Thousands of bees available!

[JoolsChester]

@richardbees I have read the four pages of conversation with intrigue! So far all the information I've received has been that I can't get any help. So seeing your responses has at least provided me with hope that there may be other options.

Side note, I'm a 'she'

 

[kazmcc]

@richardbees I have read the four pages of conversation with intrigue!

Hey, who knows! We may have grown ourselves a new beekeeper!

 

[richardbees]

showing my age - so sorry Jools!

just to explain: removing established colonies of bees within walls/cavities is a v big undertaking.

It either involves contriving mesh 'traps' with a 'bait' hive close to the entrance (trap out) which probably needs a "Cherry picker" or scaffolding and takes a lot of time and expertise.

OR Cutting through the wall/ceiling to expose the comb/bees and physically removing it (Cut out)

Swarm collection is typically scooping a football size clump of calm bees hanging from a branch into a cardboard box!

It'd be nice if you do finally get a local beekeeper to volunteer....

Good luck, Richard

 

[pargyle]

Side note, I'm a 'she'

Best change your gender in your profile then .. not that you will get any leeway on here for being of the fairer sex ! Just saves any confusion ....

 

[richardbees]

Best change your gender in your profile then

hadn't noticed that, Pargyle!

just subliminal association with Jools Holland

 

[Moggett]

@richardbees I have read the four pages of conversation with intrigue! So far all the information I've received has been that I can't get any help. So seeing your responses has at least provided me with hope that there may be other options.

Side note, I'm a 'she'

As previously stated it's not the removal of the bees that is the issue, if it was just that there'd be no problems. It's the demolition of whatever is in the way and height above the ground which is the barrier to the solution.

Do you really want someone with no building skills ripping open your roof spaces without the ability to make good?

If you can find a skilled tradesperson who will facilitate safe access and make good afterwards I'm sure the local beekeepers will lend them a suit, and step in when the bees are exposed to cut out the colony.

Another option is to contact the Cheshire, Liverpool and North Wales beekeeping associations to see if any of their members are also time served roofers/builders
etc. The association secretaries have email lists so could send out a message to see if anyone can help. Be prepared to pay for the access and repair work though.

 

[JoolsChester]

@kazmcc I shouldn't think so! I'm pretty scared of bees!!! Standing near them suited or otherwise would be a little like taking part in a nightmare for me... #beephobia

 

[JoolsChester]

@moggett I think until you first begin speaking to beekeepers, you assume that they are trained/ experienced/ insured to the point of being able to extract bees from anywhere.

I have a number of friends in the trade (I have a good friend who is a handyman and another that's a roofer), but I'm pretty sure they would be quite nervous about being present with so many bees around given that neither has dealt with them before.

Good suggestion regarding contacting local associations. I've started to believe that my roofer/ beekeeper dream mustn't exist. But I will hold out hope that perhaps there is someone who does hold all of these skills.

Has anyone here worked with a tradesperson in a situation like this before? Do you think a beekeeper could provide enough guidance to a tradesperson that hadn't worked with bees to enable safe access?

 

[BeeJayBee]

If you can work out exactly where the bees are it might be easier to work out how much work will need to be done to get at them, and to get them out. Some people have used a stethoscope, others have used a digital thermometer because the area around the bees is likely to be slightly warmer than empty voids.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

@moggett I think until you first begin speaking to beekeepers, you assume that they are trained/ experienced/ insured to the point of being able to extract bees from anywhere.

I have a number of friends in the trade (I have a good friend who is a handyman and another that's a roofer), but I'm pretty sure they would be quite nervous about being present with so many bees around given that neither has dealt with them before.

Good suggestion regarding contacting local associations. I've started to believe that my roofer/ beekeeper dream mustn't exist. But I will hold out hope that perhaps there is someone who does hold all of these skills.

Has anyone here worked with a tradesperson in a situation like this before? Do you think a beekeeper could provide enough guidance to a tradesperson that hadn't worked with bees to enable safe access?

I have worked on a number of building/structures and repaired/replaced roofing and plasterboard before becoming a beekeeper. It's not difficult work or requires a degree in rocket science. There's got to be someone local (ish) to you who can undertake the task. Try getting your local media interested, as it might make an interesting article for them plus you could get lucky
It's a bit too far for me to travel or I would come over.

 

[JoolsChester]

@gilberdyke john Thanks very much for your reply! During a very restless night (either imagining or really hearing buzzing), I was looking up honeybee cut outs, and there is a chap in North Wales that has a gallery demonstrating a bunch of cut outs with detailed descriptions of how he has got rid of honeybees (all humanely, simply moving them elsewhere) in soffits and flat roofs. There are detailed descriptions about what actions he took to remove them and prevent them from returning/ reuse of the space.

This could be what I've been looking for!!

 

[thorn]

Could a bee vac (see a few posts below) get in to remove the bees before the comb is removed? This would make it a comparatively simple job for a builder/roofer, although he'd still need to wear a bee suit for protection from the strays.

 

[wessexmario]

Jools,
to show that it can be done... have a look at this post:

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=31294&highlight=stack

 

[MikeT]

While on a farm last week, I came across a colony in a barn roof (now farm office). It was situated between a layer of Kings Span and the roof felt, The only way to get at the bees and comb is to undo the screws holding up the King Span. I suggested we wait until the spring, so as to reduce the stores. I think once the Kingspan is removed it will be a cut out job. I cannot believe they have formed a colony in such a narrow space probably only 6 inches deep.

Mike

 

[Mr C]

You need to fined a doer I'm one of them every cut out is deferent and take time a roofer come in after me with a suit

 

[Xander]

If anyone has a similar situation I'm a tree surgeon so used to working at height and I'd be happy to help, south Shropshire up to Cheshire, Wigan way.

 

[Robinredcar]

I cant help your to far away but pictures would help to see what's involved. I'm a tradesman and honestly repairing ceelings is not usually a big deal, I think someone already said if they can be got at from internally over externally it would save a great deal of repair work to make good. Good luck with it all though.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I cant help your to far away but pictures would help to see what's involved.

Post is 8 years old

 

[Robinredcar]

Post is 8 years old

Says yesterday at 10am above me . Would love to know what happened though

 

[pargyle]

Says yesterday at 10am above me . Would love to know what happened though

But the post above dug this thread up from the grave ... and you continued digging!