Cutout, But....

[Nugget Shooter]

Hello All, I got a call yesterday for a cutout under a shed and the home owner will help dig allowing me to get to the bees fairly easily since the shed is on concrete pillars and bees are in outside corner. It is a colony that moved in April of this year so likely not large. At any rate there is a problem in that someone a neighbor likely leaned over the fence and sprinkled what looks like 7 Dust all around the entrance and along the wall. The 7 Dust has been there for a week or so by the look and the bees are very active and going about their business.

My question to you experienced folks is this; Is it worth waiting a week or two since it is supposed to rain and let the crap wash away and still save these bees or is it too much of a risk? What is the active life if it is 7 Dust? Could be diatomaceous earth as well I suppose and can't really say for sure what it is.....

Don't want to expose myself or bee yard to poison if it will be a danger, thanks in advance....

Bill

[BeeMaster2]

Bill,
I got a call to remove bees in a bush. Turned out they were in a black truck toolbox buried in the bush. I took it home in tack and studied and worked on getting the locked box open. I ended up cutting through the side because the bees built their comb to the lid.
The bottom of the box was full of garden junk including a broken bag of seven dust and thousands of dead bees in the bottom.
The bees were thick in that box and had tons of honey and brood and very old black comb.
The queens genetics allowed them to break down the poison.
If I were you, I would take a hose and wash that powder down into the soil a day or so before you work on the hive for your protection. Maybe even leave a small sprinkler on it for several hours.
Are the bees walking on the ground to get into the hive, if not I would not worry about the bees.
Jim

[paus]

sevin has a short half life especially in the atmosphere I would gitterdone. paus

[Nugget Shooter]

Thanks guys, I will call him and get it washed down....

[GSF]

It is a colony that moved in April of this year so likely not large. First mistake (lol)

You may want to check and make sure the neighbor isn't allergic to bees. That may explain the sevin dust. If they are tell them that this is the best way to get rid of the bees. This way they'll pretty much all be gone.

[Nugget Shooter]

Guess what I mean is not huge lol, I did a cutout at work from under a shed and it was a very old and huge hive with more bees and comb than I could have imagined. Went in new and unprepared and I sure hope this one hasn't gotten that big already  Have done a few others since so at least I now know what I need thanks to the help here.... I will let you know how it goes, oh and yes I am getting paid and homeowner will help dig the hole to gain access. The bees will be destroyed if I don't do it so going to give it a go and may get a chance to try my new vacuum out as well, had the bucket type, but what a mess. Built one that does not beat the crap out of the bees and they are in a super when I get home ready to set on a bottom board and add top. Much like this one....

[divemaster1963]

Very nice robvac. If you have a camera or one on your phone take some photos now to see how big it is. If the flow was strong they can build big. I had a hive that was less then eight weeks old that filled a floor cavity 3 foot wide by 3 foot long 12 inches deep. When they a willing they can be very quick.

John

[mtnb]

oh and yes I am getting paid and homeowner will help dig the hole to gain access.

lol! 

That is a nice vac! I have to look into some different options. Is that what that one's called? A robvac? I wish there were more hours in the day so I could learn more bee stuff and not have to go to work all the time. lol

So the dust won't contaminate your equipment because it has a short half life and you're washing that away with the water? It only works to kill the bees if they walk through it?

Can't wait to hear more! Take lots of pictures for us to see :)

[Nugget Shooter]

Well, GSF you were sure right and the colony occupies 2 sections of floor joists at 24 inch centers and is 3 feet long with very old comb to new. Guy should have said he just noticed them in April  They have been there a long time and no way was it going to work the way he wanted by tunneling from the side, floor needs to come up, but he said no he doesn't want to do that. Case closed..... 

[Thebulimicbee]

Well you beat me to it, was going to say the home owner in most cases doesn't know when they moved in and to never let them tell you how to do a removal, if they are under the floor of a shed you cut the floor. Digging and reaching under just doesn't work. I've tried it a couple times, I got stung on the arm so many time people thought I was shooting up, and let's just say there was no finesse on how the hive was removed.

[Nugget Shooter]

yeah I agree and once I saw the colony and pictured myself laying halfway under the shed trying to carefully remove comb I quickly realized I did not want to try it. Glad I did not try and learn the hard way....