of the CIMAG program. It is in direct view from kitchen window. Each year it
has successfully hosted either Crimson or Eastern Rosella nestings, except one year Common Mynas which were removed and the male found a new partner, who I think nested there but was also removed, then he lost interest.
About 3 months ago, after two pairs of both Rosella species had been investigating the box for several weeks, I decided to cover the nest box hole, as the Mynas
were starting to bother the Rosellas. All three species continued to inspect for several weeks but for the first time ever, bees showed up only a couple days after I blocked the entrance, using a crack in the side wall join. This seems strange to me that they
arrived at that time. I noticed the bees had slowly built up (but not the extent of the colony) so I contacted someone on the ACT Beekeepers Association website for "Bee swarm removal help requested in Kambah". The person I contacted came around within a couple
of hours. Said the situation would not get worse but he would prefer to wait till winter when the bees are easier to handle and remove. Fine except with the big rainstorm we had this afternoon, I noticed that the box had fallen off the tree on the ground and
the base had come undone. I had not realized but the box was full of bee hive with many swarming around. So I called the guy again and he has come tonight to collect the box and hive. He thinks it weighs about 20 kg and likely the weight of the bees, hive
and honey is enough to make it fall off the tree. He will keep the bees and honey and return the box to me after a clean out.
Philip
