Removed nice sized swarm

[beemused]

The day before yesterday got a call from a lady that said “ I saw tons of bees flying around the back yard and I don’t want them here.” I asked her what they were doing right now and she said she didn’t know.  She went to a window and said the were all over a wall near the foundation and it looked like they were going in the crawlspace vent.
When I arrived the bees were not on the wall but were, as she observed, accessing the crawl space through a vent with large screen.
The only access to the crawl space was by taking up a corner of carpet in the living room and removing a piece of flooring and a slide in cross brace. After gaining access to the crawl space I asked if they had ever found snakes and such under there. A negative response was tentative and so I took a shovel with me for long distance negotiation.
Found a large number of bees between floor joists and under fiberglass insulation.
Decided to return home and build that bee vacuum I’ve been thinking about for quite awhile. I like the double box design so decided to make the outer box to accommodate those package bee shipping boxes I have stored for some reason. Powered by a Dewalt dual voltage (14v/120v) shop vac it has the proper amount of suction through a 10 ft piece of 1 inch pvc pool/spa circulating hose (no ridges). After this first try I am going to modify the outer box with a window so I can see when the inner box needs changing.   
 Returned yesterday evening since I was sure there would be little comb built and it would be a quick and easy removal. They had built one comb about 6x6 and two 1x1s.
All went well with my wife taking pics as I started and grandson helping me move things in. The homeowner also was under there watching and helping and commenting on the gentleness of the bees. I was suited up since I was on my back under the swarm  operating the hose. Our grandson was wearing a jacket and veil but the homeowner and my wife had no protection at all. I had bees falling on me and crawling all over me but didn’t receive one sting. The other three participants got one sting each from the very docile little beggars. Those were from pinching the crawlers under hands in the darkness  or  under clothing.
These bees must have come from a kept colony due to the docility and the golden coloration. They filled two package shipping boxes  half way and I estimate 6 to 7 lbs.


Bruce

[kathyp]

 

kept colony due to the docility and the golden coloration

some of the very best bees i have dealt with this year swarmed out of long existing "wild" hives.  it's more about genetics than how they have been kept.

sounds like a great removal. looking forward to pics!