How to remove bees from roof?

Username John

Hello,

I know there are some bee keepers here - so I wanted to pick your brains.

I need to remove bees from a house. They are after going into a flat roof, where the soffit board was a little bit rotten. There is only a small hole where they go in, so I don't have access to do anything really.

Is there any method I could use to draw them out?

Unfortunately, they are after putting themselves in a place where they must be gotten rid of, one way or another

Taking apart the roof is not an option.

Really - the only good option, is to 'draw / entice' them out - any ideas? All suggestions welcome, as I would prefer to avoid the other 'removal' option...

Thanks.

Happyman42

The bee expert on Mooney on RTE radio was putting out an appeal about a week or two ago. If you come across Bees, contact his organisation and they will come and take them away. Bee population is under stress and they need all the bees they can get.
I will have a look at their site and see if I can find contact details

Happyman42

From the Mooney Website:

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]What to do if you find a nest?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The simple answer is nothing. It is highly recommended that you seek the assistance of a local Beekeeper or professional Pest Control companies as listed in the yellow pages of the telephone directory. Advice is also available from the College of Horticulture, An Grianan, Termonfechin, Drogheda on 041-9822158 or Philip McCabe on e-mail, philipmccabe@eircom.net [/FONT]

reilig

First thing they will ask you when you ring them is are you sure they are bees and not wasps????

Username John

Happyman42 wrote: »

From the Mooney Website:

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]What to do if you find a nest?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The simple answer is nothing. It is highly recommended that you seek the assistance of a local Beekeeper or professional Pest Control companies as listed in the yellow pages of the telephone directory. Advice is also available from the College of Horticulture, An Grianan, Termonfechin, Drogheda on 041-9822158 or Philip McCabe on e-mail, philipmccabe@eircom.net [/FONT]

Hello Happyman,

Thanks for response.
I know my local beekeepers - and I imagine their primary objective would be to extract the bees, maybe at the expense of going at the roof, which I want to avoid.

Pest control would just kill the bees with chemicals - which I can do myself, if it comes to it.

I was just wondering does anyone have a method to extract the bees, without gaining access to the roof - so all parties will be happy, and the bees don't end up dead

Discodog

If your local bee keepers don't know of a way to make the bees desert the nest then there probably isn't a way to do it. But have you asked them ?

Happyman42

I know that guy McCabe talked about 'drawing' the bees out. Can't do any harm to ring them. Would be a shame if not crimminal to harm them, considering the dearth of healthy bees atm.

Username John

Discodog wrote: »

If your local bee keepers don't know of a way to make the bees desert the nest then there probably isn't a way to do it. But have you asked them ?

Hello Discodog,

I actually think you are right. But I wanted to ask here if anyone had any ideas as to how to do it.

Yes - in a what would you do if" kinda way. And the conversation kinda kept coming around to "are you sure we couldn't remove the board to have a look, we would put it back"

I appreciate where they are coming from - but the situation is the person whose house it is (its not my house) wants them gone, and doesn't want any changes made to the house... And I can see where she is coming from as well.

Username John

Happyman42 wrote: »

I know that guy McCabe talked about 'drawing' the bees out. Can't do any harm to ring them. Would be a shame if not crimminal to harm them, considering the dearth of healthy bees atm.

Ah, ok, thanks Happyman. Like you say - cant do any harm to ring em.

I am trying to avoid harming them if I can, within the bounds of not harming the house as well... I am aware that there are few swarms around these days.

Thanks all.

sean_0

You also have to remember that if you just nuke them, another swarm will move in sooner or later. You need to remove all the wax and hive debris, and identify how they are getting in and block it up. Bees love to swarm into places bees have been before.

Username John

sean_0 wrote: »

You also have to remember that if you just nuke them, another swarm will move in sooner or later. You need to remove all the wax and hive debris, and identify how they are getting in and block it up. Bees love to swarm into places bees have been before.

Hi Sean_O,

How are you?

I wouldn't be able to get the wax and the likes, as I just wouldnt be able to get at it.
As there would be a load of honey there, I imagine it would be a bit of a draw for vermin, but not sure what we can do about that.

I was going to block up the place where they are getting in all right - its not that big, so I would hope that would sort the situation.

Boardnashea

If they have only moved in recently there won't be much honey or comb accumulated.
I had a similar situation few years ago. Local bee keeper gave me a loan of a wooden box (with clear lid I think) with a hoover hose attached. Bit like a ash master for the range. Put my hoover hose into opening on opposite side and suck the bees out - on low power if possible to avoid injuries.
It did involve opening the facia board to get at them but the damage wasn't that noticable after.
Unfortunately I didn't manage to get all out and was going to be away for a couple of weeks after so had to finally go with the nukes.

bertie1

I have seen cut outs on the internet where they blocked all entrances to the roof space & used a wire mesh to divert the bees into another box& not letting them return to the roof. If they have been there a while there will be eggs & larvae in the roof & it could take weeks to get them out. The biggest problem is the old comb and honey in the roof will attract the next swarm that passes by

Username John

bertie1 wrote: »

I have seen cut outs on the internet where they blocked all entrances to the roof space & used a wire mesh to divert the bees into another box& not letting them return to the roof. If they have been there a while there will be eggs & larvae in the roof & it could take weeks to get them out. The biggest problem is the old comb and honey in the roof will attract the next swarm that passes by

Hi Bertie,

Thanks for post.
I am not I will be able to place a box there, given the location.

But - what would happen if i did like you said, and blocked up the entrances and put a bee escape (like this) on the only entrance? (I know I may need to fit the bee escape into the roof)
Would it work, or would the end result be lots of angry bees about, when they can't get back in?
Where would the bees go, or would they go anywhere, just hang around?
What would happen to the queen, would she eventually leave the roof (not even sure she would fit through that bee escape, now that I think about it?)

What do ye think?

bertie1

Username John wrote: »

Hi Bertie,

Thanks for post.
I am not I will be able to place a box there, given the location.

But - what would happen if i did like you said, and blocked up the entrances and put a bee escape (like this) on the only entrance? (I know I may need to fit the bee escape into the roof)
Would it work, or would the end result be lots of angry bees about, when they can't get back in?
Where would the bees go, or would they go anywhere, just hang around?
What would happen to the queen, would she eventually leave the roof (not even sure she would fit through that bee escape, now that I think about it?)

What do ye think?

The drones will block the porter bee escape you are looking at . You will have a load of angry bees hanging around , if you knew a beekeeper he may be able to put a frame of brood in a box made up that might attact them in . It is a wasted excercise without the queen, she will not come out , & eventually will starve insde there. There will be brood hatching for another 21 days & they will look after her for a while if there are enough of stores inside the roof. This could easliy go on for another 2 months.

Qualitymark

Try the College of Horticulture, An Grianan, Termonfechin, Drogheda on 041-9822158 or Philip McCabe on e-mail, philipmccabe@eircom.net