how to entice bees out of a log hive ?

we are logging a tract of our property , and the logger cut a tree and when sectioning it found that it has a hive of honey bees, so he left them a large ? 8-10 foot section . My husband wanted to just move the log to a better spot and stand it up in a hole . and allow the bees to stay . I posted to a local forum to find out if that will save the hive and was told MA does not allow log hives . we know nothing about bee keeping would love to allow them to stay and live on the property .
I do not understand the law as we did not entice them to live in the tree and have no idea how to remove them . we are in eastern MA so far all we have done is place a piece of plywood against the tree to prevent heavy rain from going into the hole
Sue

having been tipped over will probably have caused them a fair amount of hardship. tipping it back up would probably do them some good, but I wouldn't bet the farm on them making it. adding a roof over top to prevent moisture from getting in once it's upright again wouldn't hurt. not an easy undertaking, but also not without intangible reward.

as far as the law: I wouldn't worry about it. put them out of the way where they won't be noticed and don't go spreading word and it's unlikely to ever be an issue.

Thank you , I would like to try and help them survive we have log moving equipment and can move the log a short distance too where it will be safer .

Sue

great. if you can tell which way the comb is oriented, try to keep it in a vertical plane. it's much stronger that way. best would be to move it upright, but that might be asking a bit much.

Thank you, we will most likely have to move it as it lays, but the log lifter is still on property so I should be able to get him to stand it upright
as it was growing

I see my last message might have been a little ambiguous. I meant that you will want to keep the comb in a vertical plane while you move it.

the log is now on the ground . I think we will need to move it in this position then stand it up .
Sue

right. wild comb has a tendency to be wavy, but it does sometimes stay pretty straight. even though it's tipped over, the comb could still be oriented vertically. imagine a waffle stood on edge instead of laying flat. that orientation is stronger, and less likely to collapse during a move, than if the comb were oriented horizontally like a waffle laying flat.

does that make sense? the tree tipping over could have either laid the waffles down flat, or just rolled them 90 degrees (or somewhere in between those two). if it laid them down flat, you could tip them up on edge again by rolling the log to orient them vertically.

we got it standing up as it was growing right after I had posted, and my Husband put a board with spacers to allow air but not rain to get in the top opening
it is now 5 weeks later and the bees are still very active . Hopeing they make it through the winter

If you want to move them to a man made hive next spring, google Hogan trap out. He invented a great method to get them out of trees. If you can't find it, I have his plans somewhere. I was going to try it last year but got 3 calls about swarms in trees and didn't need any more.

Thank you , that is very interesting . we have turned cold here and they have gone dormant .
I did not understand how you provide a new queen . I thought the queen needed to be movwed with the bees

His method basically adds a temporary addition to the hive. You use a tube to connect a nuc or a full sized hive to the tree. You block any other holes so the bees have to go through it. It has to have frames so you can move it to permanent hive. It's better if you have drawn comb for a couple frames. The bees will start filling it up. He takes the frames out and leaves the old queen then adds a queen. He can get bees 3-4 times a year this way. I think If you want to take all the bees you add a funnel so they can't get back in the tree.

The instructions are 12 pages, so that is oversimplified. He'll send the plans to anyone free. He just wants to help bees. C C Hogan. They sell his device at Walter Kelly. Am I allowed to mention the forum he's on?

Forgot to mention that if you do want the old queen, it works best if you have a frame of uncapped brood. The Queen will come to the box to see who's been laying in her hive. I think the drawn comb and the brood comb are not essential.

If your bees are still in there; call an experienced beekeeper from your local chapter; he/she will know what to do to move them safely into a new home in Spring (no worries about the log-hive silliness...)

For what it's worth to this old thread.

I do not understand the law as we did not entice them to live in the tree  

That law is so hives can be thoroughly inspected for diseases. Particularly American Foul Brood.