# Bees moved in to chimney.......Help.....



## Zib (Mar 31, 2012)

So let me start by saying I am a new beekeeper this year so the experience and equipment I have is not abundant. Also I work for a vegetable farm / Market so they have some non bee equipment that I can use.

On Saturday 6.16.12 around 10pm my boss tells me that there is a swarm at his house (at the Farm) and if I wanted it. He says that it was in the bush and moved on to his drive way and now is ON the chimney. That it is about the size of a soccer ball. So I grabbed what little stuff I have (jacket, gloves, 4 frame Nuc box and smoker) headed over to the Farm thinking let me see what this looks like and how I can help.

When I get to the house they are pointing at the chimney saying the bees went inside the chimney 20 minutes ago. All I can see form the ground is about 50 bees in the air flying in circles. They tell me the chimney is closes off to the house and that it is not stable at the peak. 

We load a machine with a bucket that can lift me and the equipment up to the top of the chimney to take a look. There are about 200 bees in the air and the bees are about 10 to 12 feet deep in the chimney!!! They have moved in to the chimney. The chimney is wide from the out side, but had 3 narrowed sections in it (so going down is not an option). I was up front and told him I don't think I can do much, but that I can try to "net" them out. At this point we just need them out. We hook a board to a net and I go back up. holding the board I do my best to grab the bees and pull up, with not much room to move the net around and the chimney having tons of cracks bees are slow to come out and angry! As it becomes 1:30pm the sun had changed directions and I can't see much and the bees are just going in to the air and lining the top of the chimney. I call it a day to think some more. I am thinking the only way to get them out is a Bee Vac(which I don't have, but can make.

Does anyone have any Ideas? Please let me know


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

If they have not established residence, built comb, you may be able to smoke them out by using lots and lots of smoke. If they decide to leave, they will ball up somewhere near the chimney. Close the top of the chimney off so they won't go back in, and then retrive the new swarm.

If this doesn't work you will likely have to do a traout. I would start it immediately before they get established building comb for brood and honey. The longer they are there, (before you start trapping), the longer the trapout will take.

Good Luck. A good opportunity to get some good experience.

cchoganjr


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## Tim B (Apr 16, 2009)

They will come out if you smoke them from the bottom.


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## Zib (Mar 31, 2012)

Cool we are goign to try the smoke. 

Is there a good time? I was thinking around 3pm?

How long would it take to see a reaction?


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## Tim B (Apr 16, 2009)

Use wadded up newspaper, use a wad or two at a time and don't let it get hot or you will kill the bees. These bees probably haven't built much comb so they might just fly out and away. One I did kept moving up to the chimney until they were clinging to the outside. If you have someone supplying smoke you can wait at the top and catch the queen when she makes her way out, put her in a cage and into your nuc box and you'll have them. It shouldn't take more than 10-20 minutes but then things don't always go they way they are supposed to. I can guarantee that if you keep smoking them they will either leave or die.


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## Nantom670 (Jul 29, 2011)

If you are going to burn something in the fireplace or stove, don't use paper that will fly out chimney in sparks, use cotton cloth or pine needles or something that will not send up sparks, wet it a little if you have too or use your smoker.. If you have something that you can fashion up like a wind sock that you see at airports and place it over the chimney exit and let it extend out sideways for a few feet you will probably catch a bunch as they fly out. If you could, which may be difficult get the queen into a queen cage and place her in the box you got it made then. Otherwise just hope when they do leave the chimney they land some where close and easier to catch. Wishful thinking is not altogether useless, sometimes it works.


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## Sour Kraut (Jun 17, 2012)

Lower a frame of eggs/unsealed brood on a rope ?

They should go to it

Gary


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## Zib (Mar 31, 2012)

Thank You all for your recommendations!

We started to smoke them out and realized that They where everywhere in the walls! Got another Beekeeper to come. used the bee vac and sucked up what we could. A lot of the ones that got in the attic died we think it might have been treated way back when. We got a good deal out but they are going and coming from all over! The other beekeeper is goign to handle it form this point!


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## Sour Kraut (Jun 17, 2012)

Suspend a frame of unsealed brood in the chimney

The remainder should cluster on it


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