Well, attempted the cutout with my father. It was just unscrewing two 2x5's on the under-decking. The bees were fine when removing that part.
Where we were standing was the end of another level or deck, and it was on the edge. Could fall pretty far down since it's on a slope/hill.
So it did make it hard to get to the hive.
Anyways, didn't have a bee vac (making one today!!!). So brushed the bees away slowly to access the first outside comb which didn't have anything but
a few pollen in a couple of combs. Bees were on that first comb and flew off fast as I tried to rubber band it to a frame.
As I got in closer to the entrance/center there were white combs with brood/eggs/etc. Those made it heavy and the comb would collapse when I held it.
Was not fun. First one dropped over on my hand and the bees where flying everywhere!!!! That got them going. Then later I was cutting the side of the very
center comb that was filled with brood. Didn't know it was so heavy and it dropped to the ground like 2 stories down!!!! I couldn't believe it! I just killed tons of
babies and perhaps the queen if it was stuck on that comb. Like a few minutes after that comb dropped to death, my parents see a swarm of bees fly away.
I believe that was the queen and it's followers leaving the hive I was cutting out. Oh man!!!!
So I framed a few combs with brood and honey and put it into a medium. Put that hive right by the entrance of the cutout hive hoping the brood and honey would
draw the workers in and maybe they will craft a new queen?
Today I went to check it, tons of ants crawling inside the hive!!! What should I do? Stop the ants? Just get rid of the hive/honey/brood/combs?
Also, it's hard to walk out on the deck now. The bees are angry! Some will come check you out immediately, hovering near you, and seem to be in attack mode!
Now, I don't know what I should do. A cutout gone bad. Hive with bees and no queen, there are still some combs in the cutout and I am sure some brood. Will they rebuild?
Leave? I don't know... Any suggested what I should do next?