Forced Absconding

[markb2603]

A bit of a pickle. I’ve been asked to remove a colony of bees which have set up shop about halfway down a chimney 18 months ago. There is no easy way to get to the comb to easily cut it out and breaking down the chimney is not an option. Also, there is no easy access to the chimney outside of a ladder. Scaffolding is ridiculously expensive to rent! Given the lack of access, a trap out is not really an easy option.

I am thinking my only option is a forced absconding down the chimney into the closed off bedroom and then hoovering up all the bees from the room who haven’t gone into a waiting bait hive.

Would a rag generously sprayed with Honey Bee Gone pushed down the chimney to just above the nest cause a mass exodus down? Or would the fact there is brood there prevent this from happening?

I’ll deal with the comb after the bees by using a hive tool on the end of a telescopic pole to cut it out and collect (it’ll be a mess, any other suggestions?).

At my own peril, does this idea sound like a reasonable approach?

The only other option is killing the colony off which is something I’d like to prevent.

 

[pargyle]

Sounds like a recipe for a disaster to me ...

You probably have an almost impossible job there .. I think the chances of success are very limited in getting all the bees out and even less getting every scrap of wax out using a hive tool on a pole. If you intend lighting a fire in the fireplace at any time and there is any wax left in there you risk burning the house down.

I don't have any suggestions for how you can successfully get all the bees out and then remove the wax but I think your present plan has flaws ...

 

[JamezF]

I can conceive of trap-out ideas that might possibly work but would probably take a significant amount of time and effort in which case, given that the bees have allegedly already been there for eighteen months I'd be tempted to just leave well alone until early next year as the odds of surviving into a third year are probably strongly against them.

James

 

[ericbeaumont]

leave well alone until early next year as the odds of surviving into a third year are probably strongly against them

Yes, varroa will overtake at some point. In an early spring, if activity is absent when elsewhere all else is flying, action can be taken to mesh the chimneys.

Whether the nest dies naturally or is killed, the combs will have to be removed: fire risk will be significant, not for this owner, but for those in the distant future when the warning may not survive.

no easy access to the chimney outside of a ladder. Scaffolding is ridiculously expensive to rent!

Ladder may be the cheap option, but please don't take it. Consult a chimney sweep and see if the dead nest could be brushed out through the fireplace; in the cool of spring the combs will be more brittle and likely to disintegrate.

 

[markb2603]

Thanks for the feedback. I’ve advised a chimney sweep will be required after as will a builder to bee proof the chimney. I’m not so concerned about the comb so can leave that part out and they can have the chimney sweep deal with that. The key goal is to remove the bees alive if possible. That’s why I’m asking if a bee repellant will do the job? Seems to work on supers, I’m just wondering if the presence of brood will prevent it from working. I’ve seen some American guys on YouTube doing forced absconding from trees and the premise is the same - hole above and below the nest, lots of smoke with a little repellant and out the bees come.

Either way, the homeowner wants these bees out by the end of the month so waiting over winter isn’t an option as of now.

 

[Wilco]

In terms of access, a cherry picker could work. We used one inside our church when there were some mould issues with some insulation recently installed and scaffolding was making it incredibly expensive until we realised the cherry picker could get in through the door. Obviously you'd use it from outside the house...

In terms of comb destruction, an abstract thought... Once the bees are out and chimney covered with mesh, could one infest the chimney with wax moth then endoscope/boroscope it a few months later.

 

[markb2603]

I did a removal about a month ago from the same location with a cherry picker and it was very useful for getting exactly where I needed to be. However, the site is extremely sloping and access would require the destruction of an old stone wall which while I had suggested it, the homeowner isn’t willing to do. I imagine that is why the scaffolding might have been so expensive too.

I really like the wax moth idea as a natural remedy. Unfortunately I’m based in Ireland and haven’t encountered wax moth before and a quick look at the National Biodiversity Database indicates only 3 sightings since 1941! (2016, 2021 and 2022).

 

[pargyle]

I did a removal about a month ago from the same location with a cherry picker and it was very useful for getting exactly where I needed to be. However, the site is extremely sloping and access would require the destruction of an old stone wall which while I had suggested it, the homeowner isn’t willing to do. I imagine that is why the scaffolding might have been so expensive too.

I really like the wax moth idea as a natural remedy. Unfortunately I’m based in Ireland and haven’t encountered wax moth before and a quick look at the National Biodiversity Database indicates only 3 sightings since 1941! (2016, 2021 and 2022).

I could send you some wax moths ... we have an abundance down here on the South Coast but I suspect introducing wax moths into Irish beekeeping could result in you being lynched by your fellow beekeepers !

 

[Vanterrier]

Could you suck out the bulk of the live bees with a suitable hoover. Does smoking out from below (no flames) help? What about a leaf blower left on to chill/kill the brood from below?
K