Honey Bees nest

[jackg 7]

I was called to look at a honey bees colony which took up residence last Saturday, an early swarm, in a roof of a bungalow.

A local bee keeper left a nuclei hive on a table nearby to try to tempt the bees into it but without success.

I had a look in the attic but neither the nest nor the swarm is there.

The only way to access the nest is to lift the tiles and cut through the felt on the end tile or two, which I am not keen on.

I suggested destruction as the simplest solution but I will have to seal entrances to the nest to prevent robbing by nearby honey bees.

 

I have read the leaflet: Code of Practice Relating to the Control of Feral Honey Bees, so am aware of the legal situation.

 

I thought of using a builders mastic, roofers mate or a brown window sealant as they will set hard.

I may need to leave it for two hours to allow the Ficam D to take effect before sealing.

 

If anyone has any suggestions apart from don't do it, please post.

Edited May 16, 2012 by jackg

[jackg 7]

I have just spoken to an experienced bee keeper who advised me that my plan is a good one. To use FicamD and then to seal using mastic.

[longnetter 32]

This regulation calling for the sealing of entrances to the nest only applies to Ficam D because it's on the statutory label (law)

Legislation also requires you to take all practical precautions to protect other wildlife (like foraging honey bees)

So using a non-residual insecticide or Ficam D and sealing the entrances are your only options

[donky7 9]

how about simple washing up liquid..... ?

[budgie123 163]

We have used washing up liquid and water and succesfully resolved problems with new casts that are usually low numbers.It has required 2 to 3 applications to resolve activity.The other thing i was adviced when discussing such situations with a bee keeper is carbon monoxide applied into area of the activity from either a 2 atroke engine as used for smoking out rats or a pipe from a car exhaust.

 

The washing up liquid coats the breathing spiracles on the bees body and it suffocates them.

 

In the location you are describing the swarm is located in my opinion it would be impossible to seal every where to prevent foraging bees accessing.I would not treat it with insecticide.Only my opinion.

[John Keswick 119]

Detergent works extremely well when a swarm is exposed, i.e clustered on a tree branch.

But in this situation the swarm is easy to capture so questions should be raised why a swarm would be destroyed?

 

Highly aggressive bees in a hive can be dealt with using detergent, frames removed before treating and its a non toxic way of dealing with them.

BUT in the situation mentioned here, detergent wont work, as the treatment wont reach all of the house bees, queen and also larvae.

An established colony in a postition as described should be treated with a residual insectiside and appropriatley block using expanding foam in all entrances.

[logun 91]

just lift a tile cut felt..