A honeybee colony that had been nesting inside a wall of a local building for approximately five years was recently removed and relocated by beekeepers and specialists, addressing concerns raised by patients at a nearby clinic. The removal effort took place in early September, after clinic staff asked for the bees to be safely relocated.

Brian Serna, Founder and CEO of Serna, agreed to facilitate the operation despite its high cost, emphasizing the importance of preserving the bees while repairing the wall. Local ecologist Miguel Santistevan connected the clinic with Zia Queenbees Farm and Field Institute, where Melanie Kirby and Mark Spitzig led the removal.

During their initial assessment earlier this month, Kirby and Spitzig used a camera scope to inspect the colony, which was found to extend deeply into the porch column of the building. On September 11, the team carefully opened portions of the wall using ladders and specialized tools to expose the hive.

The colony contained an extensive honeycomb structure, with sections measuring as long as five feet. Although the total bee population was not precisely counted, Kirby estimated there were "thousands upon thousands" of bees, describing them as "really nice, gentle bees."

The team removed pieces of honeycomb and transferred the bees into frames housed in hive boxes. They successfully located the queen bee and reunited her with the colony. Additional bees were collected using a bee vacuum and placed in a separate box.

Kirby shared plans to utilize genetics from the rescued colony in future queen breeding efforts, highlighting the significance of preserving the bees’ genetic diversity. She also noted the timing of the removal posed challenges, as it occurred late in the season. “Doing removals at this time of year is really a gamble,” Kirby said, explaining that the bees have limited time left in the nectar flow season to reestablish.

Despite the dry conditions experienced this year, the presence of some nectar flow was considered favorable. The team also plans to support the relocated colony by supplementing it with reserves from other hives to help ensure its survival through the upcoming winter months. Kirby expressed cautious optimism, concluding, “Fingers crossed that they get through winter.”