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[JoolsChester]

Hi all,

Hugely grateful for all the replies- I've not spoken to a team of experts before so it's reassuring to know that you're here to provide opinions.

For some additional background, it was the council that provided the name of the local beekeeper who collects swarms (and he is advertised on the Beekeepers Association website as a collector local to me). As some of you have said, because of the height and where the bees are located (above a carport and a sloping roofed garage) he politely declined the task. He said there was a chance we could put a breeze block up there to try and attract them in, but suggested it wouldn't be successful and I don't think would have undertaken this task himself.

A friend who is a less experienced beekeeper then placed a hive on top of the garage roof to tempt them in, it also contained pheromones and honeycomb. But the bees weren't interested- it's still there.

@Moggett in answer to your questions:
- the roof is green mineral felt and presumably joists and cavity space. I have a feeling that the cavity space is filled with some sort of straw insulation.
- the space above my office (where the bees first settled) is a sloping roof, the space above my bedroom is a flat roof.
- it's a semi-detatched property that I own

I'll try to grab a couple of photos inside and out of where the bees have inhabited. They're whiley little things, the gaps where they penetrated the fascia were initially barely visible.

I would be prepared to pay for scaffolding to get someone up, although when I bought the property last year I gutted it and re-did everything inside, so I (like most people probably) don't have hoards of cash that I can dip into if scaffolding is very expensive.

 

[kazmcc]

I've had a few friends contact me this year about swarms, and I directed them to the swarm collection page of the local BBKA. All three were disappointed, the collectors wouldn't touch them as they were cut outs. I think they expected me to do it you know LOL

 

[wessexmario]

that's a shame that the one person who happened to be the bee swarm collector you were put in contact with didn't have the inclination or ability to do the job, but didn't attempt to find someone else for you who might.

Nil desperandum, there are hundreds of beekeepers in each county, there's a whole cross section of skills and experience out there, and someone will like the challenge and reward to do the job.
I still think your best option will be to visit the local BK associations around you on their meeting nights, you'll meet many and someone will know someone who will be prepared to do it.

 

[Moggett]

If they could be cut out from inside the building it would be safer, and damage such as plaster boarding could be done at your leisure. If you do it from outside it means opening the building up to the weather.

Search 'honeybees ceiling' and 'honeybees roof' on YouTube to get an idea of what is entailed. Most vids however are from the USA but will show what you'll likely find once access is gained (although they do have an very aggressive type in some cases that we don't have in this country).

If they are in position where access can be gained from inside without climbing, and you're prepared to cut through a ceiling to let a beekeeper get access to remove them you may find that someone may help. It's not the removal of the colony that is the issue, beekeepers can do this. It's the technicalities and damage that gaining access causes, and the time that it takes which puts them off.

A word of warning though. Don't try and get to the colony without a beekeeper being present and wearing a full bee suit. Honeybees are not generally a threat to people but if you threaten their young or food stores they will react to protect them - just like anything else.

http://youtu.be/B1KWymctS24

 

[Moggett]

I've had a few friends contact me this year about swarms, and I directed them to the swarm collection page of the local BBKA. All three were disappointed, the collectors wouldn't touch them as they were cut outs. I think they expected me to do it you know LOL

To be fair to the swarm collectors they are not covered by liability insurance to do this sort of task. If you do a ceiling cut out you could cut through electric cables or central heating pipes. You could also do structural damage. Imagine a roof that later let's in water causing thousands of pounds worth of damage...... I'm sure that the house insurance would not cover it as I think insect infestation is in the 'not covered' small print. If the insurance won't cover the damage the beekeeper is next in line to be sued.

 

[wessexmario]

If and when you do get them removed ...

the way to prevent them recolonising your flat roof isn't to try to block up every single hole which might be between difficult and next to impossible, but to deny them the space for a decent sized colony. Make sure all the old comb is removed, and then fill most of the void with insulation, if the largest space anywhere is only an inch or less, then any scout bee looking for a new home won't find one big enough. (but do be aware of the building requirements of the type of roof you have; warm roof|cold roof, thermal and moisture barriers, air flow,...)

 

[kazmcc]

To be fair to the swarm collectors they are not covered by liability insurance to do this sort of task. If you do a ceiling cut out you could cut through electric cables or central heating pipes. You could also do structural damage. Imagine a roof that later let's in water causing thousands of pounds worth of damage...... I'm sure that the house insurance would not cover it as I think insect infestation is in the 'not covered' small print. If the insurance won't cover the damage the beekeeper is next in line to be sued.

Oh I don't blame them. Just saying.

 

[Amari]

I hope I don't get blackballed from the forum but all I can see here is a massive logistical and expensive problem if the bees are to be saved. The endeavour could fail and could be dangerous (scaffolding et al). Personally I would seek the advice of a pest control service and kill the colonies by fumigation if this is technically possible. After all it is necessary to cull domestic and wild plants and animals sometimes.

 

[enrico]

I hope I don't get blackballed from the forum but all I can see here is a massive logistical and expensive problem if the bees are to be saved. The endeavour could fail and could be dangerous (scaffolding et al). Personally I would seek the advice of a pest control service and kill the colonies by fumigation if this is technically possible. After all it is necessary to cull domestic and wild plants and animals sometimes.

See where you are coming from but......you are still left with a tone of comb and winter honey. When the weather gets hot neXt summer this may well melt and start coming through the ceiling. The colony and all the comb has to be removed, the gap has to made smaller with insulation to stop recolonisation and this is going to mean money, time, and damage and repair. Suggest you look at your house insurance!
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I hope I don't get blackballed from the forum

I was blackballed once - I now take more care when climbing five bar gates when it's frosty

 

[psafloyd]

Should IF they have sufficient insurance cover to protect them (their families), the property owner and the general public.

We are none of us OBLIGED to do anything that puts us or anyone else at risk.

p

I say 'should' because so much effort is spent in PR to the public on the protection / conservation of honeybees that, in return, the bbka (through district bkas) should give assistance to the public when there's a problem.

....just my opinion!

rich

 

[psafloyd]

I've had a few friends contact me this year about swarms, and I directed them to the swarm collection page of the local BBKA. All three were disappointed, the collectors wouldn't touch them as they were cut outs. I think they expected me to do it you know LOL

They were probably for bumble bees, too, Kaz. I had dozens of them. One person had the temerity to get angry and shouted saying I had a duty to remove them. She wasn't even prepared to pay a fee for removal of a swarm, thinking I was some kind of extension to the council. I chopped her off at the knees and (politely) made it very clear what her options were.

 

[madasafish]

They were probably for bumble bees, too, Kaz. I had dozens of them. One person had the temerity to get angry and shouted saying I had a duty to remove them. She wasn't even prepared to pay a fee for removal of a swarm, thinking I was some kind of extension to the council. I chopped her off at the knees and (politely) made it very clear what her options were.

I tell everyone up front I have a £20 callout..which covers the first hour only. Never charged more altho occasionally stayed two hours. If it's tree bumbles (95%), most are happy to accept.

I have been paid more - I cleared gutters as well as removing bees!

Never been shouted at - yet...

 

[kazmcc]

They were probably for bumble bees, too, Kaz. I had dozens of them. One person had the temerity to get angry and shouted saying I had a duty to remove them. She wasn't even prepared to pay a fee for removal of a swarm, thinking I was some kind of extension to the council. I chopped her off at the knees and (politely) made it very clear what her options were.

That's not very fair. I get a lot of people expect me to sort out their insect problems. I've never even caught a swarm! Don't have the equipment or the confidence, but people get really nowty about it. I'd charge too if I was in a position to.

 

[Amari]

I was blackballed once - I now take more care when climbing five bar gates when it's frosty

I thought that's what happens to bridegrooms on their stag night
Also I once had a friend who fell off a ladder astride a fence......

 

[dpearce4]

I was blackballed once - I now take more care when climbing five bar gates when it's frosty

Don't go camel riding then JBM

 

[Amari]

I tell everyone up front I have a £20 callout..which covers the first hour only. Never charged more altho occasionally stayed two hours. If it's tree bumbles (95%), most are happy to accept.
I have been paid more - I cleared gutters as well as removing bees!
Never been shouted at - yet...

£20 for clearing tree bb form a bird box! Nice work if you can get it.

 

[JoolsChester]

So by the sounds of things, I need to take the following steps:

- check my house insurance covers insect infestation and related repairs
- hope that a beekeeper comes up on this forum who lives in my area and is insured for cut-outs/ visit local BKA and tell them my woes
- whether I access the bees from inside or out (or they are destroyed ), I will have to get a roofer involved to pull back the felt and ensure that every inch is insulated to prevent re-colonisation

I have a bit of a phobia of bees to be honest, so there's no chance I'll be attempting to do any of this myself, whether I don a beesuit or not!

 

[madasafish]

£20 for clearing tree bb form a bird box! Nice work if you can get it.

And travel to and from.. and rehousing..

I'm hardly likely to get rich on it.

And what is more, it sorts out the chancers from the serious.

If you have never been on a swarm collectors' list, you have no idea of how some people will call you out on any pretext. When they have to pay, it sorts out the idiots from the serious.

 

[richardbees]

madasafish,
I 100% agree with you.

This isn't a 'swarm collection' situation - the OP obviously isn't a beekeeper and probably found this forum via gooble just looking for a solution to his problem.

If he's not already given up reading four pages of waffle I suggest he phones 'Renfokill' They offer all options (at a price)