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Author Topic: How to remove bees from a brick chimney?  (Read 12837 times)

Offline philinacoma

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How to remove bees from a brick chimney?
« on: October 14, 2010, 08:46:19 pm »
I have sucessfully removed a feral colony from a chimney this season, but I was lucky in that case as the house was to be demolished anyway allowing me to dismantle chimney.

In the subsequent weeks I have recieved calls for 3 more in chimneys which I was too busy to assist with. My question is, how to remove an established hive from a chimney without resorting to the wrecking ball? (ie non destructive?)
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Offline asprince

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Re: How to remove bees from a brick chimney?
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2010, 08:55:16 pm »
Trap out.

Steve
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Offline AllenF

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Re: How to remove bees from a brick chimney?
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2010, 09:53:18 pm »
Wait til Christmas and let the fat man knock them loose.     :-D

Or smoke them out.    I like the trap idea if you can't get to them.
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Offline hardwood

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Re: How to remove bees from a brick chimney?
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2010, 10:31:39 pm »
I would caution on the trap out. Yes, you will remove the bees but depending on the location of the colony you may set up a potential fire hazard leaving beeswax in or around a flue.

Scott
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Offline AllenF

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Re: How to remove bees from a brick chimney?
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2010, 10:38:58 pm »
That would be left up to the chimney sweep, wouldn't it?
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Offline philinacoma

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Re: How to remove bees from a brick chimney?
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2010, 12:02:00 am »
How would you manage a trap out given the bottom end of the chimney may be large and open?
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Offline Tommyt

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Re: How to remove bees from a brick chimney?
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2010, 01:29:54 pm »
I'd tape it closed with Visqueen
Quote
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visqueen
I don't think lighting a fire would work  :-D

Tom
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Offline JP

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Re: How to remove bees from a brick chimney?
« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2010, 02:05:26 pm »
Bees are usually between the hearth and the outer brick or whatever the material. I've done a few with my contractor friends.

We remove bricks, the hive and put the bricks back.

Its a pricey job most people aren't willing to have done.

Keep in mind with a trap out you have to seal all openings. I've seen people attempt to seal bees in that wound up in the attic of the house, then into the house.

There are so may other removals out there that are far easier than chimney removals.

I don't really care to do them.

Give me a colony in a wall void that can be accessed from the exterior any day of the week.


...JP
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Offline philinacoma

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Re: How to remove bees from a brick chimney?
« Reply #8 on: October 16, 2010, 10:22:42 am »
Quote from: JP on October 15, 2010, 02:05:26 pm
Give me a colony in a wall void that can be accessed from the exterior any day of the week.

...JP
Yeah Wall voids are so much easier. I am always amazed at the amount of comb they managed to cram into such a small gap!
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Offline JP

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Re: How to remove bees from a brick chimney?
« Reply #9 on: October 16, 2010, 11:36:25 am »
The ones that scare me more than any of 'em are single story brick exterior homes where the people tell me they've been there (the bees!) say, two or more years.

First they start off (the bees!) between the sheetrock and the blackboard but then decide to ruin my life by building surplus comb on the brick and mortar obviously between the brick and the blackboard.

Once on the other side of the wood framing, there are no restraints and the bees if given enough time and good resources go hog wild in that space!

Makes for one solid nightmare of a removal!


...JP
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Offline philinacoma

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Re: How to remove bees from a brick chimney?
« Reply #10 on: October 16, 2010, 09:02:05 pm »
Nows that's one I hope not to experience!

Having to deal with asbestos sheeting is bad enough...
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Offline Pink Cow

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Re: How to remove bees from a brick chimney?
« Reply #11 on: October 21, 2010, 05:20:24 pm »
I just got a call last week about a colony in a brick chimney myself. I really don't want to deal with this but I told the tenant that I would come by and take a look since I'm not far away, then advise on what she might do. The landlord is claiming it is her problem, but neither she nor I think he has much to stand on with that argument. She estimates the bees have been there since at least last February and just now decided to try and do something about it. The colony is up near the top, beginning about 12" down and extending about 36", and almost all the way across the flue, leaving only about 4" open. All but the last two combs are connected all the way across to both sides, and this thing is holding LOTS of bees.

I've told her that a trap out is probably the best, if not only option and that now is not the time to do it. If she is willing to wait, I've offered to go back and protect the opening (no arrestor or cover of any kind) so they have a better chance to survive winter. If she agrees and they make it I'll probably help her recruit another keeper to trap them as I'm not too eager to give it a go myself, then suggest she bring in a sweep to deal with the mess. Maybe I'll change my mind by March and take it on as a learning experience, but we'll see. The alternative is bringing in an exterminator and a sweep, so I hope for the bee's sake her patience holds up.
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Offline philinacoma

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Re: How to remove bees from a brick chimney?
« Reply #12 on: October 22, 2010, 03:15:09 am »
Good luck. Lets us know what happens in the end.
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