Well, sadly... while I was at work today my husband called an exterminator I had spoken with and had them destroyed. According to the exterminator they were actually in the wall outside of the venting.... so, it's no wonder the fumes, smoke and fan weren't doing too much. The whole situation makes me feel very sad. The exterminator fixed the grating over the vent so they can't go in or out, and right now I have a slew of escapees sitting nearby not knowing what to do. I wish I could do something that might help these guys. I imagine they will die without their queen. I feel so sick and sad about this whole thing. My husband said he felt the same way, but he was worried that if we left them any longer, we would have to tear down part of the house (actually we still may have to do that) and that we didn't have the time for me to find a beekeeper....
:'(
I'm so sorry. I really did try to save these bees. If there had been a bee supplies store (and I did look for one!) perhaps I could have lured them out into something and just given them to a beekeeper.... or just kept them....