# Cut out tomorrow and now another one this coming weekend.



## Ben Franklin (May 3, 2011)

If nothing else you may have some honey to crush and strain.


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## Ben Franklin (May 3, 2011)

Good Luck too!!!


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## djdup (Jul 5, 2012)

I just did my first cut out this past Saturday. I hope yours goes as well as mine did. If you was not hooked already you will be after this... Good Luck.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

If it's a two story home, you may find it easier to remove the floor above the bees if it is a carpeted floor.
The repairs are sooo much easier and less costly.
TAKE PICS!


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## Northwest PA Beekeeper (Mar 28, 2012)

Yesterday afternoon I went to do the cutout. Had my beevac ready to go and got my equipment up to the room. A drywall ceiling that in one place was paper thin - I thought because of honey dripping. So, I was all prepared and made a cut into the paperthin drywall.

As soon as I made the cut, bees started pouring out and I immediately knew something wasn't right. Wait a minute - these aren't honeybees, they are yellowjackets! I quickly put masking tape over the hole and took care of the yellowjackets now flying around the room. I figured since I was this far - I might as well "finish the job" for these people - after all they were paying me to get rid of "honeybees".

So I removed the masking tape until they started coming out again and let my beevac suck them up. (I did learn there is too much suction on my beevac to safely capture bees though, so I'll have to do some modifications.) At any rate, got the bees sucked out and got their nest removed. Here there was a gap between the drywall and insulation, and they made a nest. Ended up removing an area of 1 1/2' X 2 1/2' of drywall to get everything. Once the nest was out, I sprayed some raid and some dawn dish soap to kill any stranglers and got the room cleaned up.

The people happily paid me for my extermination service. So, that was my "cut out" attempt!!!!!

I still can't figure it out though. When I checked it out several weeks ago, they certainly looked like honeybees flying. And I thought the dead ones on the deck under the entrane looked like honeybees too. The owner said, "Don't be embarassed, the other bee man I had here said they were honeybees too. He was going to take them out, but never came back."

Now, I know for the FACT that the cutout this weekend is certainly honeybees!


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

No pics then, huh? lol


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## Northwest PA Beekeeper (Mar 28, 2012)

No! But I'll be doing a cutout this weekend - well, "I'm" not - the homeowner is. Once he gets to the bees, then I'll take over. Supposedly the swarm moved in less than a week ago. How much comb should I expect if it truly is a swarm?


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## whiskers (Aug 28, 2011)

Take enough stuff to contain it if it had been there two years. If you bring it back home empty it will be less of a bother than finding that you need it and don't have it.
Bill


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## Northwest PA Beekeeper (Mar 28, 2012)

Will do, but it's only 1 1/2 miles from my house - so it's not too far if I forget something.


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## Keth Comollo (Nov 4, 2011)

At this time of year I tell people who want a cutout to let them be for winter and will come in the spring to fetch them. In my opinion it is too late for a colony to build up everything it needs for winter.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

The way I look at it is that it is an already made hive and should be ready for winter. 
This time of year I will remove everything and install everything into the lang hive.
Brood, stores and all.
Make sense?
Be ready as stated before for the worst.
Good luck


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## Northwest PA Beekeeper (Mar 28, 2012)

Well, as usual things don't quite work out as planned. (Isn't that the way it always is?!?)

We started around 4:00 P.M. this afternoon - pried off several sheets of siding, and then cut the outside boards. The homeowner used a circular saw to cut the boards right around the entrance - got enough cut out to see the comb - so at least it was right at the entrance. Had to cut several of the planks out of the way, so a chainsaw was used for that. Bees were very docile during all of this.

It was a brand new swarm - about 6 sections of honeycomb had been made with the majority of it filled with honey - those guys are quick - but at this time of year, they would have to be. There were no brood frames -and by the time I cut all the comb down - there was no large cluster of bees either.

I did not use any smoke - although the chainsaw smoked a bit so may have made the queen run - that or all the noise. So all the comb was cut out but the bees are still there. I stole 2 brood frames from home and set up a hive entrance facing into the house. I'm hoping after I've left, the queen comes back and finding no comb - the bees will find the entrance to the hive and find the two combs of brood. I'm hoping they just move in. It must have been a very small swarm though - if they move into the hive, I'll just combine them with one of my hives.

I have a meeting tomorrow, so son't be able to stop and take a look until Tuesday evening.

Here's hoping the bees move into the hive!!


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Still no pics?! lol








Yellow jacket nest 16"x10"x36"









Honey bee nest 16"x4"x60"


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## Northwest PA Beekeeper (Mar 28, 2012)

I went and checked lastnight on the hive I had set up near the cutout. A few bees were in it (I think robbing whatever little honey was in the frames). Apparently when doing the cutout - either the noise or chainsaw smoke made the queen run (and I'm guessing they just moved into the next over floor joist.)

I told the person that it was up to them on what they wanted to do. They can either spray them to get rid of them or if the homeowner wants to open up the next board over to the floor joist, I'll get them.

This time though instead of trying to get them right after the wall is opened up, we will "replace" the board and let them settle down for a day. This way, if the queen decides to run again, within the day she should return back to the comb and the following day I'll reopen it and get them out.

I'm not having very good luck. This is my third official cutout and I'm 0 - 3 for getting the bees out. (Well, the first one was a new swarm that moved in behind a stone wall on a garage - that queen ran too. The second cutout ended up being yellow jackets - I was successful in removing them! And now my third attempt and the bees are STILL in the house.

Perhaps I should give up on cutouts.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

You'll do fine. Rome wasn't built in a day.
Patience little grasshopper.


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## RedBarn (May 31, 2017)

# 1 rule..... Make sure they are honey bees, and bringing in pollen prior to committing to do, or starting to do a cut out !!!!

# 2 rule..... Test your bee vac prior to going to a job...

Are you still going for any NW PA ???? I'm sure your luck has improved with skill and learning on the job...


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