# Bee removal part successful need advice



## frustrateddrone (Jan 31, 2015)

Hi,

I did a pretty big removal on Saturday. I got enough comb for 2 deeps and a Nuc. I left 1 box behind last night. I took them to the bee yard last night. This AM just before sunlight I opened up the hives. WOW! I have never seen a mass of bees like that come pouring out after an hour. It was so much that I opted to go inside the house. The activity level is quite a sight. 

Upon checking the underside of the trailer home that I removed the comb, it's got 2" thick 20" x 30" full of bees. My question is I do not have a bee vac. I have a shop vacuum though. The only thing I can do at this point is come back Sunday and shop vac them. I know suction is too much, but nothing I can really do. NO I AM NOT BUILDING A SHOP VAC. I have spent way too much money on this already and was not paid for this job. So I am guessing vacuum the bees then take the bottom water lid that unscrews and pour them in a bee hive and if they survive great and if not then oh well. I do not know the percentage of bees that I have, but clearly this AM I believe I don't have an issue with numbers. I had 5 queen cells I saw with 1 that was open. 

I didn't remember to put lemon grass on the Nuc box I left behind. should I go back tonight and put 2 drops of lemon grass on a frame with a new Nuc and some comb in a frame and come back Monday Night with the shop vac? Remove the nuc box that is currently left? Monday Vacuum the bees? I am thinking I didn't get the queen and she dropped to the ground when I was removing comb. Bees were so thick between comb that bees poured out flying and nurse bees fell to the ground. I mean pouring to the ground. 

The problem is vinegar and baking soda should be sprayed on the location, but I can't even do that with the amount of bees that remain.

Zak
Liberty Hill Texas


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

DON'T build a bee vac. And , DON'T DO ANOTHER CUTOUT! if you have neither the experience or fortitude to invest what is necessary to do the job right then leave it to those who do! Now you have turned yourself from bee rescue to bee exterminator. Most of the bees in the nuc you left there are going to be back at the location of th hive. Unless you happened to have the queen in the nuc. 

In your original query about this cut out Several people advised you that a bee vac was all but a must. Although many cut out have and can be done without one it requires a little experience to know how to corral the queen. 

Do not waist your time and money building or buying a bee vac. Just take what you can and move on you are all that matters anyway.
Maybe some, maybe most of the bees will survive being vacuumed up with shop vac. clean the area up and spray her down to deter a rebuild. That way you will at least have served the property owner. 
Then become an advocate for the bees. BUY A FISH TANK AND CALL IT QUITS WITH BEEKEEPING!


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## frustrateddrone (Jan 31, 2015)

Tenbears said:


> DON'T build a bee vac. And , DON'T DO ANOTHER CUTOUT! if you have neither the experience or fortitude to invest what is necessary to do the job right then leave it to those who do! Now you have turned yourself from bee rescue to bee exterminator. Most of the bees in the nuc you left there are going to be back at the location of th hive. Unless you happened to have the queen in the nuc.
> 
> In your original query about this cut out Several people advised you that a bee vac was all but a must. Although many cut out have and can be done without one it requires a little experience to know how to corral the queen.
> 
> ...


The saying is ask 10 bee keepers the same question and you get 10 different answers. Thats HALARIOUS TENBEARS! REALLY!:applause::applause::applause: I suppose when you got in this you had everything! You don't know me so STOP JUDGING PEOPLE to include me! I know you don't know the full situation that I was presented NOR THE OWNER! I'm going over tonight grabbing the Nuc box and spraying them with soapy water! Thanks Tenbears You really are a wonderful. person. I told the owner I would remove the Ferrell bee hive, so that's what I am going to do all because of you Tenbears. 

I have my consulted several bee removal companies, the owner too. I know quite a bit more then you think Tenbears with this situation. If a bee removal company would have come out and done it and I mean those that state FREE bee removal do you really think my novice beekeeping experience would be doing the job? Sure you don't like what I posted, but know this Tenbears, when I call 4 bee removal companies and they state the advice in the situation that I was presented, then I certainly will adhere to it. Tenbears as for your attitude, please don't post anything further to me. Your not helping and your personal opinions please keep them off the forum. Were here to learn and educate.


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## EvanS (Feb 27, 2015)

If you have a shope vac, you can probably build a bee vac pretty cheap. I just made my first yesterday and plan to try my first cut out next weekend. I used a design from the forum using a few buckets and a bucket vac. I think the total cost was around $40.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

frustrateddrone said:


> Hi,
> 
> NO I AM NOT BUILDING A SHOP VAC. I have spent way too much money on this already and was not paid for this job.
> Zak
> Liberty Hill Texas


 *THIS ONE QUOTE SAY IT ALL*

When You post a Statement like this, it tell all who read it that YOU yourself Know that in the given situation the previously suggested methods are the most appropriate. But you refuse to use them. Saying to the world that you care only for what is in it for you. As a passionate beekeeper, My primary concern is for the bees as a whole. Not what I can get out of the deal. 
A wise thinking individual assesses the situation, Ask advice of those more experienced than themselves( which you did before starting) and after doing so discovers they are not equipped to properly do the job does not undertake it. SEVERAL beekeepers of varying experience levels advised you that in the situation as you described it a bee vac would be appropriate. 
Your dollar investment took precedence over that of the bees, and as a result the bees will suffer. Now You can try to put the outcome of your ineptitude on me but the reality of it is you made poor decisions based on the bottom line. 

You based your decision in part on information you acquired from individuals who you were taking business from and use that to substantiate your poor decisions that in and of itself is a joke. 

As for your absurd demand that I do not reply to your future posts, Good luck with that. This is a public forum, and everyone here is entitled to voice their opinion. If you post sound information I will surly praise you. However if you post bunk expect me to call a spade a spade. If you do not want to here it then my suggestion to you would be DON"T Post. because I have no intention of treating you any differently than any the poster here. 
There are many members here that I drink coffee with from time to time some I go fishing with, and several have been to my house for dinner. Guess what. I would say the same to them in the same situation. This is not grade school where you get to pick and choose what is said and everyone get a trophy because there are no losers this is the real world. Get use to it.


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## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

Suit up, including gloves.
Tape up every opening in your clothes that bees might get in

Get enough containers to hold all of those bees still under the structure.
Drill a lot more vent holes (make the holes.a little smaller than you think they need to be to keep bees from escaping through them. 

Make sure the containers have bee tight lids.

Take a handful of bees at a time, put them in a container and replace the bee tight lid.

Repeat until you have the bees.

There will be a small amount of bees you can not get.

Or use a bee vac

If neither of these is acceptable to you, put a small piece of sulphur in a smoker and smoke them with it.

This will kill the bees more humanely than by overheating in an improperly vented container or shop vac.

Most to almost all of them will die from impact and overheating if you use a shop vac.

If you can't use sulphur smoke without inhaling it, don't use it.

If you lack means to build a bee vac, or to use a >>proper << respirator, 

use the shop vac

DANGER!
DO NOT BREATHE SULPHUR SMOKE!

After using sulphur in a smoker, you can't use it in bees.
Sulphur residue will either kill them or agitate them.

DANGER!
DO NOT BREATHE SULPHUR SMOKE!

Your responsibility is not only to.the property owner, but yourself and family for your safety,

And to the bees not be inhumane.

I fear you aren't likely to be able fulfill all of those responsibilities at this point.


If you have the means to build a bee vac out of a cardboard box, duct tape, and some scrounged window screen, but refuse to pay the price in time money,
then I would strongly encourage you to reconsider your involvement with bees or other livestock.

See to your safety first. 

Don't breathe sulphur smoke.

No fun here.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

"The only thing I can do at this point is come back Sunday and shop vac them. I know suction is too much, but nothing I can really do. NO I AM NOT BUILDING A SHOP VAC. I have spent way too much money on this already and was not paid for this job."

What did you expect would happen when you post something of this nature on a BEEKEEPING site? 
First off, removals should NEVER be free. It's work.... real hard, sweaty work. It take hours, dedication and MONEY to accomplish the job correctly. 

"I'm going over tonight grabbing the Nuc box and spraying them with soapy water!" 

That's not a removal, that's an extermination. IF you continue to remove bees, I would hope that you will ensure that you have the right tools for the job from now on. Otherwise, my suggestion is that you don't do them and leave them to those who can remove them properly.

BTW, you can make a bee capture container out of a bucket for less than 20.00 since you already have the shop vac.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

If you have open brood you might be able to put a few frames in a deep and get them to come to the box since they don't really have a home now.


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## AHudd (Mar 5, 2015)

Frustrated Drone,
I think since the comb has been removed. Maybe you could come up with a spray bottle to put some 1:1 sugar water in it, place a ventilated cardboard box under the mass of bees, then spray them good, I mean enough so they can't fly. As you spray them, gradually rake them into the box, if they fly, spray them some more. When you reach dry bees in the mass, spray them. You don't want to create a swimming pool in the box, just enough to keep them from flying, but where they can still move about. This is to give you an idea as to how you may complete your task. You will have make decisions how to progress on the fly, so to speak. Good Luck
Are you the same person who had trouble with a nuc dealer or something a while back? I know this sounds contrite, but don't let all of this deter you from beekeeping, it does get better. 
As you are now learning passions run high in this hobby.
After you post on the outcome of this adventure I'll tell you about my first encounter with honeybees about fifty years ago. You won't feel so bad about yours.

Alex


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## D Semple (Jun 18, 2010)

If you got all the comb removed from the cutout and the nuc you left behind has open brood all the bees should move into the nuc setup over a couple of days if you put it within a couple of feet of the old entrance. 

From the number of bees you are seeing you might want to expand the nuc on site to a full deep. 

Believe it or not you are very close to having them all easily caught with just a little more work on your part and the patience to give them a couple of days to figure out there new home.

Hang in there, by the weekend you should be able to just close up the entrance after dark and grab them and take them all home. 

Good luck. ....Don


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## larryh (Jul 28, 2014)

I'm new and have done only one cutout (but i am youtube certified).
I'm not advising, just asking.. 
Couldn't he just put one of their brood combs in a hive body, use his hands to scoop most of the bees into the box.. then wouldn't the rest march right in, even without the queen? 
I suppose that's basically what Don said above, minus the weeks wait.


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## AHudd (Mar 5, 2015)

D Semple said:


> If you got all the comb removed from the cutout and the nuc you left behind has open brood all the bees should move into the nuc setup over a couple of days if you put it within a couple of feet of the old entrance.
> 
> From the number of bees you are seeing you might want to expand the nuc on site to a full deep.
> 
> ...


 Does this work even if the queen may not be in the nuc? That would make things a lot easier.

Alex


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## BackYardPhenomena (Jul 11, 2012)

I am sure a lot of what you did was right. A bee vac is not necessary and I only use one if I am working from the inside of someone's home. A smoker and a little bee quick are all you need to get the bees to abandon their old spot.


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## D Semple (Jun 18, 2010)

D Semple said:


> If you got all the comb removed from the cutout and the nuc you left behind has open brood all the bees should move into the nuc setup over a couple of days if you put it within a couple of feet of the old entrance.
> 
> From the number of bees you are seeing you might want to expand the nuc on site to a full deep.
> 
> ...





AHudd said:


> Does this work even if the queen may not be in the nuc? That would make things a lot easier.
> 
> Alex


You are correct Alex, catching the queen (if she is still there) and caging her in the nuc would expedite the process.

I would also shake or scoop as many bees as I could into the nuc.

Don


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