# Cut-out advice needed...



## Paul McCarty (Mar 30, 2011)

I am halfway through a cut out of a good sized hive in the ceiling of a utility room. I have the drywall ceiling removed and the bottom of the hive exposed. Yesterday, I removed all the honey comb store, and now the next step will be to remove the thick black brood comb. It is about 9 feet up and quite a mess, but could be removed by hand. This hive is OLD, and must have 40 thousand bees, who seem to be behaving themselves so far. I am afraid things might get really ugly when I mess with the brood.

I do not have a bee vac available, but I do have a Hogan style bee trap. Does anyone here think possibly sealing up the hive and all the cracks and setting up the bee trap for a while might be a good idea, with the goal of coming back later to clean out the brood when there are fewer bees?


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## beyondthesidewalks (Dec 1, 2007)

Sounds like a reasonable approach. Don't be surprised if the bees have a different plan and change yours. Normally on a cutout like you've described you would build a "room" of plastic sheeting around the hole in the ceiling and your work area to contain the bees. Might be advisable when that day comes. Here in Texas beekeepers are not allowed to charge for cutouts (thanks to a strong entomology lobby and Tom Delay) so there's only the bees, wax and honey as your payment. They seem to be so much work for so little profit that I don't like to do them, especially the inside jobs like you're doing.


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## Paul McCarty (Mar 30, 2011)

Yeah, the local pest control guy doesn't like to spray them so he called me. I could always use the free bees. As far as pay, I wasn't goping to charge, but simply ask them to cover tools/gas costs and maybe a tip if they want. 

It's in a small utility room inside a motel maintenance shop. I just closed the door and turned out the lights when i left it, and advised the workers to stay clear of it. Not sure what kind of bee they are, but they look and act suspiciously like my carnies back at home.


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## Walliebee (Nov 17, 2006)

Hmmm, I don't know...I would just suit up and go for it with a slow and steady approach. I don't think the trap will make that much difference in the long run.


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## Paul McCarty (Mar 30, 2011)

That's what I did to start out - but about half way and 110 degrees through it, I started started thinking of different methods. Sure gets hot in a non-air conditioned utility room. I figured if I had the trap, why not try it.


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## baldwinbees (Mar 2, 2010)

the queens a track-star.cardboard,duct-tape&ammonia.block off all exits,wire holes,plumbing holes,etc.LIBERALLY spray ammonia a cpl feet away from the end of comb to keep them contained.If you can get set up where you can cut brood comb down&get in a frame in a hive body close to original,great.work from both ends towards center to help keep queen contained.keep an eye on the floor for clusters of bees,this could be her majesty.I had my 8yr old find the queen crawling up a wall in a cluster last week on a ceiling cut-out.I don't charge for removing the bees.I charge for the work getting the bees exposed&repairing


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## Paul McCarty (Mar 30, 2011)

These are some REALLY nice bees. Very well behaved and very populous. They have been there for ages. Made two trips so far and have removed most of the comb. It is getting to a point where it will be hard to reach in and get it, so I was thinking of setting up the trap. My bee vac can't seem to suck them up fast enough, there's so many. I made a good dent yesterday and set up two starter nucs out of them. Hopefully this third trip is the final one unless I decide to set up the trap.


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