How would you get to them?

D Semple · March 19, 2012, 12:37:07 PM

From the outside, their entrance is about 24' up.

From the inside they are behind the brick Fireplace wall, which can't be damaged.

Would prefer to do a cutout, dealing with a trap out this high up is a pain, and the homeowner wants a 1 year garantee bees won't move back in.

Any ideas?

Thanks ....Don

BeeMaster2 · March 19, 2012, 12:55:35 PM

First of all, I probably wouldn't.
If I did the bill would be pretty high with that request.
My first removal was a 8' brick pillar. That was with the agreement that the home owner was going to hire a brick layer to do all of the repairs. Had to open up the top 12" on 2 sides of the 30" by 30" column. If I had to do it again I would keep the cement dust down with water and make sure I didn't suck it up with the vacuum. Lost most of the bees that were in the first box that got all of the dust.
Jim

G3farms · March 19, 2012, 02:20:17 PM

If they are going into the wall where there is a crack between the siding and the brick a trap out might not work anyway, they might find another way back in further up the crack, would need to seal the entire crack except for where the trap cone is at.

I really do not see doing a cut out, the fireplace would never match back up and the home owners would never be happy with it.

A trap out is what I would try, have the home owners rent or reimburse you for scaffolding rental and leave it in place until the job is complete. Set up your bait hive so that the entrance can be seen from the window and let the home owner give you updates (pics and/or video).

Good luck with it, and remember you can always turn it down, sometimes it pays better if you do ;)

AllenF · March 19, 2012, 06:16:01 PM

I know you don't want to destroy the inside wall, but can you remove the mantle? Or is it mounted on the bricks? You would never get to them from the backside. Trap them if you could seal up enough around the sides of the chimney outside. Or you could but out feeders and swarm traps and catch a few this summer out of this hive.

backyard warrior · March 19, 2012, 06:46:36 PM

you arent a magician and if i were you id tell them that they have to sign here besides u dont know how long its going to take being they dont want anything damaged. Sometimes you are better off walking away the bees arent worth it. If you decide you must do this job u better charge a premium and i mean a premium to guarantee no bees return u better caulk every crack in the house lol Chris

Robo · March 19, 2012, 07:47:02 PM

Trap out would be the only way I would touch the job..... Good luck

iddee · March 19, 2012, 08:52:08 PM

When you read my trapout posts, look twice at reply #19 under "Why do a trapout?"
Specifically the last paragraph.

""I think I would wait until after swarm season or do a cut out. When scouting these removals, always be ready to turn them down if anything is amiss. I have had many owners change their tune drastically when I turned it down. Many I did under my rules, many I walked away from. Never be hesitant about walking away. They need the service much more than you need the bees.""

prestonpaul · March 19, 2012, 10:00:10 PM

Are they actually in the chimney? what sort of heater is it, Gas or wood fired? would it be possible to remove it to get to the colony that way? How old is the house? is the chimney attached to the brickwork on the inside fireplace or is it cosmetic to hide the rear heater?
Good luck :-D
Paul.

Jim134 · March 19, 2012, 10:00:47 PM

Quote from: iddee on March 19, 2012, 08:52:08 PM
When you read my trapout posts, look twice at reply #19 under "Why do a trapout?"
Specifically the last paragraph.

""I think I would wait until after swarm season or do a cut out. When scouting these removals, always be ready to turn them down if anything is amiss. I have had many owners change their tune drastically when I turned it down. Many I did under my rules, many I walked away from. Never be hesitant about walking away. They need the service much more than you need the bees.""

X:X X:X X:X

BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

D Semple · March 19, 2012, 10:09:36 PM

Jim, I agree with you and have priced it very high, Thx. George, good advice having the homeowner watch the hive and give me reports, I hadn't thought about that, Thx. Allen the mantle is mounted on the brick, good idea though, there is a chance that the fireplace insert was a built in, in which case I may be able to get access to the hive just by pulling the insert out, I'm going to check it out with a bore scope, Thx. Chris & Iddee, I may walk like you suggest, this is a very nice homeowner with 3 little girls who is willing to pay a fair price, so I'm thinking hard about it, no guarantee will be offered. I'll also wait till after swarm season like you suggest if he still wants me to do the work, Thx. Robo, trap out it is, unless I find maybe that the fireplace insert was a built in, in which case I may be able to get to the colony by just pulling the insert out, Thx and also thanks for your bee-vac design, I've built 2 and love them. Jim, you're right I don't need any more bees, I've built 40 new hives over the winter but with the weather and all the calls I'm getting I recon I'll run out of equipment before bees like last year, Thx.

Thanks everybody, great site, I was lost on this one.

Don

G3farms · March 19, 2012, 10:17:50 PM

Quote from: D Semple on March 19, 2012, 12:37:07 PM

Envision the outside of the fire place how it tapers in to form the tall chimney.

Even if you wanted to do a cut out by removing some of the siding, I don't think you could physically reach them.

If you look on the outside, the chimney is four bricks wide, now transfer that to the inside.
You can see where the taper is according to the windows.

take your pic and draw on the front of the fire place the outline of the outside.

Just don't think you could reach it.

D Semple · March 19, 2012, 10:31:48 PM

George, I'm not going to try a cutout from the outside, I agree with you.

After studying the same inside photo though today, it looks like the fireplace insert was a built in, in which case I may be able to access the colony from the inside by just pulling the insert out.

Thanks. ...Don

jaseemtp · March 19, 2012, 11:04:24 PM

That would be the best way is to remove the fireplace insert. Anything else would be a nightmare. well even removing the insert wont be fun. Good luck

AllenF · March 19, 2012, 11:16:56 PM

But if you remove the insert, the bees may still be in the wall above the fireplace in front of the flue.

G3farms · March 19, 2012, 11:56:58 PM

I am with the others trap out or walk away.

It is still early in the year and there will be more bees, if not you can always go back to this house :-D

Kathyp · March 20, 2012, 12:29:19 AM

and keep in mind with the trap out that if the honey isn't robbed out, there will be mess in the wall. also, with the wax left behind will that cause a mess later? the last fireplace i looked at the bees were so close to the chimney i don't know why the whole thing didn't melt anyway. the bees were between the liner and the brick.

and the guarantee thing is a red flag to me. i'd walk on this one. there are plenty more out there.

Jim134 · March 20, 2012, 06:23:30 AM

Quote from: D Semple on March 19, 2012, 10:31:48 PM
George, I'm not going to try a cutout from the outside, I agree with you.

After studying the same inside photo though today, it looks like the fireplace insert was a built in, in which case I may be able to access the colony from the inside by just pulling the insert out.

Thanks. ...Don

If you can access the bees by pulling out the insert the home owe got cracks in the bricks and may be the liner.Just my $0.02

Quote from: jaseemtp on March 19, 2012, 11:04:24 PM
That would be the best way is to remove the fireplace insert. Anything else would be a nightmare. well even removing the insert wont be fun. Good luck

The insert is a BIG red flag to me.

Why was the insert put in ??? May bee cracks in the brick work ???

BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

lenape13 · March 20, 2012, 06:59:40 AM

Run away from this one, fast! It isn't worth it. And as for the guarantee, there's no way you can guarantee that.

Kathyp · March 20, 2012, 10:28:18 AM

jim, the inserts are more efficient that a fireplace alone. we did one, but with a pellet stove.

thing about them is that they are attached (usually) to a pipe that is run up inside the chimney. to remove the insert, you have to undo the pipe. that can be either really easy or really hard. if the pipe is not properly secured, and you can get it disconnected, it may slip and then you have another issue. getting it all back together can be a ....problem.

i can't tell from the picture what that insert burns, but if it's gas, then you have another can of worms depending on where you live.

D Semple · March 20, 2012, 11:18:00 AM

Talked to the homeowner last night the gas insert was added a couple of years after the home was built so the Fireplace and chimney will have a traditional firebox and flu, so there will be no access from below like I was hoping.

I won't make any guarantee, and I'll offer to do the trap out (like you'll suggested) in late June, so I can bring in a hive to rob out the existing honey late July/ early August during or summer dearth. May be able to catch a swarm off them in the mean time.

I'm also going to give him the names of two other guys who I think would do the work for a lot less money than I would.

Thanks for the help folks, appreciate the good advice.

Don