Bees in a shed that needs to come down

[citrus]

Terrible timing but a mate of a mate has a shed that is being taken down but they have found a wild bee hives in there.

Dont have any pictures or details

but regardless ... given is getting cold over the next week ... is there any hope to cut them out and stick them in a hive ? ...

Also I have captured a few easy swarms before but not done anything more complicated....

 

[MartinL]

If it has to go...….

try & check for the warmest possible day.
Then be well prepared, have a good look at what's there. Plan so you get the bulk of the frames into the same position in the box (rehearse if doing it with someone else), you need to have them all cosied up inside an insulated box as soon as possible.

Maybe have a warm, (>18deg) feed ready?

THEN LEAVE THEM ALONE, no peeking or poking.

Good luck

 

[enrico]

If you have never done it before then good luck
Ideally you need two people. Have loads of tubs of fresh water available, even at this time of the year it is a sticky job. I wear rubber gloves and constantly wash them. Have tubs ready for empty comb and crap throw away comb
If the sections are straight it helps. Cut each section and place it in a box. I would bother trying to band them to frames in the winter! Lay each section side by side in the box they will be ok. Insulate heavily and leave them well alone. All you can do is try. It is a sticky messy job and has to be done methodically and gently.
Good luck, nothing to lose!
E

 

[Angularity]

If the shed is coming down anyway, you may be able to cut out the wood that the comb is attached to, then lower the whole lot into a box of suitable size. Means a bit of preparation though.

 

[Angularity]

My experience of wild bees in sheds is twenty angry bumblebees, rather than twenty thousand honey bees. Time spent on reconnaissance is seldom wasted.

 

[citrus]

thanks for the posts .. .and will let you know more !

 

[Millet]

My experience of wild bees in sheds is twenty angry bumblebees, rather than twenty thousand honey bees. Time spent on reconnaissance is seldom wasted.

The only bumble bees you will see now are hibernating Queens..

 

[bingevader]

If the shed is coming down anyway, you may be able to cut out the wood that the comb is attached to, then lower the whole lot into a box of suitable size. Means a bit of preparation though.

That's what I was thinking.

 

[Angularity]

The only bumble bees you will see now are hibernating Queens..

I have learned not to take 'my shed is full of bees' at face value. It might have been full of bumble bees in September, and now they want to get rid of the shed. I have a pretty low level of trust in most people's bee identification skills.

 

[Anduril]

Your best option if they are honeybees, would be to build a box around them in the shed, if possible. Take measurements, build an enclosure to fit to the shed. No holes at this point for an entrance or have one already built into the enclosure but closed. Cut the box away from the shed, take away and insulate. Now you could make a roof to fit over the top, drill a hole in the top of the box add fondant and roof, open entrance and hope they survive. In the spring treat it as a cutout.