Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => HONEYBEE REMOVAL => Topic started by: Robo on May 12, 2007, 10:52:11 pm

Title: I did an interesting cut out today
Post by: Robo on May 12, 2007, 10:52:11 pm
I got a call last week to remove some bees form an abandoned house that the owner wants to restore.  The owner, who now lives in NJ, grew up in the house, and had let some relatives live in it
and they ran it right into the ground.   The owner now want to restore it,  but the contractor won't start until the bees are gone.   The owner claimed the bees had been there probably 30 years or so.  I have heard similar exaggeration form other folks before, so I was a bit skeptical.  When I got there,  I could see propolised  entrance holes in numerous places spanning about an 8ft x 8ft area.
 
It seems like the bees started in the middle of the house and as time went along and comb became damage/destroyed/wore out,  they kept progressing to the next cavity over.  In the picture below,  to the left of the window, you can see a dark spot which is a hole with propolis that I think may have been the original entrance.

(http://photos.beevac.com/albums/userpics/10001/Picture_013.jpg)

The area to the left and above the window was filled with remnants of abandon comb similar to the picture below.

(http://photos.beevac.com/albums/userpics/10001/Picture_023.jpg)

They bees where now occupying the the cavities on the end of building.

(http://photos.beevac.com/albums/userpics/10001/Picture_041.jpg)

The amount on debris that had decomposed over the years was up to a foot deep in some parts,  and at the bottom of the active cavity the debris pile had what looked like meal worms living in it.

(http://photos.beevac.com/albums/userpics/10001/Picture_033.jpg)

There was also a ton of propolis everywhere, including an area of wax moth cocoons that where covered.

(http://photos.beevac.com/albums/userpics/10001/Picture_030.jpg)

One thing that I found surprising was the amount of varroa I saw on the bees, especially since it was so early in the season.   There was only about a coffee can full of bees, and I saw 3 bees with mites on their back even though I wasn't looking for them.

(http://photos.beevac.com/albums/userpics/10001/Picture_039.jpg)

There is also a colony living in a big tree,  about 25-30 feet from where this colony was.  The owner said he saw them swarm from the house to the tree last summer.  Once again, another surprise to me,  I always thought they moved away from the original colony as not to compete with it.   I set of a trap hive with a funnel screen on the tree.
Title: Re: I did an interesting cut out today
Post by: Brian D. Bray on May 13, 2007, 12:41:48 am
Great pictures.  And yes bees will swarm to the nearest suitable location.  It might be miles away or right next door.
Title: Re: I did an interesting cut out today
Post by: buzzbee on May 13, 2007, 08:06:48 am
Rob,
Thanks for taking us along on your cutout!
Have you not learned from Understudy?You're supposed to rest the ladder on top of the truck before standing on it!
Thanks again for the great photos!
Title: Re: I did an interesting cut out today
Post by: Robo on May 13, 2007, 08:23:51 am
Have you not learned from Understudy?You're supposed to rest the ladder on top of the truck before standing on it!

The entrance to the cellar was right below it,  and they had it covered with 2 sheets of 3/4" particle board that had sponged up to about 1.5".  Resting the ladder on a truck would have been a heck of a lot safer than on this stuff.  I was lucky that there was a nice concrete pad by the entrance I could put the ladder on.  Had a little more angle on the ladder than I would have preferred though.
Title: Re: I did an interesting cut out today
Post by: tillie on May 13, 2007, 09:32:29 am
Amazing pictures - what an overwhelming amount of space they occupied and damaged.  I'm impressed that you took this on.  Thanks for letting us in on the experience.

Linda T
Title: Re: I did an interesting cut out today
Post by: papabear on May 13, 2007, 10:50:22 am
Awsome pics thanks.  I almost got to do a cutout on a trailer house. I said it would be $50 if i was going to keep the bees and $75 if not. She would be responsable for getting a carpenter to fix it back. She never called back :? Maybee next time :)
Title: Re: I did an interesting cut out today
Post by: JP on May 13, 2007, 12:00:23 pm
Robo, I thought that ladder angle was a little extreme! I did one a couple of months ago in between two houses approx. 28' up. Had the ladder on the other house and had to stand backwards on the ladder to work the hive, cause the ladder was almost straight up and down, very little angle. Papa Bear, last yr I removed two hives from a trailer in Lafitte, Louisiana. One under the toilet, the other in a partition wall that separated the bathroom from the bedroom. The hive under the toilet was docile and not very large in size, but had been there a while. The hive in the partition wall was huge and the meanest bees I have ever worked. They would chase you two blocks down. The funny thing is that the couple who own the trailer said they bought the trailer almost 6 yrs prior with the bees in it! Got stung 21 times that day!
Title: Re: I did an interesting cut out today
Post by: Understudy on May 14, 2007, 12:09:25 am
I am glad your cut out went well . I have nothing but bad luck on my last few.
That was an awesome job. I like your use of the ladder.  ;)

Sincerely,
Brendhan
Title: Re: I did an interesting cut out today
Post by: JP on May 14, 2007, 12:20:08 am
Brendhan, what kind of bad luck did you run into?
Title: Re: I did an interesting cut out today
Post by: Understudy on May 14, 2007, 12:42:57 am
Brendhan, what kind of bad luck did you run into?
Seperate thread when I have more time.
Basic info:
Bees hiding in difficult places.
Queens not making it.
Laying workers.
Stupidity on my part.

I have a whole bunch of stories t post but I have a bunch of work I am still doing.

Sincerely,
Brendhan