Bees Annoying Neighbours

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nmesmeric

New Bee
Joined
Mar 26, 2019
Messages
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Location
Caterham, Surrey
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
5
Hey Guys,

I have had bees for three years and have never had any trouble with them re. disturbing the neighbours.

However just today the neighbour got in contact to say they were nesting in their boiler flue. This flue is a new addition and wasn't here last year.

I'm sure they are not nesting (unless I have missed a swarm!) however there are quite a few bees going in and out of the flue and flying around their patio, I guess using it as a water source maybe?

Is there anything I can do here? Put a water source near the hives?

Thanks for your help!

Felix
 
If it’s water - sounds like a condensing boiler, perhaps. Try an upturned dustbin lid with pebbles and muck in. Usually bees prefer dirty water. I have heard that adding salt to the water attracts the bees to it too.
Happy days!
 
I'm sure someone more experienced will have more advice, but for my two penneth...

Firstly, are you sure they're honey bees, and not masonry bees around the flue? Seems more likely to me if you're sure they're actually 'nesting' there. Otherwise, if they are honey bees they might just be after water.

Secondly, my neighbours also get lots of bees around their patio this time of year - as do we. Our south facing patios are real sun traps, and the combination of extra warmth, and lots of potted plants with damp compost seem to be drinking heaven for the bees.
I have plenty of other water sources for them, including a 'bee bath' ( a bird bath full of pebbles and soil), a couple of water butts, the chicken's water feeders, and ponds, but nothing compares to the pots on the patio at this time of year.
On the bright side, I have found that after these first 2-3 weeks of spring, as the weather warms up, they seem to move on to the other water sources, mainly the moss around the pond, and are no longer a problem on the patio.

I'd also suggest explaining to your neighbours why the bees are on their patio. Now that they understand the bees aren't planning to move in, my own neighbours are much happier. If they're being bothered then they just try not to leave standing water in the plant pot saucers, and have noted themselves that it only really goes on for a couple of weeks.
 
Might be worth checking if there is a wild colony. If you don't think yours have swarmed then they could be from somewhere else of course.
Most modern condenser boilers duct their condensate water straight into a drain (often insulated so it doesn't freeze up in winter. Any details of what sort of flue it is?
If it IS water they are after then providing some water may help, some people have suggested a smear of honey at the water source to help them find it - though I don't know if that really attracts water foragers. Wet moss/soil is good as mentioned, maybe they recognise the smell.
 
Firstly, you need to clearly identify what it is you're dealing with. Bumble bee's like this type of location and they come in all sizes.

Secondly, why is it your "problem"? I'd tread carefully initially as the last thing you need is to feel obliged which might manifest itself as guilt on your part by your neighbour.
 
I have a pond in the garden but they prefer a couple of pots filled with pea gravel and topped up with water near the hives. We have dozens of bees constantly drinking water at the moment
 
Never assume or believe what some one else say's, generally a lot of the public can't tell a bee from a wasp let alone a bumble bee. One might suspect that at this time or year on a sunny wall we will likely be talking of solitary bees, also possibly the state of any mortar in the joints or available holes which they will nest in and replenish for next years prodgeny.
 
The above posts may be on the money, but what also sometimes happens is scout bees check out nesting places for a while. People get confused and think it is a nest of bees, but it is just scouts going in and out...checking it all out. There can be quite a few of them coming and going. They may well bring the swarm there. Is it possible to block the flue with mesh or something to put them off? Do you reckon your hive is looking to swarm?
 
The above posts may be on the money, but what also sometimes happens is scout bees check............. Do you reckon your hive is looking to swarm?
Felix lives in Surrey. It’s early spring and most beekeepers haven’t got a first inspection done yet.
 
Felix lives in Surrey. It’s early spring and most beekeepers haven’t got a first inspection done yet.
Yeah I know. Do you know how long before the swarm that scouts go looking? It's Surrey, not Ceredigion. 17c there next Tuesday when you will barely be in double figures.
 
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A week?
Maybe you’re right
I guess Felix is the only one who can tell us whether his colony is making swarm preps. Perhaps he’ll pop back and tell us
 
The bees won't know it will be 17c next week unless they have seen the forecast, they have had a couple days in the last week that may have peaked at 15/16c for a couple hours but not very consistent temps yet.
According to my local area forecast next week is mostly cloudy with temps 11 - 14c, I expect if the sun shows it's face we might again get 16c or so for half an hour.
 
I had exactly this issue. You need to do something straight away or the bees will actually block the inside of the boiler. The problem is caused by a condensing boiler putting out plumes of condense which the bees want at this time of year to dilute their honey. First thing to do is put a pond or a trug out filled with water, mine has a little fountain in it (flea bay £8). Next get some 4mm plastic netting and make a shroud to go over the boiler outlet.
 
never had any trouble with them re. disturbing the neighbours.
You still don't.

By your description of the activity (bees and neighbours) it sounds as if all is well: the bees are foraging for moisture and the neighbours have noticed.

Bees are locked onto the flue and are unlikely to be dissuaded from using it; attempts to cover the flu will suggest to the neighbours that a problem has arisen (it hasn't) and anyway, bees will continue to locate on the flue.

This event is no cause for alarm or fuss (plenty of opportunity for that during the swarming season, or when a colony is queenless, or when the neighbours' washing is hanging) and in a few days or weeks the problem will go away. For now bees need a lot of moisture to dilute stores in an expanding nest, and it's routine for them to forage in this way.

PS: as suggested, ID the bees.
 
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A week?
Maybe you’re right
I guess Felix is the only one who can tell us whether his colony is making swarm preps. Perhaps he’ll pop back and tell us
Yeah....we are pretty cold at that time of the season too, and the earliest I've heard a swarm issue here is late August (equivalent of your late February) and another one in early September (early March). They tend to get the brood going after the shortest day. Surrey certainly is a milder area of the UK, bordering the UK's warmest county.
 
A few years ago, had a panicked phonecall from someone who lived not far from the association apiary (usual hand wringing over a few bees taking an interest in his garden pond)
It wasn't far from the office so I popped down lunchtime - the person was a Koi enthusiast who had spent thousands building a massive Japanese water garden and carp pond, loads of shallow peppled areas and beaches. I could see the clouds of bees over his garden before I turned the corner.
I congratulated him on designing the perfect bee watering area and reassured him that once the early spring need to water down the last of the winter stores had passed, he could have his garden back :icon_204-2:
 
I had exactly this issue. You need to do something straight away or the bees will actually block the inside of the boiler. The problem is caused by a condensing boiler putting out plumes of condense which the bees want at this time of year to dilute their honey. First thing to do is put a pond or a trug out filled with water, mine has a little fountain in it (flea bay £8). Next get some 4mm plastic netting and make a shroud to go over the boiler outlet.
Hi Malcolm, The plastic netting may not be a good idea as there is a good chance it will affect the boiler combustion. There has to be free air flow around a boiler terminal. Putting fine mesh around the terminal could actually be illegal. If the boiler is not a condensing boiler the flue gas may be hot enough to melt the plastic.
 
For veracity I left out that the boiler was serviced to remove bees and it’s combustion was checked and there was no effect from the plastic mesh. i created quite a large basket around the flue so there was plenty of room for inlet and outlet gases. The boiler is , of course, a condensing boiler which is why the bees were attracted to it. My neighbour is a happy bunny now and having honey on his toast.
 
I often wonder why someone asks a question and then never seems to acknowledge any of the helpful replies!!
 

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