# removing hive from a house



## MariahK (Dec 28, 2014)

ok so it has happened a friend has discovered a hive in his house. Sounds like it is in the ceiling of the porch. He said there are hundreds going in and out at a time. Said he sprayed the opening but it didn't do anything [thank goodness] I told him to stop spraying and next week I will try to remove them. I told him if he can open the wood I will take the bees. I have watched a ton of videos so I have a good idea of what to do, but any advise is appreciated. I am a little nervous but excited as well?...


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

MariahK said:


> ok so it has happened a friend has discovered a hive in his house. Sounds like it is in the ceiling of the porch. He said there are hundreds going in and out at a time. Said he sprayed the opening but it didn't do anything [thank goodness] I told him to stop spraying and next week I will try to remove them. I told him if he can open the wood I will take the bees. I have watched a ton of videos so I have a good idea of what to do, but any advise is appreciated. I am a little nervous but excited as well?...


"Didn't do anything" doesn't really mean much. While he may not see the affects the colony could be dying "from the inside out". Know that cutouts are a ton of work, otherwise good luck! You may be donating a lot of time to this friend to fix his problem with no pay back at all in the form of bees (and you really shouldn't eat the honey if he sprayed them). So go in with your eyes wide open!


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## MariahK (Dec 28, 2014)

I will, I hope they are ok but I am waiting until next week when my husband is on vacation. Although he probably won't help much but plans to video. I have heard they are a lot of work but I figure it will be an experience and I might get a good hive from it?


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

Please post the results and good luck! If you look a bit on here you'll find some previously sprayed bee horror stories.


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## kaizen (Mar 20, 2015)

If its not too far I'd go over and capture one of them and make sure it is a honeybee. if its far have them send a video to you. have plenty of buckets with lids with you. make sure they know it might not be a one shot deal if you don't get the queen.


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## MariahK (Dec 28, 2014)

its about a 15 min drive, but they are pretty good friends so if we go over and they are not it would be no big deal, ironically I have been trying to get them to let me set up hives on their property for a while and he seems open to it, so maybe next year we will they have 5 acres in the country/woods with a pretty large apple orchard and tons of blackberry around them.. I asked if he was positive they are honey bee's and he said yes so we will see. He said sometimes he can hear them buzzing really loudly, and he said when he sprayed them it was quite a while ago and it wasn't into the opening more of in the air at the bees coming out because he didn't want to get to close he said after that they left them alone as the are not aggressive and don't bother anyone.. He said they still come in and out in the hundreds all day long? So I am optimistic that they are ok, but only time will tell. Now I need to get my hands on some empty deeps and frames,


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## Dave A. (Mar 13, 2015)

If I was closer I'd come help/watch


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## MariahK (Dec 28, 2014)

Dave A. said:


> If I was closer I'd come help/watch


that's about what my husbands plan is. He doesn't mind my hobby but doesn't get involved either, but he plans to video/take photos for me. Plus if it goes horribly wrong I suppose he could go for help really I just wanted company.


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## Arnie (Jan 30, 2014)

I've only done one cut out, but it went pretty well. Turned out to be a very good hive.

It took way longer than I thought. I was moving pretty slowly and carefully. 

It turned out to be great entertainment for the neighborhood. The lady that had the bees in her house thought it was so cool she told all the folks I was coming by to give "her" bees a good home. I gave her some honey from that hive and she loved it.


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## Hoot Owl Lane Bees (Feb 24, 2012)

MariahK

You will need a lot more equipment than you think!
Also be ready to take a honey bath when you start cutting comb.
Don't save comb that is just or mostly honey, try to keep just the brood comb.

My son and I just finished a cutout that filled 7 buckets with honey comb and 7 full deep frames of brood* and we found the Queen*.
It took us 7 hours from set up to clean up.
NO we did not do it for free.
This is #2 of at least 5 hives we will be removing from this complex.

Take your time and have fun.
Don't just set the hive on there land right away, give them about a week at your Apiary and then move them back for the rest of the season. This will give them something to tell there other friends about and it encourage them for next year.


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## MariahK (Dec 28, 2014)

thanks I am getting excited, plus I figure every bee keeper should try this once, I fully expect it to be a sticky mess.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

If I could share one piece of advice, it would be to remove the honey comb last. If you remove any honey first, EVERYTHING will be a sticky mess. 
Make sure you use heavy duty rubber gloves and clean them off (along with your knife) quite often in a bucket or two of warm water. It makes clean up alot faster and easier.


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## Dwain Jansen (Jul 4, 2015)

I will be doing this for the first time in a couple days. Hoping to get started with these bees. We will see how it goes. Keeping my fingers crossed.


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## Arlo (Sep 16, 2009)

Whatch videos

Six Twenty Eight Dirtrooster on Youtube
JP The Beeman


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## rwb189 (Apr 13, 2015)

If you have one place a queen excluder between the bottom board and brood box for the first couple of weeks to keep the queen from absconding the new home. Also be careful, in my little experience smoke seems to drive the bees away from you further into the house. A Bee Vacuum makes the job a lot easier.


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