Dealing with a colony in loft

[steve_e]

Hi -
A friend has asked me to examine a possible colony in his loft. He noticed it over the summer and left it alone in the belief that they would simply swarm and disappear at the end of the season.

I'm not too sure if it's actually a wasps nest from his description, but he seemed pretty certain they were bees. I said I'd be happy to have a look. Just a couple of questions before I go (he's coming to me as the 'expert' and quite clearly in my second season I'm nothing of the sort. I've captured a swarm once but that was in the open and this is not a swarm but an 'at home' colony...):

1 If it turns out to be a colony and seems healthy and strong, what would be the best time of year to try to move it? I'm assuming it would not be a great time now as the damage with no brood would give them little chance to repair and survive.

2 I will probably try to get some help from more experienced local beekeepers when the time comes, but is the general principle going to be to try to take as much of the comb as possible and then leave the container there till night to allow as many bees as possible to stay with the colony?

 

[oliver90owner]

1) I would say 'at it's smallest' - early in spring, soon after she starts laying with a vengeance!

2) Odds on it was wasps - so look for a hanging nest, but if bees all the nest needs to be removed and/or access denied (or there is a good chance of a replacement swarm moving in!).

Regards, RAB

 

[Jimmy]

Late winter/early spring also good because then you don't have natural comb with excessive winter stores still present. You don't want to be cutting out wild comb that has maybe 20-30lbs stores still present. I think it may be too cold for the bees to repair any comb that was damaged if you moved it at this time of year.
A neighbour in the village reportedly has a similar colony in the loft. I'm planning to go and have look late march as the colony will still be small, winter stores will be depleted and if I am able to move them they would have the best chance of survival.
I was told to cut out the wild comb and use rubber bands/frame wire to hold it in frames.

 

[steve_e]

Thanks both. I'll take a quick look next week then and pencil in mid to late march if they're bees!
Regards, Steve

 

[hedgerow pete]

the easiest ways to tell the differance betwen a wasp and bees nest is that a wasp nest would look like a large egg shaped paper machie ball with a sealed out side where as a bee nest you would be able to see the combs of wax and can see the insides of the nest

 

[steve_e]

Thanks Pete -
That's why I said I wasn't sure from his description. I've seen wasp nests and he described something that seemed more like that (ball of chewing gum was how he described it). But then he said it was covered with thousands of (bees/wasps), which made me think he was describing frames. So I guess the best way to decide is to go and have a look.

 

[TOBY-3652]

Bet a pound to a penny there wasps

 

[oliver90owner]

Bet a pound to a penny there wasps

I reckon the odds are with you. But worth a quid or two if you are really game and up to it? I think you could well win one or two quid, but at those odds...... worth taking you on.

Regards, RAB

 

[Lois]

Don't forget to take a camera with you, we all want evidence of what you found.

 

[steve_e]

It would certainly be worth a hundred pennies at those odds Toby!

I'll do that Lois, thanks for the suggestion.

 

[blackbrood]

Good luck,

just a thought, would a wasp nest still be active this time of year if it was in a nice warm attic? just with the remark about is being covered in wasps/bees? maybe take your veil etc...

 

[steve_e]

Thanks, yes I'll definitely take some protection, especially since I'll need to be shining a torch up there.

 

[oliver90owner]

would a wasp nest still be active this time of year

On that score, there will be no wasps at all. Wasps are eusocial and the only surviving members of the species would be well tucked away hibernating. Preferably deep in a north facing bank (NO, not Lloyds or Barclays!).

RAB

 

[Rosti]

would a wasp nest still be active this time of year

On that score, there will be no wasps at all. Wasps are eusocial and the only surviving members of the species would be well tucked away hibernating. Preferably deep in a north facing bank (NO, not Lloyds or Barclays!).

RAB

So on that basis would RBS be a better hibernation site? and would said jaspers then qualify for a bonus after only being there for 4 months?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

As they are so efficient at stinging people, I think a big bonus would be on the cards

 

[Rosti]

As they are so efficient at stinging people, I think a big bonus would be on the cards

Brilliant! I knew that if I threw that in someone would deliver the punch line!

 

[hedgerow pete]

there will be no wasps left at all any where in any main nest as they are all dead apart from the queen shee will leave the site of the nest completely and will set up a small golf ball sized round ball nest else where. i was always told to kill a queen kills 20,000 wasps.

any form of wasp nest is very very rarely reused as the nest that the queen builds in october becomes the start of the following year colony.

the quickest way of seeing if you have any wasps in a loft is to turn on the light or leave a torch on and shut the loft hatch for 30 mins as outside the nest but inside the loft area will be gaurd wasps and they are always near to any form of light.

if you are every caught in a loft and find a wasp nest throw the light a way as the wasps will attack that first before coming for you

 

[Silly Bee]

Excelllent advice pete. Having inadvertantley found myself in a loft with wasps.

If you do have wasps in the loft, and it will usually be summer months, tackle them from outside.

 

[hedgerow pete]

i use the spray foam wasp nest killer that you spray from the loft hatch, then i slam the hatch shut and run away like a little girl untill they are dead.

but a good tip now is to have a look in your loft areas for small paper round wasp nest queen balls and get rid of them whilst she is on her own

 

[Hombre]

If you have to be in a loft shifting bees and need a light, make it a good red light so that you don't attract the bees with it.

It might make the job that much easier, as long as you can see clearly enough.