Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => HONEYBEE REMOVAL => Topic started by: D Semple on June 21, 2011, 11:06:12 am
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I’ve got a large cut-out coming up in an unlighted crawl space. I’ve got to rig up enough lighting so I can see to do the job. (I don’t see well even with glasses up close.)
What type of red lights should I buy and where do you get them, or should I use some other type of lighting?
Also, any pointers for this kind of removal would be appreciated, this is a 100 year old Victorian house and I’m worried about bees running into the living space above the crawl space. My plans are to vacuum the whole way, and put up comb as I go.
(http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/DSemple/Bees%202011/Wells%20H/IMG_5589.jpg)
Thanks. ….Don
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Can you just flood the area with light and occasionally vacuum the bees off of the lights?
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Did you need your flash to take this picture?
I would use a head lamp, something you can get at Walmart or Academy sports (if you have them near you).
Work lights usually piss them off.
If you really need extra, I guess you could use a red flood light but that will attract a fair amount of bees.
I find even with red light, the less intensity the better.
That looks like an external colony from here of course.
...JP
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Did you need your flash to take this picture?
I would use a head lamp, something you can get at Walmart or Academy sports (if you have them near you).
Work lights usually piss them off.
If you really need extra, I guess you could use a red flood light but that will attract a fair amount of bees.
I find even with red light, the less intensity the better.
That looks like an external colony from here of course.
...JP
Yes, I used a flash and a spotlight to take the photo from about 15' away where there was still basement.
These bees are located between 2" x 12" floor joist and my infrared camera shows the colony to be about 8' long. This is a basement crawlspace so even though the bees are exposed some under the floor joists they have no access to the outside except through their entrance and there is no light from the outside. I think there is enough room I can sit up and position a couple of boxes beside me, as well as buckets for honey comb and scraps.
I'll get the red headlamp and a red spot light like you sugguest JP.
I'm sure hoping they don't run up into the walls of this old house.
Thanks,
Don
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"I'm sure hoping they don't run up into the walls of this old house."
I am thinking they will go to the brood if it is in a hive body left under the house? Looks like a fun job.
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"I'm sure hoping they don't run up into the walls of this old house."
I am thinking they will go to the brood if it is in a hive body left under the house? Looks like a fun job.
If I can sit up and I have room to work, I don't think it will be to bad. The colony is a lot bigger than what can be seen in the picture though and I'm betting I will be wishing I was 20 years younger for this one.
If I can't sit comfortably I may walk, JP who it willing to lay on his back I'm not.
Don
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Don, go on craigslist and see if you can find a Schawee or an Emil to assist you on this job. They are fantastic, and great to work with.
Best of luck!
...JP :-D
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If the money is good enough, they might travel.
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don, i can send you my eagle eye glasses :-D can you see the living space above the craw space.if so you might get some bee quick up there to stop them from going there.btw have money will travel :-D schawee
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don, i can send you my eagle eye glasses :-D can you see the living space above the craw space.if so you might get some bee quick up there to stop them from going there.btw have money will travel :-D schawee
I was just going to ask you guys this. But didnt want to hijack this thread. We see you guys use bee quick to drive the bees out at the end but in what ways do you use bee quick before you start cutting?
Can you actually circle the colony with bee quick and keep them from going anywhere?
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Don, go on craigslist and see if you can find a Schawee or an Emil to assist you on this job. They are fantastic, and great to work with.
Best of luck!
...JP :-D
Now that would be a fun topic for discussion, how would you word the add: "Wanted one schawee, must be .........................., must have ..........................., must like .........................."!
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don, i can send you my eagle eye glasses :-D can you see the living space above the craw space.if so you might get some bee quick up there to stop them from going there.btw have money will travel :-D schawee
I didn't get close enough to the hive and pull down any of the insulation they added to see if I can see daylight from the floor above, but you know old houses. I'm going to tape ever crack and hole a bee could get through in the parlor above.
Man, I would love to have your Eagle Eyes (skills), As far as money goes on this one I'm only charging 600, so I can't afford to hire anybody and still make any money. The home owner is older than "BE HAPPY Jim" and on SS and I wasn't going to charge him that much, but he has a cadilac in the barn and he was drinking a screw driver for breakfast and I figure he is going to talk my ear off before the weekends done.
Don
I've got the same question as Jack, could you use Bee Quick before starting the cut out. Wouldn't it wear off after a couple of hours.
Thanks for the advice guys.
Don
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yes you can use beequick before a job starts.i did a cutout at a school this year .this is what i did.the hive was between 2 brick walls and i had to go from the top of the brick wall.after opening the top wall i sprayed beequick on either side and chriss cross under the hive to keep them from running down the wall. it worked like a charm and ran the queen right out the wall.another one i did i sprayed into void spaces and openings that the bees could have gone in and it kept them from going there.sometimes you would have to spray again on long cutouts. ......schawee
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""If I can't sit comfortably I may walk, JP who it willing to lay on his back I'm not.""
Why not? I'll be 66 in 2 weeks, and I can still do it. Why can't you? :D :D
(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/Iddee/removals/temp004.jpg)
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good job iddee
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$600? I wish! Here in Iowa most people think $100 is too much. Don't land very many for anything reasonable.
Good luck on that cutout though!
JC
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You can use bee quick earlier on but be mindful of its vapors, you wouldn't want to induce a swarm in the wrong situation, such as a city setting with houses all around you.
Bees really can't stand the stuff and may not do what you want them to do if they are reacting to its fumes during a cut out.
...JP
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Eveready makes a nice headband strap-on LED light. Modes are: white spot, white flood, and red spot.
Works good for bees and for fishing at night. :)