Honey bees in floor space

[buzz lightyear]

Hi, tricky one this. The house near my bees has attracted a swarm (mine?). They enter through an old pipe entrance, into the floor space below the floor boards. There appears to be quite a few, judging by the activity today (a good flying day. The people were alerted to them by a few poping up in the bathroom. I don't see any way of getting them out, without lifting floorboards, tiles, bath etc...Question is reluctantly i think they will need to be killed (difficult for me to say as a bee keeper). Any advice to get them out? Or method to minimise the risk to poisoning my bees:confused:
I really dont see a positive out come.
Thanks for any positive help, Buzz

[mwhbee]

if you could get a nuc box near the hole with swarm lure in ,and fix a one way bee escape over the hole ,even if the queen does not come out before they are got rid of you may have some bees to put back in your hive only a thought

[RoofTops]

I have driven a colony out of a roof space by blowing masses of smoke in. Even though they had built wax and had brood they eventually all came out and I was able to catch them in a swarm box. However, in hindsight it was very dangerous as there was a danger of fire from the carbon monoxide and other gases produced along with the smoke.

I fear in the circumstance you describe you can either block up the entrance or call in the pest control folk who will spray a poison in. If you block the entrance up do it at the end of the day when they have stopped flying. The danger is they will still find a way out so you will just have to keep blocking up any entrances they find. The remains of the nest will potentially attract mice and future swarms so you will need to keep the entrance(s) blocked up for a long time.

[buzz lightyear]

Hi and thanks for the replies,
just got back from rigging up my attempt to bleed off the flyers. This is what I did:
Set up a platform up to level of hole. Masticked a porter escape over the hole and placed a nuc with dran frames and brood an inch or two from old entrance. The lid of nuc ajar as this gets it level. Will let you know how I get on.
Agree that should have sealed up at dusk, ah well.....
Didn't seem to be using any other entrances, time will tell.
There may, or may not be a queen with the brood, would that be a big advantage? Could probably find a virgin if needed.
Thanks again for the reply's. Buzz:confused:

[hemo]

Hi Buzz Lightyear,
Another beekeeper and I had the same problem in a farmhouse recently we placed a box next to the waste pipes outside and smoked them from inside ( bugger all hapened excepted fill bathroom with smoke). Eventually we squirted some Bee Quick under the floorboards beneath
the vanity unity by early evening (7pm) all bees had left . Unfortunately they didn't collect in the swarm box never saw them again though . No damage or lifting of floor required and don't forget fill holes in wall with expanding foam.

[hemo]

Bee Quicks main ingredient is Oil of Almonds ,also used in clearing supers rapidly. If you use to much to clear the supers you will also clear the brood box .

[buzz lightyear]

Just to up date things. The bee escape with nuc ajacent seems to be working. Bees leaving wall hole and returning to nuc. Will post photos when I work out how.
how long would you leave things in place. Obviously the queen is not going to exit, But at what point will the flyers all be out (or mostly). I was thinking of leaving things til Saturday

[buzz lightyear]

Photo in photo section. Under Bees and Insects, Bees under floorboards. :confused:

[buzz lightyear]

Moved nuc box last night, 5 frames of bees. A few popping up during today, but minimal. Seems that the "bait hive" with queen and brood worked. So far so good.:) Buzz

[mwhbee]

good one always worth ago before killing them off , you will have to get close now to listen if any left or look in if poss