Bees in car - any ideas

[JohnRB]

Just been phoned by a beekeeping friend who was called to a car with bees swarmed into the ventilation system. They can see wax, so it looks like they have started building comb and making themselves comfortable. All I could think of was:

Wait until it warms up and the bees are flying, drive the car 1/4 mile away to lose the flying bees. Wait a day or 2 and repeat until there is nothing left.

Apply beequick to the air inlet and run the fans on full...

Put on a bee suit and drive with the heating on max and full with the windows open.

Anyone got any more productive ideas.

TVM

 

[JamezF]

What a nightmare!

James

 

[Wilco]

Puts the B in BMW...

 

[Wilco]

Find a mechanic happy to wear a bee suit to take it apart with you there to collect the bees? Bee quick after.

Removing the wax is probably important from a safety perspective.

 

[JohnRB]

Find a mechanic happy to wear a bee suit to take it apart with you there to collect the bees? Bee quick after.

Removing the wax is probably important from a safety perspective.

Yes, hadn't thought of the wax as an issue. Could start to be expensive...

 

[Parsonage Bees]

These bees don't sound to have made a good decision. The spaces under the bonnet or dash are not big enough to make a decent nest. ?
I agree. A nightmare for the car owner.

 

[Garry R]

The bees likely saw the 4.0 on the back of the car but didn't see the decimal point and read it as 40L and the scouts and swarm thought "PERFECT!!"

And fitted with a supercharger?

 

[ericbeaumont]

Wait until it warms up and the bees are flying, drive the car 1/4 mile away to lose the flying bees. Wait a day or 2 and repeat until there is nothing left.

As long as the queen lays, housebees will replace any losses, so that won't work.

Apply beequick to the air inlet and run the fans on full...

May drive the bees deeper into the vent system, esp. the queen, and complicate the job.

Put on a bee suit and drive with the heating on max and full with the windows open.

Forget it; once wax is drawn they"ll stay.

Either take apart the vent system and use a bee-vac, or seal all but one dashboard exit and set up a trap-out. Car will be out of use for six week, after which the vent system must be dismantled enough to hoover out the queen.

 

[JohnRB]

As long as the queen lays, housebees will replace any losses, so that won't work.

Only if there were any foragers to bring in stores. If the foragers are removed every couple of days by moving the car they would soon run out of food for brood

 

[ericbeaumont]

soon run out of food for brood

Fair point; try it and see.

 

[pargyle]

Puts the B in BMW...

No...it was an MG Bee ...

 

[JamezF]

Leave the car parked on the drive for a couple of years. The colony will likely have died out by then and the wasps and wax moth will clean up after them

James

 

[Anduril]

All I can think of is using a few pipe freezing cans, either to kill or contain the bees by freezing a cloth for the latter. If they have entered the air intake then either use the freezer cans or tape it up. Would they get through to the cabin if you have pollen filters in place. The other idea would be carbon dioxide blown into the system which will make them drop down asleep for a while. Beekeeping suit and respirator. @enrico will suggest a CO2 fire extinguisher .

 

[Sutty]

I wonder if a garden leaf blower applied to the vent would blow them back out.

 

[Vanterrier]

What about an "Air Con Bomb" ?

I suppose the wax would be more difficult to remove than the bees.

Depending on the age and value of the car, the cost of removal and replacement of the dash/ vent system might make the car an insurance write off. I hope they are fully comp...
K

 

[JohnRB]

I wonder if a garden leaf blower applied to the vent would blow them back out.

Actually, I think this is a good idea - I'll pass it on. Thanks

 

[jarmo henttu]

I wonder if a garden leaf blower applied to the vent would blow them back out.

Bees use to fly against window towards the sun. Move the car to such place that bees can fly away via open window.

If some bees die inside the car, that is not a big problem. Normally 2000 bees die during one day

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Bees use to fly against window towards the sun. Move the car to such place that bees can fly away via open window.

just start driving in an Eastward direction after midday, by sundown all the bees will have left