Cut out help required

[dpearce4]

I had a call from a lovely gent near where I live last week asking if I would be able to help him out with a problem. When I ask he informed me that he had 5 colonies of bees living in the walls of his house. Now I was a little sceptical about this as I had never heard of that many in one building so I agreed to go and have a look today.

Well I got there at 10.30 this morning and even though the outside temp was only 4c the bees from 4 of the colonies were flying and that was in large numbers. I would say that the colonies are very big.

The house is of an unusual structure of wood beams with wood cladding on the outside, that being elm planks and the inside being plaster, there is no insulation between the two so the void is about 5in wide. I estimate that the colonies that I could see flying will be at least 2ft wide by 5ft deep.

The house owner is getting scaffolding put up in the next couple of weeks and then when I get on site really wants to help where ever possible.

He is happy for all the cladding to come off if need be because he wants it off anyway so he can insulate the house and then seal it up as best he can to stop the bees returning.

I am not intending to charge the gent as I think its going to cost him enough with everything else and by looking at the amount of bees flying they are going to be large colonies any way. I will bring all the kit except suits to be used including a bee vac to get the bees plus bee boxes and buckets.

I will put up some not very good pics I took of the building when I get them off my phone and if anyone else would like to get involved please PM me.

The site is about 7miles from Worthing West Sussex.

 

[pargyle]

Stating the obvious ... Not a great time of the year to be doing this .... have you got a plan as to how you are going to re-house them ?

 

[dpearce4]

The good thing about this is it is forward planning with a view to do the work end of march, beginning of april in good weather but before they build up to much. I am organising a site for the hives they get put in so I can check them for disease and temperament before placing them on my other sites.

 

[REDWOOD]

Good luck

 

[Gilberdyke John]

It sounds fascinating and I'd love to help but you're just too far away.
In preparation you might usefully spend some time watching J P The beeman performing cut out in the USA on you tube. Unlike a lot of the stuff on youtube it's got good content. Trimming comb and securing into empty frames with elastic bands is something to practice and get a supply of decent bands ready as I found some snap all too easily.
Just have a bit more sting protection than J P uses.

 

[Erichalfbee]

There's a nifty short cut to avoid using rubber bands here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=26&v=s4dlMNOCtmA

 

[Gilberdyke John]

There's a nifty short cut to avoid using rubber bands here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=26&v=s4dlMNOCtmA

Good idea but having spent some fun times as a boy fiddling with monofilament fishing line I'd like to have seen how the end of the line is secured after fitting the combs. The demo omitted the tricky part

 

[wightbees]

I did a cut out, plastic boxes will help for any honey, this can get messy. Big elastic bands also. Change of gloves or plastic ones with washing water. I also used a bee vac,diy one. Just going to work but can give more info later as I think of it.

 

[dpearce4]

I was thinking of using masking tape instead of rubber bands as this can be laid out flat under the frame ready then wrapped round as the comb is placed in. I did this before and it worked really well and the bees just chew it away over the next few weeks.

Mind you I am also toying with the idea of doing it as a shook swarm to get rid of the old manky frames and then when on new site feed like mad. But this is going to need some thinking about to see if practical.

I hope there will be some way of filming what we do as I would love to put up on here. is looking like a job for cam and tripod.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I was thinking of using masking tape instead of rubber bands as this can be laid out flat under the frame ready then wrapped round as the comb is placed in. I did this before and it worked really well and the bees just chew it away over the next few weeks.

Mind you I am also toying with the idea of doing it as a shook swarm to get rid of the old manky frames and then when on new site feed like mad. But this is going to need some thinking about to see if practical.

I hope there will be some way of filming what we do as I would love to put up on here. is looking like a job for cam and tripod.

Having thought a bit more about the monofilament suggestion, wire would not present the tying off difficulty that nylon would. If you know an industrial electrician perhaps a spool of 15A fusewire might be available? Even (shock, horror) buy one at a suppliers.
Masking tape might cover a lot of brood cells. If the comb is planned for replacement once the colony has settled down the wire can be removed then if desired.

 

[enrico]

Allow yourself a week, one cut out can take all day, you will need about five full size bins for things, clean wax, dirty wax, brood wax etc. Also loads of clean water for washing gloves. Good luck, wouldn't touch it anymore....post the pictures!
E

 

[abm]

I'm so eager to help, I love challenges - however your too far for me.

Do post some images.

https://goo.gl/photos/tmampiskzwR7ZTU46
https://goo.gl/photos/KFez3HU1Xu9KzEJt9
https://goo.gl/photos/UPTrXLWpmCptWTAi7

 

[Teemore]

If you do use fishing line to secure the sections of cut brood comb, an industrial staple will generally be enough to clamp it to the side bar or top bar.

 

[derekm]

2 volunteers depending on the exact date, if I can have 2 swarms for my research? (not necessarily these)
can bring tools etc and of course the van.

 

[birdsandbees]

Darn it!

wish you were closer! I'd gladly have helped, I have only done one cut out myself so far which was two stories up in the cavity wall, I'm so glad I made a bee vac it's an essential piece of kit and hope to put it to good use again this year, its surprisingly time consuming and helpers will invaluable.

good luck! look forward to seeing the pictures.

 

[Beefriendly]

Trimming comb and securing into empty frames with elastic bands is something to practice and get a supply of decent bands ready as I found some snap all too easily.

You could possibly try drilling holes in the sides of the frames and use those long wooden kebab skewers to run through the comb and fix in place. A simple hold and push, with little fiddling around to do. Can be pulled out later when the bees have fixed them into place.

 

[wightbees]

Bands are easy and as a fisherman don't bother with mono line, it's a right P to tie.

 

[pargyle]

I've used this sort of garden wire successfully on a cut out - twists together very easily and it's very strong - doesn't take up much space on the comb, the bees don't seem to mind it. Dead easy to remove once they have repaired the damage and fastened the comb into the frames, untwist the ends and it just pulls out even if they have built it in ... Oh ... and it's cheap as chips in the pound shop !

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Plant-Twi...597380?hash=item5689e3d584:g:I7kAAOSwyKxXhPdD

I buy 3 reels on a card for £1 in the local pound shop ...

Blimey - this is even cheaper than the pound shop !!!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pack-of-1...cecc425&pid=100005&rk=3&rkt=6&sd=281940055241

 

[oxnatbees]

Stating the obvious ... Not a great time of the year to be doing this .... have you got a plan as to how you are going to re-house them ?

You know, these colonies are probably related; and familiar with each others' scent. So if there's not enough queens (or hives) to go round perhaps they could be put in say 3 hives without fighting.

 

[Itchy]

I've done loads like this. Fishing line one side, lay it in and wire it up. There is a quicker, less destructive way, but I'm not revealing that one till I've done a few more. Next one is this weekend, easy one, but big colony.
Derek, if you want wild bees, just holler, your only 40 mins from me. Got 6 extractions booked for March already.