Trapping advice please

[lebouche]

Hi, this is my first post. Nice forum you have here. I am not adverse to using the search function but my situation might be somewhat unusual as I am a beeginner but am starting with this rather complex procedure.
I kept bees when I was ten, it was my obsession and my mom just let me get on with it. They died my first spring... I was an association member but think I opened up the entrance reducer too early and we had a really cold spell whilst I was away for the weekend.
I was recently wishing out loud to my wife and mother (at my mothers house in Berks) for bees and they said I they would never allow me to keep them again as I am mildly allergic and swell up like a balloon when stung.
Two weeks later on returning from a walk I noticed bees flying into the roof above her porch!! So I now have some bees.
I bought a national hive with the intention of performing a cut out.
I decided to do this from inside the house rather than outside as it would be easier access.
Unfortunatly upon ripping down much old plaster and sticks I found that the nest goes down between two brick walls and would be very difficult to remove, especially since there is a toilet on one side and the waste pipe on the other. I think it may go down two floors as the bathroom downstairs tends to have bees occasionally.
So I read about trapping. Although it seems a little mean I think its my only choice. So I have planned to buy a Nuc this friday and put it nearby.

My question is how near should I put the nuc? and should I transfer them first into the national so there is enough space for the newcombers?
I'm not sure I will be able to secure the national on the roof or at roof level as it will be to heavy to get down.
Also how long shoiuld I wait before removing the funnel so that they can get back in and remove the honey stores?
Also what stops them returning and staying in the old hive once they have attacked the old nest?


Many thanks in advance for any advice.

Duncan

 

[ratcatcher]

I think your going to be on a losing battle with this, although you'll be able to trap the daily foragers, what about the workers and queen, why should they leave brood,stores etc and come into your box.

you really need to get/see the comb they have built to have any chance of getting the queen, without a queen this late in the year, they will stand no chance, dwindle and die, so why not leave them be, get a nuc box/bait hive, and wait for them to swarm next year, and hope they go to your box

 

[lebouche]

I was going to get a nuc with bees and a queen..then putting a one way funnel on the entrance exit to the ones in the roof. I read on google that the foragers would join the hive and then go back and raid the old weak colanys honey. Also dont want the walls full of honey/bees as I read it could cause lots of damage.
Thanks

 

[lebouche]

And thank you for your reply! Sorry, rushed out to see the triathalon go past so post lacking in manners.
I was just wondering if you understood my approach, i.e. if I had given you enough info.
I was going to follow the method here .three-peaks.net/PDF/Bee%20Removal%20Methods.pdf

please add www as I dont have ten posts so cant post links.


Would your advice still be the same?
Many thanks!

 

[susbees]

Sounds like you have caused quite a bit of damage already...

...are you sure there is a colony in the house structure rather than scout bees? Bees appearing in other rooms are common with this behaviour.


Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[lebouche]

Yes, sure there is a colony there as had the suit on and exposed a few combs...all were honey, no brood...these combs then drop down inside the brick wall, I can just see the top of the combs and thousands of bees. Think perhaps they have been in there longer than a month or so. Didnt act immediatly on first seeing them as didnt have the money for the hive. All the comb was light in colour and looks fresh.
Thank you,

 

[oliver90owner]

all were honey, no brood

The brood will be below the stores. Standard bee practice if location is amenable to that.

 

[ratcatcher]

well hearing the rest of that info, I suppose its worth a try, but you would need to open and close each morning, as surely foragers exiting the nest in morning carrying nothing would been seen as invaders and therefore attacked, if they are more in numbers than the nuc, you may end up losing the nuc, so funnel off, let bees out, funnel on, returning bees laiden with pollen would be accepted

or make up some sort of one way entrance/exit,

 

[lebouche]

well hearing the rest of that info, I suppose its worth a try, but you would need to open and close each morning, as surely foragers exiting the nest in morning carrying nothing would been seen as invaders and therefore attacked, if they are more in numbers than the nuc, you may end up losing the nuc, so funnel off, let bees out, funnel on, returning bees laiden with pollen would be accepted

or make up some sort of one way entrance/exit,

Thanks ratcatcher, thats very useful advice.
Does anyone know how close I need to get the Nuc? I'm thinking they wont find it if its 15 feet below them.

 

[ratcatcher]

your other option of course would be to hoover them out, do a utube search on bee hoovers, make up your own, you may then be able to get the queen out

 

[lebouche]

your other option of course would be to hoover them out, do a utube search on bee hoovers, make up your own, you may then be able to get the queen out

I did try that when I attempted the cut out. I think the nest goes maybe six feet below where I can access.
Thanks,

Duncan

 

[lebouche]

Just got this letter. Removing the brick will be so difficult as te nest could go down two floors and it's behind the toilet. Is this method really invalid?
'Hello, sorry - myreplies don't seem to have reached you. I'm afraid I had to withdraw the nucfrom sale. Also having spoken to other bee keepers the method you are hoping to use would not work. Your only way is to dismantle one of the walls. '

Thanks v much

 

[ratcatcher]

Just got this letter. Removing the brick will be so difficult as te nest could go down two floors and it's behind the toilet. Is this method really invalid?
'Hello, sorry - myreplies don't seem to have reached you. I'm afraid I had to withdraw the nucfrom sale. Also having spoken to other bee keepers the method you are hoping to use would not work. Your only way is to dismantle one of the walls. '

Thanks v much

from who????

 

[lebouche]

Sorry, from a lady who was going to sell me a Nuc. Think she doesn't like the idea of what I'm planning to do.
Thanks