Anyone ever have an old hive of bees removed from their barn?

[Carols Clucks]

Our neighbors have a garage, has a horse stall in it so you can guess the age, that has a hive of bees in it. The garage is full of old stuff, things that probably should have gone to the dump but never made it so you can't see the bees. We have to cut down most of a tree, hard prune a rose and remove their vine from our side to reach the garage side where the bees are living. We have a fence to move etc just to reach them.


If you have had a similar situation, what did it cost to have them removed?


The garage is going to be replaced, the roof is close to caving in, so repairing the building is not the issue.

Thanks

 

[Nimby Chickens]

We have honeybees living under our shed - we are going to move them into an apiary box and collect the honey this summer. We plan on doing it ourselves.

I don't know of it is helpful for you or not, but you may wish to call a local apiary if you have any and ask them for advice. They might be able to do it for you if you have European honey bees (not africanized) because those bees are expensive if you wanted to order any. They are the worlds best pollinators - invaluable to my garden I love having them around!

Hope this helps some.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

If you have had a similar situation, what did it cost to have them removed?

Most beekeepers will not charge you anything.
They just want the bees​

 

[Carols Clucks]

My dad was a bee keeper. We have picked up hundreds of swarms for people.

But bees that are inside a building are a different matter. A swarm you can usually cut a branch and put in the box with a few frames and you are good. That can be a 15-30 minute process.

In this case they have to pull down the side of the barn/garage and then cut away the combs with the bees and shop vacuuming them up too. It will take a day or two and might require a helper.

The first guy said about $500.... ouch

we have had bee boxes sitting next to the hive, but they are not interested.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

But bees that are inside a building are a different matter.

I had one in one of my outbuildings.

What we did was sealed all the entrances to the hive with foam insulation and put a long window screen funnel over the one entrance we left open.

The small end of the funnel was just large enough to let a bee out.

Next we placed a hive with a NEW Queen near the end of the funnel.

Then we waited about a couple of weeks or so,

The bees could get out of the building but couldn't find the tiny entrance to get back in , so most started using the new hive.

It was funny that on the day the guy decided to come pick up his hive, a new swarm of bees showed up and landed in a tree in the yard, low enough so he took an empty hive and dropped them right into it.

He ended up with two new hives, and now every once in a while he brings me a big jar of honey​

 

[Carols Clucks]

That way worked really good to get them out of our chimney. Unfortunately, this bar is ready to fall down, we would have to wrap the building in screen...lol It really is a neat old building, years of crumbling paint, tin can patches all over and the horse entrance.

Sure wish the bees were not in it so they could re-enforce and keep

 

[Carols Clucks]

The bees are going on Saturday...wooo hooo

Found a beekeeper that remembered my dad fondly and is coming to pick it up for a deal and is using it to teach another person bee keeping

 

[sourland]

Once the bees are removed, tear down and replace the garage rapidly before another swarm sets up housekeeping. Swarms are attracted by the smells of previous residents.

 

[Carols Clucks]

Quote:
Thankfully, it is not my garage! But the neighbors do plan on replacing anyway.

Unfortunately, we have to pull down and replace our fireplace/chimney because of bees that have been gone for 10+ years.