Hello all –
What suggestions would you have for someone trying to remove a colony of honey bees from a fixed structure like a chimney? I understand completely how a cut out works where you can get to the bees however when it's not possible to get to the bees what do you do? Please offer any advice you may have...
David
Brick or Stone chimneys, I pass those on to my competitors. :-D
Sweet! Now I hope that your competitors will post something useful! :devilbanana:
X:X
You did not indicate if the bees were in the flue or between the flue and the brick. If in the flue and can be reached you can use a bee vac. If out of reach, you can use a heavy dose of what ever liquid you use on your fume boards (same as in between the flue and the bricks.) We have a house that we just had to smoke them out but we were not able to catch more then a few thousand and then no queen. Good luck -Mike
I'd do a trap out. Will take a while, maybe 2-3 wks. After you get a good number of bees in your box, add a frame of uncapped broad. Might actually get the queen. See Beesource, look for Cleo Hogan trap out.
I second the trap out...it's the most non-destructive way. Just be sure to seal all of the entrances when you are done or they'll be right back in.
Bud3-Annual Beemaster Gathering-Trap Out Demonstration - Mobile.m4v (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTqFbiaD_js#ws)
I have the same problem trapsouts are nice if you live close to the hive but they are not worth thinking of if you have to travel to the removal.
JP and Hardwood deal with brick a lot. I have always just told people that its cost prohibited to remove bees from behind brick. I guess I need to get connected with a contractor to know the actual cost of repairing a brick wall after a removal.
Now I have tried one trapout on a old chimney that was converted to gas logs and filled in or at least capped it was one of the first ones I tried. there were more holes in that mortar than Swiss cheese. Failed horribly hope you have better luck I was not that cool with being 13+ off the ground trying to caulk a chimney so I never got all the holes plugged.
Quote from: Haddon on April 24, 2013, 06:50:34 PM
I have the same problem trapsouts are nice if you live close to the hive but they are not worth thinking of if you have to travel to the removal.
JP and Hardwood deal with brick a lot. I have always just told people that its cost prohibited to remove bees from behind brick. I guess I need to get connected with a contractor to know the actual cost of repairing a brick wall after a removal.
Now I have tried one trapout on a old chimney that was converted to gas logs and filled in or at least capped it was one of the first ones I tried. there were more holes in that mortar than Swiss cheese. Failed horribly hope you have better luck I was not that cool with being 13+ off the ground trying to caulk a chimney so I never got all the holes plugged.
buy yourself some scaffolds if the height bothers you. i used to do some removals three stories up every year at the same apartment complex. i've also done a lot standing on a ladder. i don't do any now.
I actually have never done a removal from a chimney...just not too many of them here in FL :-D. I did do one that was in the wall right next to one but that was no more hassle than a regular frame wall removal. As with any removal, the first step is identifying exactly where the bees are located. After you've found them for sure solutions may start to dawn on you.
There are several threads about different chimney removals in the bee removal forum. Maybe you can get some ideas from there.
Scott
Great information on that video. :th_thumbsupup:
I have done a couple of trapouts on chimneys and block walls after done put some homey to get hive cleaned out from robbers then hook some tubing to great stuff nozzle stick in foam away use a couple of cans to fill void so a new swarm cant come next year
David