Honey dripping through ceiling…..advice?

[GregDog]

Hey all,

My first post to the forum as I am not currently a beekeeper but have always had ambitions to be! (ironic)

I'm just looking for some advice really.

I live in a semi detached property in Leeds and the attic has been converted into a room so has a pitched ceiling. 3 days ago I noticed amber droplets on the carpet which turns out to be honey! After a bit of investigation it turns out whoever installed the velux windows did not seal the gap above them well enough and now I have my very own hive.

I called Leeds Beekeepers Association the next day and spoke to a very helpful man who told me unfortunately because of where the bees are located there would be no option but to destroy them, which I really don't want to do but he's the expert. He has arranged for a pest control company to call me and arrange the deed but they are currently deciding on where they need scaffold or ladders to get access.

I have had a read about and it seems unusual to be leaking honey but I think it may be the few hot days we've had last week and the fact the bees must be sandwiched between the plasterboard and the dark tiled roof (must only be a 3-4 inch gap)?

Anyway…. the advice part. I think I will have to remove a portion of the plasterboard ceiling to remove the comb and remains. How long after they have treated to bees do you think I should wait before doing this? And if I have to open the ceiling couldn't the bees be removed this was without killing them? Or would I just have an attic full of very annoyed bees??

Any advice or information you can give would be much appreciated. If one good thing has come from this after chatting to people around my office I have found out that YBKA keep several hives on our office site and I am arranging to do a taster session next time they do one. So maybe when I have a big enough garden I can have a happy hive of my own.

Thanks for any advice you have.

Greg

 

[alldigging]

You will have to ask the pest man.

It may be that the honey will be poisoned and need throwing away.

 

[yeogi75]

find some one to do both jobs, if you kill the bees you will still have honey and wax there staining the plaster boards for a long time afterwards , and if your renewing the plaster board any way why not get some bees as well, good luck

 

[rayt]

Personally would lift the roof tiles and cut a patch of felt out to get the comb out. Depends on how you are with heights etc though. Or get a roofer to do it, they can then seal up any gaps whilst up there. Saves plastering and redecorating.

 

[oliver90owner]

Removing the colony by 'cut out' is always possible but the damage caused might be considerable.

Unfortunate if they need to be destroyed but is sometimes unavoidable. All possible entry gaps will need to be sealed completely to avoid any other bees robbing the site and poisoning their own colony. The offending honey may be some distance from the colony.

Take the advice given and by all means get a second opinion. Your decision how the problem is solved, after all. Even if you go to the trouble of getting them cut out, there may not be a decent 'colony outcome' for the bees.

RAB

 

[ratcatcher]

if he can find a pest firm willing to kill them, then they aint a very good firm, as pest companies have been taken to court for killing bees, that then got robbed out and the pesticide transferred to another hive

if they use ficam D, which is the standard for wasp's, then you wont want to eat the honey, a good firm too wouldn't need ladders or scaffold, wasp sticks will easily reach a 3 story house, but why could they not simply open the velux window????

I'd be inclined to do a cut out and save the bees, as that will need doing anyway to remove the spoiled wax/honey, very easy to cut out and re fix plasterboard etc, try looking on you tube for cut outs and or bee vac's
the guy at the local club probably said that as bee keepers normally remove bees for free, so cut outs are hard work, but if your landlord is willing to pay a pest firm, and then a decorator, a bee keeper could be payed instead

http://youtu.be/Bl45XXetmUI

 

[MJBee]

I have done a number of ceiling cut outs and would tackle this one from inside the house.

From your description of their location they will (probably) be contained within the area bounded by the velux at the bottom, the roof supports either side of the velux at the sides and the roof apex at the top.

Even if the bees are killed you will still have to remove the comb and honey to stop the dripping in hot weather. So I would go back to your local BKA and see if anyone will tackle it for the possibility of free bees.

Good luck, let us know what happens.

 

[Moggett]

To see what could be involved try this video - cut to 9 mins in.

http://youtu.be/fAPzcJ5YQTQ

Check your house insurance to see if they will cover damage caused by removal. Even if you have them killed I believe you'll still need to remove the comb for the reasons already stated. The only difference with killing them is that whoever does the first stage in comb removal will need to be wearing protective equipment, and you'll need to seal the loft from the rest of the house until they've all been hived elsewhere.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Hey all,

My first post to the forum as I am not currently a beekeeper but have always had ambitions to be! (ironic)

I'm just looking for some advice really.

I live in a semi detached property in Leeds and the attic has been converted into a room so has a pitched ceiling. 3 days ago I noticed amber droplets on the carpet which turns out to be honey! After a bit of investigation it turns out whoever installed the velux windows did not seal the gap above them well enough and now I have my very own hive.

I called Leeds Beekeepers Association the next day and spoke to a very helpful man who told me unfortunately because of where the bees are located there would be no option but to destroy them, which I really don't want to do but he's the expert. He has arranged for a pest control company to call me and arrange the deed but they are currently deciding on where they need scaffold or ladders to get access.

I have had a read about and it seems unusual to be leaking honey but I think it may be the few hot days we've had last week and the fact the bees must be sandwiched between the plasterboard and the dark tiled roof (must only be a 3-4 inch gap)?

Anyway…. the advice part. I think I will have to remove a portion of the plasterboard ceiling to remove the comb and remains. How long after they have treated to bees do you think I should wait before doing this? And if I have to open the ceiling couldn't the bees be removed this was without killing them? Or would I just have an attic full of very annoyed bees??

Any advice or information you can give would be much appreciated. If one good thing has come from this after chatting to people around my office I have found out that YBKA keep several hives on our office site and I am arranging to do a taster session next time they do one. So maybe when I have a big enough garden I can have a happy hive of my own.

Thanks for any advice you have.

Greg

Try searching youtube for JP the beeman to see a variety of swarm collections and colony removals from buildings in the US
Plasterboard is relatively easy to cut out and pretty easy to reinstate although the skim coat is a skilled job. Then its time to reinstate the decoration.
If theres a lack of insulation in the structure you can deal with it at the same time. Expanding foam is good for filling holes.

 

[HM Honey]

Hi GregDog

I am a member of Leeds Beekeepers. It will have been either Duncan or David that you spoke to I would imagine. It seems a total waste to kill the bees if you are going to have to cut the comb out anyway?

I've never done a cut out and am no DIY expert but I am more than happy to offer my services free of charge in assistance if you can get someone willing to do the cutting and repair work?

 

[GregDog]

Thanks

All,

Thanks for all the quick and helpful responses.

I was told about pest control companies not killing bees by LBKA when I called and that is why they said they had to arrange it for me to give the company authorisation. The pest company have told me they MUST block up all the access and that is their responsibility, as the tainted honey could be robbed and poison other hives and they would be prosecuted as ratcatcher mentioned so at least they know what they are talking about.

They cannot access from the Velux because it's a fire exit window and hinges at the top without swivelling like a normal Velux, and when open covers the entrance where the bees are entering.

As has been said I will need to pull down a portion of the plasterboard anyway to clear out what is left so if I'm doing the damage anyway it makes no real difference. I'm pretty sure I have located the exact spot of the colony using a stethoscope and the fact that the area on the plasterboard where I think the colony is, is 3.5 degrees C warmer than the surrounding plasterboard! (IR thermometer). It is by the way exactly where MJBee described.

Replacing the small area I will need to pull down is an easy job but I will call the plasterer to skim as thats a real skill to make it look seamless. It is the one room we haven't decorated yet so I'm sure that will be a perfect excuse for us to get on with it

I will call LBKA tomorrow first thing and ask if they know of anyone who would perform a cut out removal, I will offer them £100 and the bees which is more than the pest control want (£60 + VAT). I hope someone takes me up on it.

I will let you know what happens, I just hope the whole lot doesn't drop through the ceiling before I can sort it!!

Thanks again all who have contributed.

 

[GregDog]

Hi GregDog

I am a member of Leeds Beekeepers. It will have been either Duncan or David that you spoke to I would imagine. It seems a total waste to kill the bees if you are going to have to cut the comb out anyway?

I've never done a cut out and am no DIY expert but I am more than happy to offer my services free of charge in assistance if you can get someone willing to do the cutting and repair work?

Really? Thats amazing! I have no problem paying for your time or making a donation to LBKA whatever is best for you. The repair work is no problem I can see to that, from what I've read I just need to remove the debris, use anti microbial paint on the area block up all the existing holes so they can't come back and replace the plasterboard.

Not sure the best way to do the cutting, I don't think power tools are a good idea how would you remove the bees? Vacuum? Do you want to send me a PM?

If we can do this it would be great, I don't have to pay for the pest control people until tomorrow so I can hold off on that. Thanks

 

[HM Honey]

I've PM'd you GregDog

 

[dpearce4]

gregdog may not have got ur pm due to number of posts.

 

[richardbees]

Greg / HM

What a neat result!....

 

[MJBee]

HM Honey - you have a PM.

 

[jimmybee]

your best bet will be taking the tiles off, unless you want the house a mess, I've done loads of cut outs always best way. unless you have the spare cash for the plaster to come fix the ceiling after.

 

[drstitson]

"Not sure the best way to do the cutting,"

jab saw /drywall saw - £9.99 at screwfix.

 

[HM Honey]

I already have all the necessary tools so no issues there. Jimmybee, the op is having to remove the plasterboard anyway as its saturated in honey by the sound of it. I think removing the plaster board is preferable to disturbing roof tiling etc in this case.

It's a relatively small cost to the op to replace a bit of plaster board and get the area reskimmed.

 

[drstitson]

"Not sure the best way to do the cutting,"

jab saw /drywall saw - £9.99 at screwfix.

sorry duplicate post.