Bees in duck nesting box

[Rob Sandberg]

Greetings,
I have been asked to remove some bees that have taken up residence in a duck nesting box, Said box is in an aviary.  the homeowner is very allergic  to bee stings and wants them gone. I plan to unbolt the nesting box and securely place in a trash can, ventilated with holes.
The weather is hotter here during the day and cooler at night, about 15 degree swing
So my questions are:
Leave them in nesting box for a few days, or cut out comb and rubber band into new frames immediately?
Leave them in box until spring? Not much in bloom here in Southern Ca.
Thanks in advance for your time and advice
Rob Sandberg

[BeeMaster2]

Rob,
A few years ago my buddy and I received a call to remove bees in a squirrel box that was about 15' up on a tree. We removed it from the tree and took it home and bolted it to my workshop right next to my apiary. It was also in the fall so we left it there for the winter. In the spring, we rubber banded it into frames and put it in a 10 frame hive.
We even posted a video here on this site but I doubt if the video is still available.
This worked very well.
Our winters are mild like yours, just not as dry, (I lived in San Diego back in the '80s).
Jim

[BeeMaster2]

Here is one of the links that I posted in the fall of that year. The bees never did move into the box.
http://www.beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=35398.msg294300#msg294300

[BeeMaster2]

Here is a link to when this squirrel box swarmed in March. It was still a strong hive when we moved it into a box.
http://www.beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=36498.msg306082#msg306082

Jim

[nowaczek19]

nope

[Ben Framed]

My first experience with bees was from a duck nesting box. I knew nothing about bees and was helping my Uncle. It was the Black German Bee, (as explained by Tim Durham, a local bee man legend: "Walls Bee Man"). The bees came from a remote area of Arkabutla Lake.
Yes! The Lake featured in the movie: "Oh Brother Where Art Thou". lol  and "Oh Brother" what an experience it was with the mean buggers! NOT a good first experience.

Phillip

[Ben Framed]

From the Topic: "Bee ID"

When I was a boy my first introduction to working bees was with a bee this color. They came from a remote area of Arkabutla Lake which had been flooded by the Corps of Engineers many years prior. I did not have a clue as to what my uncle was doing as I was just tagging along and assumed he did know lol. These bees were in a wood duck box and he was doing the ducks a favor and removing the bees with the duel idea of adding another hive to his apiary.

Those were the meanest bees that I have ever seen! Before of since! In fact we actually thought they were Africanized. They were on us like one of those killer bee special programs that you may watch on television! Which we found they were not killer bees. Some said german blacks bees, really I do not know. My uncle went to Tim Durham and inquired describing the bees. Tim advised him to requeen this hive, which my uncle did. They were soon gentle in due time after requeening, my uncle later told me.

I am wondering if these in your picture are mean? Apparently they are not so mean, I assume because of the close up picture.   lol. Have you tried handling them? Even if they are mean you can requeen them.
Keep in mind, ours were not mean until he opened the box. wooo weee. lol

Phillip