Hive under decking advice

[moby]

A gentleman approached me and asked if I could remove a hive of bees which have taken up residence under his decking, He is happy to lift the decking for me to gain access, now I havnt seen what is going on under there but assuming that they are real bees and they have been really kind and have not put their hive in some inaccessible place (hole in the wall) but just on the underside of the decking, how do I transfer them into a hive? And what sort of gear should I be taking?

 

[jimbeekeeper]

but assuming that they are real bees

real bees = honey bees?

Dont sound like honey bees to me. I would be asking more questions first and possibly make a recon journey first and worry about what equipment after that (if they are "real" bees)

 

[moby]

Yep I thought so too will try and get round to see tomorrow

 

[tkwinston4]

Blimey do they carry around their own hive? I wish the swarms I have collected did; it would save me a lot of money!

 

[For want of a better word]

Observers guide to British bees?

 

[enrico]

If he doesn't mind you cutting up one of his lengths of decking then cut it to the length of a top bar. Take the whole piece and put it across the runners of your hive with all the wild comb, You may need to trim it a little to go in the hive. Put on a crown board with holes. Put any pieces of wax that are left on top of the crown board so they can strip them of goodies cover with empty super and roof. Leave for twenty four hours for them to settle then put a proper brood with frames below. Keep an eye on it and when you finally find the queen whack on a q excluder between the two brood box's. wait till everthing has hatched from the original brood and remove. Bob's your Uncle!!!!
Lateral thinking helps
E

 

[dudley]

If he doesn't mind you cutting up one of his lengths of decking then cut it to the length of a top bar. Take the whole piece and put it across the runners of your hive with all the wild comb, You may need to trim it a little to go in the hive. Put on a crown board with holes. Put any pieces of wax that are left on top of the crown board so they can strip them of goodies cover with empty super and roof. Leave for twenty four hours for them to settle then put a proper brood with frames below. Keep an eye on it and when you finally find the queen whack on a q excluder between the two brood box's. wait till everthing has hatched from the original brood and remove. Bob's your Uncle!!!!
Lateral thinking helps
E

Great plan, fingers crossed it will work, but this is what will probably happen.

As he is transferring all the wild comb and brood hanging on the cut deck board it will break away from the deck board and fall to the floor. He will then be gently picking up the pieces of folded broken brood off the floor and placing them in the brood box the best way he can. Gloves now covered in honey and dead bees. But even that could still work ok.

Just plan for the unexpected and have a bucket of water to wipe tools and hands clean of honey while your working.

 

[milkermel]

Great plan, fingers crossed it will work, but this is what will probably happen.

As he is transferring all the wild comb and brood hanging on the cut deck board it will break away from the deck board and fall to the floor. He will then be gently picking up the pieces of folded broken brood off the floor and placing them in the brood box the best way he can. Gloves now covered in honey and dead bees. But even that could still work ok.

Just plan for the unexpected and have a bucket of water to wipe tools and hands clean of honey while your working.

Ever the optimist Eh!! Enrico love the idea, to reduce risk of nuc droping would it not be an idea to try and access from below before cutting the planking ie brood box with a base underneath then cut decking and lower rather than lift out???

 

[moby]

Yep I was counting my chickens before they hatched the 'bees' in question turned out to be bumbles, dissapointing really......

 

[enrico]

real bees = honey bees?

Dont sound like honey bees to me. I would be asking more questions first and possibly make a recon journey first and worry about what equipment after that (if they are "real" bees)

Good old jimbeekeeper..... right all along!

 

[justme]

Enrico, dudley, milkermel, 3 fantastically helpful plans for similar scenarios with real honey bees. What great Beeks we have on this forum:.)

Di:.)