Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => HONEYBEE REMOVAL => Topic started by: iddee on March 19, 2009, 07:56:58 pm
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One of the worst kind. The exterminator called me after he sprayed them. Tough on the bees, but another hundred dollars for me. "My sprayed surcharge"
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/Iddee/removals/103_0021.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/Iddee/removals/103_0032.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/Iddee/removals/103_0034.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/Iddee/removals/103_0023.jpg
A lot of wasted brood and honey, but couldn't keep any of it.
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That's too bad about the exterminator. If you don't mind my asking how do you figure out how much to charge for a removal? Is it just hourly and mileage based or do you factor in the specifics of each job?
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I have a flat fee that covers the first 10 miles travel and the first three hours work. Add ons can include travel, "do it right now" spray, scaffolding, extra help, height, whatever the particular job may incur.
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Thanks. I'm doing my first cutout next month for free. Mostly for the experience and to get the bees(booming hive that's been there three years) and the fact that they are just knocking the building down and so aren't really motivated to save them if it cost money. It could be a big job, tearing the end of a barn off. They were using the sliding door track of a collapsed sliding door as an entrance. I was trying to figure out what I would charge someone to do it assuming I was experienced enough to claim some expertise in doing it.
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yours should be fun. you don't have to worry about what you tear up if the building is being destroyed. one suggestion. for a hive that has been there 3 years, take several boxes. you may need two for that hive, and you may find that there are more than one hive in the barn. also big containers for the honey! :-D ok....two suggestions.
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I don't believe I even saw one live bee in your pics. Did you have to access the void space? If not I wonder why they even called you in.
They mustn't be live cause you're wearing a shirt. ;)
...JP
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Yes, there were about 3 frames worth still alive. I put them in a hive body and placed them far away from my hives. If they are still alive in about 4 days, I will add a queen.
I was wearing the shirt because of the temp. It isn't summer here yet. :)
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Good luck with that lil colony Iddee.
...JP
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I envy you guys that do that hard work . I'm not the man I used to be or I'd be right there learning with you.
Hope they survive Iddee.
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Todays cutout also...
(http://i317.photobucket.com/albums/mm371/wdhood/beeremoval32109043.jpg)
(http://i317.photobucket.com/albums/mm371/wdhood/beeremoval32109047.jpg)
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That's a big hive for this time of year. They should be a good hive if you can save the genetics. I wouldn't expect one to be that well stocked this early.
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I was pretty suprised too. The homeowner said they had been there for about five years, I'm hoping that they are some of those surviving stock that I keep hereing about. This was a tough job, you ever get them were the homeowner request removal from the inside? This was in a kitchen, while the tenent was on the other side of the plastic that I had seperating the room.
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I do every one possible from the inside. I hate to do one from the outside. The bees fly to the outside and leave you alone inside. Just try to cover the windows in the room to keep them from filling with bees.
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Yea, I learned that one today. About half way through I turned to look out the window and it was almost completly covered with bees. Wasted alot of time. I will definitly remember that next time. I have done cutouts inside before in old houses that were not occupied, but never in one that someone was right across the room. It was definitly an experience. I about had a hard attack when the guy helping me stepped on the plastic and almost tore it down :-D. There was a couple thousand bees clinging to the plastic trying to get into the rest of the house.
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You had too much light in the room. I seldom get a hundred bees in the house. I like them best when the room has an outside door. I leave it fully open. Any bees that take flight go right out. I do keep it as dark as is reasonable in the room otherwise.
One I did was in the dining room of a house that had been on the front page of "Better Homes and Gardens". The carpet had a 1 1/2 inch nap. I cut the sheetrock from the ceiling and removed the bees. The queen left the box and returned to the house, in the next joist. I had to cut another hole in the ceiling to get them again. That time I installed an excluder on the bottom board. You will get into all kinds of situations. You just have to deal with them as they come along.
PS. When my buddy finished the repair, the owner hired him to refinish the complete ceiling. He liked it better than the original finish. It pays to have friends that take pride in their work and do nice jobs.
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Thanks for the advice, next time I get into that situation I will shade the windows, there were several windows on the other side and I was using clear plastic. There were no doors or lights in the small area that I was working, only a window that would not open.
Iddee - PS. When my buddy finished the repair, the owner hired him to refinish the complete ceiling. He liked it better than the original finish.
Thats good, do you work that into your price and contract it out yourself or do you just recommend him? I try to do as little damage as possible, but don't care for the repair work, I'm no carpenter anyways. This wasn't bad because it was just replacing paneling and molding,
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The only nail I can drive is on my left thumb. I do no repairs, and refer someone only when asked. I did that one on Sunday and my buddy came right out and fixed it the same day. That doesn't happen very often.
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Why didn't you keep any of the brood? I know it was sprayed, but it looked like some of the capped brood had bees hatching out.....then rotate it out very soon.
?
Rick
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You mean rotate it out after the house bees have all been poisoned? Don't want to take the chance. Melted it all down and poured it in a hole and covered it.
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Wrong Thread. Sorry
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I opened the hive today and found two frames of bees. Lifted the busiest one and found a beautiful queen. I think I will use them to populate my new observation hive.
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Wow, that's just fantastic it worked out like that Iddee.
...JP
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I had a change of plans. It was sunny and warm today, giving me a chance to exchange the boxes on the trap out, since the first one was nearly full. The sprayed bees have made it 10 days and is queenright, but only 2 frames of bees. I decided to put it on the trap and remove the full box with two queen cells. The cells should be emerging Thur., so today would be day 12.
Some have asked me about putting a queen and a frame of bees on a trap. I have never tried it before, but will have an answer for them in a week. The trap bees may accept her and may kill her and raise their own. Either way, I should have the genetics from the sprayed cut out.
As always, when keeping bees, be ready to change plans at any given moment. They are always going to be different than you originally plan.