# Help on catching feral bees in old house



## shadow-cw (Jul 7, 2011)

Hi all,
First of all I'm a complete newbee, so if I saw or ask something stupid be gentle on me. 
A friend of mine recently pasted away. I was able to buy all of his beekeeping equipment from his kids. Bee suits, smoker & burlap, lots of frame parts, supers, extractor/spinner, hot uncapping knife, & misc gear.
I have been doing alot of reading here on the forums but need lots of advise. Word got out in my home town that I'm starting beekeeping and I was approched by the town to remove bees from a historical landmark house. Below are pics I just took. The bees are coming from the exterior wall just next to the chimney. In the pics just to the right top corner of the window a/c unit, 2nd story. The problem with a trap out is the house has so many holes and cracks I'll never plug them all. There are bees flying inside the house also. The problem with a cut-out is the house is owned by the city and under the control of the Historical Society, must be preserved.
If I can just get most of the bees, hopefully the queen too, the Historical Society can later have someone to spray and remove the honey and comb. Can I just set a box on top of the a/c unit with some frames/foundation and some honey and catch most of the hive? Is this even worth messing with? Remember I'm a newbee and have more time than money. Thought this would be a cheap way to get my first hive.
Thanks all,
Caleb


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## jrbbees (Apr 4, 2010)

goto www.bushfarms.com
read about trapouts.
That is the only solution you have in this situation.


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## beyondthesidewalks (Dec 1, 2007)

You need a bait hive to do a trap out so you'll need other bees before you can attempt this. This may be well beyond the scope of a first time beekeeper's abilities. You might want to find a more experienced beekeeper to help you on this one. A trap out will take at least six weeks, longer every time the bees find another entrance and you have to plug it up. They are persistent bugs who will stop at nothing to work for their hive (but I love working with them). It might be in your and the city's best interests to let them find another solution to their bee problem if you cannot find more experienced help.


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## trainwrecker (May 23, 2010)

you said the historical society could remove the honey and comb later. why not you now. the house is probably tongue and groove or lap on the interior walls. if they are going to restore then maybe you could remove them from the inside. usually the inside boards will remove easier than the outside. the outside will most likely be dry rotted and difficult to remove. you might carry a contractor friend by to give you some advice also.


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## Marty Daly (Sep 25, 2010)

Looks like an opportunity. If you know a good camera person, the historical society might like to have a video of how the wall was dismantled and the hive removed and then the wall put back together. If you could get some help you could net some good PR and a keepsake for the historical society. If the house is restored at a later date, people would really be interested in this little piece of its history. The historical society might even cover the costs.


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## Bsweet (Apr 9, 2010)

If they are going to restore it then there should not be a problem with you dismantleing a small section of inner wall, As was said if they plan on having a contractor hemove the comb later why not now ? If they spray the bees they still need to remove the hive.


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## Jpoindexter (Oct 22, 2010)

A trap out was my first thought too, but cutting from the inside would be the only other way I would go. Be prepared for honey comb, have plastic tubs ready and lay out a plastic sheet to catch all of the dripping honey so your mess isn't too bad.


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## shadow-cw (Jul 7, 2011)

Hi,
Thanks for all the great advise. I finally got to speak with the president of our local Historical Society. He said they already have a long time Beekeeper coming to remove the bees. I was invited to come help him and watch so I should get a great learning experience out of the deal.
Thanks all,
Caleb


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## dehavik (Jun 5, 2010)

Take pictures, and tell us the story when it's done!


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