Bees in a roller

[Hivetool2021]

Hi all, I was called to a swarm last evening, but by tge time I got there, they took up residence in a old roller.i aced a bit hive opposite but today they like the roller. I'm intrigued to hear how you woukd tackle in removing from the roller

 

[Boston Bees]

Nightmare

 

[Erichalfbee]

Does it have a hole like that at the other side you could smoke?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Hi all, I was called to a swarm last evening, but by tge time I got there, they took up residence in a old roller.i aced a bit hive opposite but today they like the roller. I'm intrigued to hear how you woukd tackle in removing from the roller

Beequick?

 

[Hivetool2021]

My an is to initially use the bee hoover then when it appears to of got bulk from tbe hole is to smoke then hoover and repeat,

 

[The Poot]

Pick the roller up and shake vigorously into a nuc?

 

[Hivetool2021]

Pick the roller up and shake vigorously into a nuc?

Good idea but it weighs a ton too heavy to move

 

[Ian123]

Angle grinder…..I’ve removed a good few from oils drums. There normal close to entrance, on a drum you could guess the location pretty well……best bet leave them alone although the beequicks not a bad idea,

 

[Newbeeneil]

Put a one way cone over the hole before they get too many stores and they will abandon the roller. I did it last year with bees who went into tree hole above a kids swing. If you have a bait hive next to the roller they may take up residence.

 

[Just Steve]

Could you attach a cone to stop returning bees entertaining that leads to a tube joining your nuc. Foragers would have to use this tunnel arrangement, reorient themselves and on returning Could only get as far back in as the nuc.

 

[Sutty]

You could try drumming and see whether they would move up into a dark box fastened outside the roller (maybe add some lemongrass oil to it. I've never tried it but used to be done between skeps. I suspect you would need something like a couple of rubber mallets to drum on the roller though!
If you can roll the roller out another hive box in the original position would collect most of the foragers.

 

[pargyle]

You could try drumming and see whether they would move up into a dark box fastened outside the roller (maybe add some lemongrass oil to it. I've never tried it but used to be done between skeps. I suspect you would need something like a couple of rubber mallets to drum on the roller though!
If you can roll the roller out another hive box in the original position would collect most of the foragers.

That would result in a lot of angry bees in a queen less colony and would not solve the problem.

The only solution is to bleed them off into another box using a trap out cone. I'd add a frame of brood and eggs and some drawn frames to the new box in the hope that they find it more attractive than the roller and the bees in the roller move our along with the queen... if she does not then with a few eggs they will build emergency queen cells and you can go on from there. Hopefully the queen will move and problem solved. Once the fliers are relocated you could introduce a little smoke into the roller to encourage the house bees and queen to move. I don't think drumming will have much effect to be honest...

 

[Sutty]

That would result in a lot of angry bees in a queen less colony and would not solve the problem.

The only solution is to bleed them off into another box using a trap out cone. I'd add a frame of brood and eggs and some drawn frames to the new box in the hope that they find it more attractive than the roller and the bees in the roller move our along with the queen... if she does not then with a few eggs they will build emergency queen cells and you can go on from there. Hopefully the queen will move and problem solved. Once the fliers are relocated you could introduce a little smoke into the roller to encourage the house bees and queen to move. I don't think drumming will have much effect to be honest...

I've seen videos of it between skeps & hives, but must admit I'm sceptical too - but would be really interesting to try!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

You could try drumming and see whether they would move up into a dark box fastened outside the roller (maybe add some lemongrass oil to it. I've never tried it but used to be done between skeps. I suspect you would need something like a couple of rubber mallets to drum on the roller though!
If you can roll the roller out another hive box in the original position would collect most of the foragers.

Drumming a one ton roller would probably require belabouring it with a 7lb sledgehammer or a pneumatic hammer.

 

[Hivetool2021]

After 2 and half hours of smoking and hoovering roller is now bee free, really pleased how smooth it went

 

[Erichalfbee]

After 2 and half hours of smoking and hoovering roller is now bee free, really pleased how smooth it went

Wow. Well done. Just like a cut out with no cutting.

 

[Sutty]

Do the bees survive that?

 

[bobba]

Good work, I think I would have gone angle grinder and crow bar.

Perhaps you should block any holes in case more decide to take up residence.

Do the bees survive that?

Yes, bee hovers are different internally, a normal hover with a bag would likely harm the bees.

 

[Sutty]

Good work, I think I would have gone angle grinder and crow bar.

Perhaps you should block any holes in case more decide to take up residence.



Yes, bee hovers are different internally, a normal hover with a bag would likely harm the bees.

Any idea if yo got the queen too?

 

[Hivetool2021]

Any idea if yo got the queen too?

I'm hoping, yes as there weren't any bees left in the roller