Difficult removal, any suggestions?

[beemused]

I just inspected an unusual location for a colony that has to be removed. The colony has chosen a laid rock chimney flue. The home owner tried to start a fire in the fireplace but could not get it to draw. They have built comb near the top ( about 18 inches down) inside the tile liner.

After vacuuming as many bees off the comb as possible I will start removing comb. Having never had to lift comb vertically inside a tile I am thinking of any way to hold and raise the combs without crushing them and the brood. I am going to try a large vac (as opposed to the small one for the bee vac) to lift after cutting the comb free. Also will make a long handled pan with a large lower lip to try if the vac doesn't hold them.

All this will be done on a  steep metal roof so a platform is going to have to be made since there is no way to get a scaffold or man lift to the chimney.

If any of you have done a vertical removal in an extremely confined space, 8 X 12, don't hesitate to share.

Bruce

[Vibe]

How in the world did they manage to span that with no "Top Bar"? Which direction does it span? across 8" or 12"?
I would think that once you have one section of comb out you would be able to go under and "hook" the next ones - something like a slanted pan of some sort with a lip across the lower edge to keep it from sliding out. The first section you might use several bent wire hooks to slip past the comb and rotate 90° to get under the comb before cutting it.
Just from a purely mechanical standpoint.

[Grandma_DOG]

Dynamite and rebuild the chimney.  ;)

-mt

[G3farms]

don't feel bad, I have one of those to do also, three story house with steep roof, bees are about two foot down. I don't know how far down the comb goes and don't want to knock any down the chimney. The comb on these are also solid across the flue.

[joker1656]

Didn't Highlandsfreedom have one awhile back.  Seems he posted something about a chimney removal. 

[wildbeekeeper]

I did one last year but the comb not extended down about 18 inches down into the chimney it also extended up and they attached it to the chimney cap.  I removed the top part then just held onto the the top of the comb and cut the sldes.  I think maybe using a heavy wire similiar to a coat hanger and forming two hooks at the bottom......envision a triangle with the widest part at the bottom and a hook at each of the lower corners....lower it down "hook " the comb at the bottom edge then cut the sides.

[Kathyp]

any chance of pushing a line through it, attaching a chimney brush or something under, and lifting it all up?  you'll break a bunch and spill honey, but maybe you can get all the wax out?