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Discovered a week or so ago I've got honeybees setting up shop in one of the oaks in my yard.

This is the tree they picked... in the back corner of my 5 acre yard... the big tree pictured on the right, closest to the camera.
Entry hole is about 2 feet off the ground on the opposite side of the trunk as shown in the first pic.
So never having had a honeybee tree in my yard, here are my questions:

1) Do the bees quicken the pace of the tree hollowing / ultimately dying? As the first picture shows, it's a fairly healthy looking tree, at least for the moment.

2) How close can I do work to the tree? Have walked within about 5' or so, and they haven't attacked me, just buzzing me in their flight paths. Used the weed whacker today about 20' away and they didn't attack. Haven't cut grass near it yet, so that's my main reason for asking.

3) Appreciating they'll help pollinate many of the plantings I have as well as plantings of the closest neighbors', what would you recommend I do... have a dog and a 4 year old so debated putting a small fence around it if I leave 'em be(e).

Any other wisdom those in the know want to kindly share, I'll much appreciate it!

Fencing the tree sounds wise - My grandparents had a huge honey-bee nest in one of their oaks but it was pretty high up (15 feet or so) so we never got stung. We used to walk right under it and watch them come and go, and never were bothered. Being at dog-nose and 4-year-old-curious-hand height, I would think that the chances of a sting are increased. Generally speaking, you dont bother them, they won't bother you. I would restrict access to the tree in a 5 foot radius and let them be(e).

I would also bet money that the bees won't damage the tree - they eat flower pollen, not oak.

I don't know how I happened upon this, but I saw this ad on craigslist earlier today:
http://tallahassee.craigslist.org/grd/3754019710.html
That guy may be able to help you.

If you are fine with the bees just leave them. BUT more than likely at some point in time you will get stung and probably multiple times. With most things flowering and relatively cool weather the bees are essentially happy and have to many other things to do than worry about a person, but when the weather gets hot and humid the bees will get agitated. DO NOT WEEDEAT AROUND THE TREE you will get stung. Spray a 6 to 7 feet ring of roundup around the tree. This wont harm the tree or the bees, but only do this just before daylight or at night while the bees are docile.

The tree should be fine though. Bees actually produce a lining around the hive which protects the tree and the hive at the same time.

BTW are you sure they are honey bees. Usually an entrance that low is an indication of yellow jackets and that is a whole other animal and relatively dangerous. If its yellow jackets your best bet is to call an exterminator and get rid of them as soon as possible.

Painfully familiar with yellow jackets... run ins with many a nest, though most through holes in ground. 100% certain honeybees.

If that is a water oak, it is probably much more hollow than you think it is. Had some removed last year and I couldn't believe how hollow seemingly healthy strong water oaks were. I have a family friend that keeps bees, I can check if she knows anyone to trap them for you. Or I have my grandads old beekeeper suit you can borrow. How hard can it be?

As a young man, I mowed to close to a bee hive and they all came after me. Got in my hair and ears. Was stung multiple times. Just because you got by once doesn't mean at some other time they won't get you. Some good advice already given.

I've seen the same ad on Craigs List. Can't hurt to call. He may be able to move them to a safer
place in your yard. I've heard a lot about their pollinating benefits. I started to get some a few times over the last few years. I just keep so much going on. The more I have going on, the less I get to fish.

Braved walking up about as close as I cared to get (4' or so) yesterday to get this pic in order to show they're honeybees.
Feel pretty confident about my daughter not risking any stings and keeping her distance. I've shown her where it is and it's honestly on the opposite side of the yard we most use. Got a lab who's walked with me to see it and being a bit older and heavier, he doesn't seem interested in bothering it at all either, so at least for the moment I'm tempted to leave them be(e), though again may fence it just to make sure no one risks upsetting them. Because we don't know whether our daughter is allergic to stings, and the Mrs. is a Dr. we actually have an epi-pen at home so that makes me feel at least a tiny bit better about keeping them around too.

On the weed eating / mowing question, do wonder how close I can mow to it once summer really heats up. Anybody who keeps them who can give some guidance on what I can get away with distance wise if I don't have them removed?

If the honey was easily within reach I would brave trying to get the honey while wearing a bee suit, BUT the entry section they've chosen doesn't look to be too loose of wood. Sure it's hollow on the inside or they wouldn't have chosen it, but think I would have to take an ax to it to get the nest, and bee suit or no bee suit, attacking a colony with an ax doesn't exactly sound tempting to me, especially when the cobia are arriving and I can be out fishing.

My bee keeper friend was in the office today. She said they use a trap w queen pheromones. If you are interested in keeping them, I can give you #'s for the bee club officers that can help. She said hives sell for about $250

There is a bee keeper in Chiefland that travels all over the state collecting them, he probably would remove them just to get the bees. Or he will leave the queen in a hive and you can create another hive?? Maybe someone knows of this guy??
Had a friend who lived in Fort Lauderdale and bees had taken up residence under his work shed, this guy came all the way from Chiefland for the bees and the honey. Pulled enough honey to fill the back of a six foot bed pick up truck. And he told my buddy, they will probably come back in a few years ---- and they did !!

Hello I am a bee keeper in Ky so I don.t know how much help I can be but I will try. First of all The hive will have to bypass all the problems that have allmost killed all the wild bees .if they do then you will probaly not be able to harvest the honey without the loss of the tree and or the bees. As for living with The bees they can be tempermental. On days that they have food and comfort and are happy they are fine and I can Work my bees in my shirt with no head gear but on cold raining days just walking near can earn a sting . I weed eat all around my hives and mhave never had a sting but i always do it on a sunny day at mid day. Just remenber the uses of the bees and with a little commonsense you can live together with little problems. Craig, Any thing I can do just post it for me

My Sister (in-law) had a very similar situation, however the hive was in a hollow knot up about 10-14' above the ground. There were times we just went over to watchem' get in a big cluster about the size of a bowling ball, and just watch. They never bit any of us, and she never had a yard man to get bit. One day they just up and went, and aint' been back since. The hollow knot is still there, and the tree is still doing fine. You should be ok with the bees. It is a great learning opportunity you have for your kids. Don't try to stir'em up or use poison, bee colonies all over the United States are disappearing and they don't really have any idea why it is happening... Leave them bee

http://environment.about.com/od/biodive ... eybees.htm

Bees are great ... when they are out in rural areas pollinating crops. Not so great in back yards. Your are obviously not the Africanized bees or you would not be getting close to that tree. However, as posted, I have encountered bees in trees before and one time they ignore you and the next time you are running from 20 or so of them intent on giving you some stinging love. I would have them removed if I had a small child.