# How do I approach this..pretty sure it needs to be a trapout



## eqnox (Nov 10, 2009)

Sounds like your boss needs a better home inspector. 

I did a cut out very similar to this just a few days ago. 
I've posted photos 

http://www.bluelineapiary.com/2012/honey-bee-hive-removal-from-wall-in-guilderland-ny/

I would guess the bees are in a space above the brick wall which blocked preventing them from getting into the actual walls. If you remove the siding you should be able to see that they are going into the space right above the brick and going up. You can try drilling some small easy to fix holes in the floor and ceiling to see if you can access the hive that way. Use a coat hanger to feel around in the wall. If you feel insulation the odds are you are not in the right spot.

Show your boss some photos of a cut out and what is inside the wall. Most people realize it is worth removing them correctly. Think about the insects and mice which will move in to eat the comb once the bees are gone.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

An other option is a trapout, when the bees are complete out of the house, let them back in to clean out the honey.

If you are tring to block/reduce their entrance I would use wood, rags, duct tape, spray foam. Hardware cloth might confuse them like a robber screen.


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

A trapout is generally the #1 most expensive/labor intensive method of removing bees from a structure, plus it leaves the comb, honey, and brood inside the structure to attract ****roaches & vermin...and that's all assuming that the newly emerging brood don't manage to raise a new queen from some of the unhatched eggs in there (which would mean the hive could quickly re-establish itself in there. A trapout, especially a Hogan-style one CAN be an option in some situations, but (except for bee trees) is nearly never the _best_ option, IMHO.

From what I've seen, bees that go in @ the changeover from brick to siding @ the top of the first level of a split-level home tend to move into the ceiling/floor that separates the stories, and a cut-out is 98% required to prevent massive property damage after the bees are gone (imagine having 160lbs of honey leaking inside your ceiling!) I would make sure your boss was aware of the risks (honey leakage, ****roaches, mice, etc.) inherent with a trapout, OR with poisoning, and inform him that the repairs following a cut-out are likely to be less costly than the additional cost of a trap-out, even before figuring in those damages, and see what he thinks then...in a dwelling, a cut-out is pretty much the ONLY sure way to go to my mind...melting comb+brood+honey get MESSY!

Also, if the bees ARE in the ceiling/floor space, an INSIDE cut-out will be required. You can likely do that job without damaging anything besides one of 2 pieces of drywall in one ceiling (very cheap repair), but will have to close off the room you're working in bee-tight, and I generally recommend that the homeowners leave the home entirely until I'm done, just in case the bees find a way into the home through a light fixture of wall outlet, etc.


Just a few things to keep in mind as you approach this one...btw, if you haven't already, you might want to check with your state apiary inspector & see if you need a license to do removals in AR (in TX, I had to get a license, register my apiary, and get a transportation permit).


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## Nmace (Apr 4, 2012)

Thank you both. With your input and reflection, I will do some more investigation to pinpoint where they are exactly and inform him that a cutout is needed. 


Thanks for the head's up on the apiary laws.

On a plus note, I just went to look at a tree on rental property. The "wildlife removal" company the owner called first wanted to spray them and seal the entrance. The owner said that seemed a bit cut-throat and agreed to allow me time to do a trap-out.


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