Advice needed - bees in chimney

[anarchy4angels]

Hello,

I have honey bees dropping down into an unused fireplace. I can see them flying out of the top of the chimney, so I'm assuming there is a nest in the flue or the chimney stack.

I spoke to a couple of local pest control companies and they weren't much help. One turned up without any ladders and was just going to set off a smoke bomb in the chimney, which seemed a bit lazy/dodgy.

If I seal up the flue and fireplace, so the bees can't get into my property is it safe to leave them? I was wondering if burning citronella candles in the fireplace may encourage them to leave?

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.

 

[Ian123]

They won’t leave as there’s an established colony there and having them removed would likely be very expensive. Sealing the fireplace is your easiest solution. There’s a possibility they may die overwinter so there’s a chance of sealing the access/pot in very early spring. However as there has been bees there in the past they are likely to reuse old nest sites.

 

[blackcloud]

If you can co-exist with them as many people do (sometimes obliviously) that's the best option.
Seal up all the fireplaces and you won't trouble each other.
I get a lot of swarm calls for chimney bees and the biggest problem is nearly always the homeowners irrational fear.
Stories about pest control companies being prosecuted for killing bees and beekeepers being sued for property repairs have pretty much done away with options for removal- unless you can find a beekeeping roofing contractor...

 

[ericbeaumont]

https://www.google.com/search?q=hon...rome-mobile&ie=UTF-8&chrome_dse_attribution=1

 

[anarchy4angels]

If you can co-exist with them as many people do (sometimes obliviously) that's the best option.
Seal up all the fireplaces and you won't trouble each other.
I get a lot of swarm calls for chimney bees and the biggest problem is nearly always the homeowners irrational fear.
Stories about pest control companies being prosecuted for killing bees and beekeepers being sued for property repairs have pretty much done away with options for removal- unless you can find a beekeeping roofing contractor...

I tried the local chimney sweep to see if they did bees or knew of any local contractors but they hadn't. The local beekeeping association haven't even replied. I think you're probably right that everyone has given up on removals.

I'm going to seal up the fireplace (it was partially sealed, badly, by the previous owner anyway) and leave the bees to it. Hopefully they'll leave eventually or we'll just avoid each other.

 

[Garry R]

Pound to a penny they won't leave as there always seem to be a small hole in brickwork which they will find and use as an entrance - they don't need a full national-sized entrance so beekeepers should take note of that for their own hives!!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

smoke bomb would have been a good option actually, though only if it was a newly arrived swarm

 

[blackcloud]

I tried the local chimney sweep to see if they did bees or knew of any local contractors but they hadn't. The local beekeeping association haven't even replied. I think you're probably right that everyone has given up on removals.

I'm going to seal up the fireplace (it was partially sealed, badly, by the previous owner anyway) and leave the bees to it. Hopefully they'll leave eventually or we'll just avoid each other.

Eric's reply reveals an outfit called swarmcatcher but I'd imagine it won't be cheap.
Our neighbours have had them in their chimney(none of mine honest) for a few years now
Once the horror had subsided(and a pest control quote was binned) they have no issues whatsoever.

 

[Pembroke]

Don't seal the chimney totally put a metal mesh (5mm or less hole size) in to allow some airflow, most chimneys have vents in them to keep the damp under control.

My association recommends UK Bee Removers, Home - UKBR.org most of these organisations will do a survey first. The expense comes from usually needing scaffolding to reach a chimney stack safely and then having the skill to do a decent repair after parts of the building have been removed to get to the bees.

 

[Sutty]

I came across this some while ago - it's basically a trap-out, he claims the queen exits too.
https://www.findachimneysweep.co.uk/bees-in-chimneys/

 

[JamezF]

I came across this some while ago - it's basically a trap-out, he claims the queen exits too.
https://www.findachimneysweep.co.uk/bees-in-chimneys/

I might actually have a use for something like that in the near future (not for a colony in a chimney however).

I can't see why he wants the porter escapes and the rhombus escape from the same box though.

James

 

[Sutty]

I might actually have a use for something like that in the near future (not for a colony in a chimney however).

I can't see why he wants the porter escapes and the rhombus escape from the same box though.

James

Maybe the rhombus let's the queen pass, but doesn't explain why both!