Advice on removing bees from roof

[ckdash]

I have seen bees flying in and out of a hole in the top of our house wall, but there is no obvious evidence of a nest (sorry if that's not the right word) inside the loft. I am presuming therefore that they have made the nest in the cavity - it is an old house, so the cavity will be tiny.

The only reason I want to remove them is because our painter/decorator is refusing to paint the eaves of the house because of the risk of stings.

I have a couple of thoughts:
1) Leave them, and do the painting myself
2) Get a beekeeper in to remove the bees, and then block up the holes in the masonry to prevent them getting back in.

What is the risk of them getting upset with me scraping paint near to their nest.

I only see two or three bees a minute entring the hole.

All help and advice gratefully received.

 

[itma]

Welcome to the forum.

Very likely your bees have white tails and are a variety called "Bombus Hypnorum" (Google it and save me typing).

Having read up on the dancing behaviour of the males, you also need to know that male bees don't have a sting.
However the female workers of BH are more defensive of their nest than most Bumble Bees.
They'll be gone, by themselves in a few weeks.
Bumble Bee nests are small - shoebox size at the biggest. Honeybees are looking for a space the size of a dustbin.

If truly needed, you can get very basic workman's protection for under a tenner … http://www.thorne.co.uk/hardware-clothing/clothing/jacket-and-veil?product_id=2025

 

[enrico]

Or of course wasps!
They are often mistaken for bees. They are easily disposed of with some wasp killing powder in the entrance
E

 

[isc26]

Try this link for advice.

http://www.-------------/files/library/bees_in_buildings_1337961053.pdf

 

[isc26]

Pants forgot the links bar here.

type bees in the fabric of a building into google for BBKA advice.

First step identification.

 

[ckdash]

Or of course wasps!
They are often mistaken for bees. They are easily disposed of with some wasp killing powder in the entrance
E

We have had wasps before. These are brown/black bodied rather than yellow and black striped. Could that still be wasps?

The wasps never bothered us - a different nest each year and they are never aggressive - so we just leave them well alone.

I want to do the same with the bees, so long as they aren't going to damage the house. The wasps nests were clear to see - football sized, hanging from the underside of the tiles (we have old lime and horsehair backed roof tiles, no felt, so easy for them to get in). I really can't see anything this time, which makes me worry that they might be inside the - minimal - cavity.

When we first moved in, we dismantled an old wardrobe and found a nest 6 or 7 feet wide and high between the wardrobe and the wall, but fortunately it was empty. The bees had come in through an air vent.

 

[ckdash]

Try this link for advice.

Did look an odd URL
Any chance you could send it to me in a private message?

Thanks for advice

 

[ckdash]

Welcome to the forum.

Very likely your bees have white tails and are a variety called "Bombus Hypnorum" (Google it and save me typing).

Having read up on the dancing behaviour of the males, you also need to know that male bees don't have a sting.
However the female workers of BH are more defensive of their nest than most Bumble Bees.
They'll be gone, by themselves in a few weeks.
Bumble Bee nests are small - shoebox size at the biggest. Honeybees are looking for a space the size of a dustbin.

If truly needed, you can get very basic workman's protection for under a tenner …

OK. The painter/decorator had consulted his beekeeping friend and he assured me they were honey bees, but they do look rather like the bumble bees in the wikipedia article your suggested google search threw up, though I have only seen them at distance so far. Scaffolding will be up on Saturday so I'll be able to get a closer look then.