Massive Cut Out

[ozebee]

Did a huge cut out last weekend!  The bees must have been in the wall for over 2 years.

[bailey]

Looks good.   The biggest one I have dealt with was 12 feet tall. Five feet wide and 4 combs thick.
Was in the wall for many years. Meanest dang bees I ever saw!!!!! 
If anyone ever offers you bees from a place called Lockport la politely decline and then run away fast!!! :hissyfit: :hissyfit:
Bailey

[prestonpaul]

Wow! there was a good few hours work there I'll bet

[squidink]

That's fantastic mate! Plenty of brood in there too!!

Ben

[ozebee]

When doing the cutout had noticed quite a few SHB in amongst the combs. When putting brood etc into the frames and box, decided to put in an Apithor trap hoping to eliminate them.

Well to my disappointment, the owner of the property who was hoping to keep the hive and build them up, called me and said the bees are pretty much all gone, there is a terrible smell in the hive and it is full of larvae!!!  There must have been a lot of SMB eggs and the disruption weakened the bees defenses and they gave up. What a pity!  Another victim of SHB.  One concellation is that he managed to get at least 20kg of lovely honey in comb.

[dermot]

I'd reckon you're right. Most of the time the bees here (Canberra) seem to be able to handle a handful of beetles running around in the hive, but when I've taken apart a possum or bird box or done a cut out, the next coupla weeks are a danger as I reckon the breakdown of the structure of the superorganism allows the beetles to get away from them.

[OzBuzz]

Was that one behind asbestos? That's one of the biggest concerns/considerations when removing hives that I find! there's been a few cutouts I've walked away from after the homeowner assured me it wasn't asbestos!

[malachii]

I did one job removing a swarm from a soon-to-be demolished asbestos shed. It's very hot trying to where proper asbestos gear underneath a bee suit let me tell you.

malachii

[ozebee]

Fortunately only fibro cement cladding!!