# Bees on side of house. Can / should I hive them?



## Harley Craig

sounds like a swarm moved in and you are looking at a cut out now to get them. If you have never kept bees before, I would suggest googling bee clubs for your area, contact them and ask for some assistance and be willing to pay for that assistance. You might be able to purchase some used equipment from them cheaper as well to get you started.


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## Graperunner

eric and diane

Honey seeping down the bricks,

Is there comb built on the outside of the house?

If so, you would be able to hive them.

you will have to tie the comb into your frams.

Just remember the cells have a 10 deg slant to them.

And nead to keep it, the same, as it is hanging know.

Paul


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## Saltybee

Welcome to beesource. Yes the bees are better off in a solid hive. The kit you are looking at is an 8 frame medium. Nothing wrong with that, many like them, it will be a little narrower equipment selection if you expand.


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## 3030Ranch

Graperunner said:


> eric and diane
> 
> Honey seeping down the bricks,
> 
> Is there comb built on the outside of the house?
> 
> If so, you would be able to hive them.
> 
> you will have to tie the comb into your frams.
> 
> Just remember the cells have a 10 deg slant to them.
> 
> And nead to keep it, the same, as it is hanging know.
> 
> Paul


Paul, No comb outside ...yet. and I just noticed honey dripping down the brick this afternoon. I'll send a picture this evening when they are all gathered up in the corner.
If the comb is in the wall, we can just remove the boards to get to it I think. Might be another fun adventure here at the ranch. A friend of mine has a bee suit (he's an exterminator -ugh) and maybe even a smoker. I'll have to ask. Just to clarify, I don't want to kill them. 

Fascinating, really. When they first appeared we sprayed area with bug spray and they just moved to the front door, the smart little guys. Another spurt of bug spray and they moved back to the original area by the fireplace. I also tried to dissuade them by squirting the bunch of them with the water hose but they just hung on altogether in their gathering place. So now, we are both just admiring each other.


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## 3030Ranch

Craig, Thank you. Wouldn't have thought about bee clubs! I have now called two bee clubs closest to our area and left messages, Austin and Williamson county clubs. The club in copperas cove is an out of service number. Is there any reason why would we have to kill the bees?


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## AmericasBeekeeper

Welcome Eric and Diane!


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## Kirk

Welcome. It looks like you may have a supply company nearby: http://busybeesupplies.com/.


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## Intheswamp

3030Ranch said:


> ... Just to clarify, I don't want to kill them.
> 
> Fascinating, really. When they first appeared we sprayed area with bug spray and they just moved to the front door, the smart little guys. Another spurt of bug spray and they moved back to the original area by the fireplace. I also tried to dissuade them by squirting the bunch of them with the water hose but they just hung on altogether in their gathering place. So now, we are both just admiring each other.


:scratch:


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## Harley Craig

3030Ranch said:


> Craig, Thank you. Wouldn't have thought about bee clubs! I have now called two bee clubs closest to our area and left messages, Austin and Williamson county clubs. The club in copperas cove is an out of service number. Is there any reason why would we have to kill the bees?


No reason that I can think of , but being new there is a good chance you might despite your best efforts we all have at some point it sucks but you learn and move on, also, praying them with bug spray probably wasn't the best idea for bees that you want to keep


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## 3030Ranch

haha Craig. Well.... at that time we were just trying to get them out of there because they were getting in the house so I guess we kind of panicked. Now we are ok with it. 

Thank you Kirk for the suggestion. I will check out the busybeesupply tomorrow.
Thanks for everyone for the help. The bees are sleeping all around the outside of the house entrance at night. It is truly a site to see.
I think we are going to enjoy this.

I also remembered some people from our old church that raise bees and sell their honey. I'm sure they are a wonderful source of information also. Thank you also for being so kind and welcoming and patient. We are kind of getting excited about our new hobby.

-eric and diane


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## Intheswamp

3030, I would search here on Beesource for newbee setups. Sometimes buying an "all in one" kit leaves you lacking in some areas but with stuff you never use. I'd highly suggest you find an established beekeeper to guide you along your first steps on your journey. 

Several things to think about...

*8 or 10 frame equipment (8 frame is lighter to lift, but...).
*all mediums or a mix of mediums and deeps (easier to swap out equipment if all one size).
*telescoping w/inner cover (more expensive, two parts) or cheaper one-piece migratory cover.
*screened or solid bottom board or IPM (Integrated Pest Management) bottom board.
*Plastic or wood frames.
*Foundation or foundationless.
*Veil only, jacket, full suit,...
*Gloves or no gloves.
*Are either one of you allergic to bee stings? Do you know one way or the other?
*...and probably I forgot the most important things, but someone else will chime in about it.

Bees are truly incredible creatures with apparently one goal...for their species to survive. The workers will work themselves to death...they will keep working until they literally fall out of the sky. They will repair much damage that we, there keepers, inflict upon their homes and will survive despite our fumbling around. But, you can't simply sit them out there and expect them to thrive. You will have to take care of them, you will sweat a lot, you will get stung...but there isn't anything like picking up a piece of burr comb full of honey that was between two boxes and popping it in your mouth straight out of the hive...incredible!!! Just make sure there isn't a bee on it!!! 

It sounds like you need to be working on getting these bees out, so some prebuilt equipment might be worth buying to house the bees in. I would definitely try to build or assemble (from precut pieces) as much of the hive as you can. Maybe build your boxes, bottom boards and tops and buy some pre-assembled frames. Frames are somewhat time consuming. Or, go to the beekeeping store and see what they have to offer. If you were to find a local beekeeper they may have some equipment to loan you until you can get setup with your on.

If you build use lots of Titebond III glue. If you buy pre-assembled equipment, check all joints and cracks and shoot a little glue into those places...giving it 24-48 hours to cure out good.

You may also have to feed the bees once you get them in the hive. Mason jars and ziplock baggies are the easy "on hand" feeders. Both require an extra super (box) to put on top/around. When you get to that point ask how to do it. 

But, the first thing is to get those bees in a box first...and out of your house. Though it might be cool to have bees in your house (at first) later on when they have 100 pounds of honey hanging in there and "something" happens to them and they die or leave....you've got a mess. Get them out now before they grow into a bigger colony. It will require opening up the cavity that they're in and taking *brood* comb, the comb with larvae, eggs, and tan capped brood in it. Don't try to save the honey comb as it will make a mess in the hive. Stretch rubber bands over the frames prior to starting the cutout. Cut a length of comb so that it will fit in the vertical height of the frame. Keep the vertical orientation of the comb the same as it was in the wall cavity. Put 2-3 rubberbands on each piece of comb...criss-crossing or vertical or angled across the comb...whatever it takes. Get a queen catcher (little plastic clip that you use to catch queens with) so that if you spot the queen you can *carefully* catch her and place her in the hive still in the clip...this will help lure more bees to the hive and also keep her safely out of harms way. Don't forget to release her down between a couple of frames when your through with the cutout. If you can, keep the hive shaded as you do the cutout.

I strongly suggest you get an experienced beekeeper to help you.

And...don't spray any more bees. 

Best wishes on them and I truly hope you can remove them and start a new and*very* good hobby that will give you many years of enjoyment.

Ed


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## 3030Ranch

Update.
Well, I guess my little hive didn't make it through the winter because I do not see any activity around their entrance.
I did purchase a hive, suit, smoker, etc from busybeesupply dot com (just a couple miles away from my home!). Wow What a small world! 
Plus, he had done some fence work for us earlier in the year so we had already met. REALLY small world!
I have swarm questions so will create another thread but thought I'd give everyone an update.
-di


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