It's been a busy weekend.

[Understudy]

Okay so I shut down the fair on Sunday evening but who cares right? That's not what you guys come here for. You want to hear about how messy and smelly I can get doing cut outs.

This weekend was one of those weekends.

Saturday was the bees in the soffit for the women in Port St. Lucie who was allergic to them.
There was a post about that here earlier with the news report that went with it.

Soffit Removal the early days.
This item was reported on the news by another local news station after the news report about me and my neighbor and his crying over a sting. She was didn't have a way to get in contact with me so her sister called the station to report the problem her sister was having and hopefully it would get some help to her.

I saw the news report. Got in contact with the station and then with the reporter. He got me in contact with her and we set up a time to do the survey.

I went out and did the survey. The bees were flying in and out of the soffit where the electric service mast went through. She was convinced they were living in the wall. I could understand that. But the purpose of the survey is to scope out how much work you actually have ahead of you.

So I drilled some 1" pilot holes in the drywall just about where the bees were coming in. And the area was filled with fiberglass insulation. Note: Fiberglass insulation means no bees.
I drilled one more in the next chamber. Same situation fiberglass and no bees.

So I went out to the soffit and removed the metal vent boards to expose the hive. Sure enough there was comb. The comb was old and not really used by the bees.

Here is the problem the bees were in the soffit but the soffit was a narrow area. And since this was a flat roof house there wasn't much of an attic. Bees in Florida don't like attics they get to hot and the comb won't form correctly. However there wasn't much other space they could go. I remove a few old pieces of outer comb and sure enough the bees had been building comb right at the edge of the area into the attic chamber. However when it got hot the wax would fall off and the wax would collect on the bottom. This is what the bees were using. It was some very wierd shaped comb. Here is the problem they could have built into the attic space and that would mean I would have to cut a hole in her bedroom ceiling. This thing could be swiss cheese beore I am done. Survey's can be so much fun.

The Actual Removal.
The real work took place about three weeks after the survey. Rain and work prevented the shorter timeline.

Now the one proble was there was this bush right in front of the meter where the bees would fly in and out of.  I needed to get the bush chopped down.

You know it's amazing how much easier it is to prune with a chainsaw. Especially when you are prunning down to a stump.

So the bush problem was taken care of. Now I have no more excuses I am going to get dirty.
So I start removing the old comb. It has a bit of wierd shape. The bees don't really work it.

Once that comb is removed there is really misshpaed comb behind it. But it is brood comb.
So I remove that and place it in frames. I have to stick my arm in and remove all the wierd comb. I try to cut it so it will fit into the frames. Trying to find the queen? Don't even think about it. 

As the comb removal continues I am beginning to believe I can do this without making swiss cheese in her bedroom ceiling.  I spend several hours removing comb. Old pieces have been placed on the electric meter. The brood comb is in the hive box. I have discovered there is insulation in the attic space but it stopped about 20 inches short of the sophet. The bees had built in that miserable hot space. Simply amazing.

As I am finishing up the cut out. I see on the wall some bees in a circle. And in the center of the circle is the queen. I grab a mason jar from the home owner and brush the queen and some nurse bees in the jar. This finding the queen was sheer luck.

So I finish cleaning out the bees and then scraping the remants of comb. I then fill the void with insulation. I cover the space with a 1x6 and chaulk the edges.

The aftermath:
The queen and the workers didn't survive one night in the jar. I had rinsed the jar out and didn't smell anything. but there had to have been residue for them to die that quickly. And yes there were holes in the lid.

The bees have been combined with my queenless hive. maybe they can make a queen with the brood.

Pictures can be seen here:
http://www.brendhanhorne.com/coppermine_dir/thumbnails.php?album=131

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[indypartridge]

You know it's amazing how much easier it is to prune with a chainsaw.

I'm gonna remember that when the wife asks me to cut back the hedges!

[NWIN Beekeeper]

[The queen and the workers didn't survive one night in the jar.]

I don't if its because they can see through the glass (maybe it screws with their vision?) but bees never seem to cluster very well in clear glass containers. Maybe its because the glass is so slick they just can't get traction?

Your situation could have also been an issue of water (or lack there of).

But what I have found that fixes it is to line the inside with newspaper or the like, or to add a few paper towels. The paper towels are also nice because you can add a little section of towel that has been soaked in a thick sugar syrup (this will prevent soaking and drowning them).

Warmth can also be an issue, but with a closed lid, temps can ramp up fast on heating pad, tread lightly on trying to provide too much heat.

-Jeff

[JP]

Nice story Brendhan, too bad she died she looked like a nice fat one. We gotta do what we gotta do sometimes. That one looked like a messy one. I've had queens die on me before as well, usually when its very hot out, even when she's had attendants. I think they get really stressed out sometimes and this does them in, this is just a thought. Anyway, thanks for sharing, and nice stories!


.....JP

[Understudy]

Nice story Brendhan, too bad she died she looked like a nice fat one. We gotta do what we gotta do sometimes. That one looked like a messy one. I've had queens die on me before as well, usually when its very hot out, even when she's had attendants. I think they get really stressed out sometimes and this does them in, this is just a thought. Anyway, thanks for sharing, and nice stories!


.....JP

Thanks, the block wall was messier.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Cindi]

Brendhan, you are the king of the story tellin', that is for sure.  When you write your descriptive posts, let me tell ya, I feel like I am right there, watching the entire process in person.  Good for you, excellent, always tell us your stories.  I know it takes time to type them out, but it is worth it, you have a captive audience!!!  Yeah!!!  Right, now that first couple of pictures of the weird comb, was weird indeed. I thought one of them looked like a elephant's head and trunk attached, funnnneee, have the best of this wonderful day, Cindi

[Frantz]

That was awesome indeed. Looked like a lot of work... Pics were great.
Thanks for sharing and taking the time to write it up.
F

[Kimbrell]

Love your stories!  Sorry about the queen...

[dpence]

You know it's amazing how much easier it is to prune with a chainsaw.

I'm gonna remember that when the wife asks me to cut back the hedges!

LOL...