Bees in my garage

[Nick Lang]

So .....I went out to my garage today to router some timber.....and when I put the lights on from nowhere there are about a dozen or so large dark looking bees......must be a wild bee colony in the roof space somewhere.... haven't been up to have a look.

What do people do with bees that have taken up residence where they shouldn't......can/should they be removed into a polynuc???...would they survive....can they become a successful colony in a hive in their own right?

At the moment....my current thinking is I might just check they're not damaging anything and leave them.

Just curious what folks do???

Ta

 

[Ian123]

If you can get a picture pls dead or alive advice Will vary according to type. Ian

 

[enrico]

Depends on so much. How long have they been there, how big is the colony, can you get to them, ........need loads more info!

 

[Nick Lang]

Okay....I'll have a closer look tomorrow

 

[WoodenBeam]

We seem to have a lot of hover drone flies about at the moment…………a photo of your suspect might be useful.

 

[oxnatbees]

If they are honeybees, you can sometimes do a "cut out" (search for thst term on Youtube) but if you do it now they'll die. Do it in Spring when they can repair comb damage.

If it was only a dozen I doubt it's a nest, could be bees attracted to the smell of beekeeping equipment?

A swarm once escaped their collection box into my garage (TIP: heat of a swarm can melt the glue on cheap duct tape!!!) and clustered on the window. Look there, and use your ears. A nest might be in an awkward position to cut out.

If it is a nest relocating it nearby is a little trickier than to a faraway apiary - the "3 foot 3 mile" rule

 

[The Poot]

Could be queen wasps looking to hibernate - I’ve turfed a few out of my garage this week.

 

[Nick Lang]

Definitely honey bees...but it's only half a dozen or so flying around.....and I do keep my bee stuff in the garage...so that's most likely why

 

[enrico]

Definitely honey bees...but it's only half a dozen or so flying around.....and I do keep my bee stuff in the garage...so that's most likely why

If I put my solar melter out, by the time it takes me to put a sheet of glass on the top I have several bees in and around it. I don't know how they do it so quickly, it takes them seconds to find a robbing source at this time of the year!

 

[pargyle]

.... it takes them seconds to find a robbing source at this time of the year!

At any time of the year ... it's just worse now ! I was jarring up some honey yesterday morning at just after 8.00am ... had finished the jarring and was washing up the utensils with the back door open - next thing I know I've got two bees buzzing around the kitchen !! Their sense of smell is totally amazing ...