Bee Removal from Manholes

[Apis_M_Rescue]

Was going to my community garden plot & drove by bees Nasonoving by the 2 holes on a manhole cover near the curbside but in the street. I put my bankers box /swarm box w/ lemongrass oil on top but at end of gardening checked back & near evening just a handfull of bees. When moved box manhole bees fanned the stragglers back in to the colony.

As city services were closed have to call tomorrow but I think due to me not being licensed & bonded they would most likely just kill them due to liability. I wonder if somewhere a manhole cover tool can be rented & can rescue in the evening but due to bees by curbside worried will interact w/ driver parking car. Will check Friday as this is manhole cover for water well to water well throughfare & humidity might possibly make abscond.

Anyone done a manhole cut out? Has public works or vector control helped at all? Will post video later as late.

Cheers, David

[D Coates]

I pop off the manhole cover in my neighborhood on a regular basis to get kids toys.  I lift them via a pick axe point.  There are 2 dimples opposite each other that the axe point fits.  Pry it up and flip it over.  Be careful, they weigh 60 to 70 pounds.  I'd be more concerned about the hive being AHB though as they are residing below ground.

[asprince]

Be careful, the comb is most likely built on the cover. Be ready to do something with it when you turn it over.

Good Luck!

Steve

[JP]

Was going to my community garden plot & drove by bees Nasonoving by the 2 holes on a manhole cover near the curbside but in the street. I put my bankers box /swarm box w/ lemongrass oil on top but at end of gardening checked back & near evening just a handfull of bees. When moved box manhole bees fanned the stragglers back in to the colony.

As city services were closed have to call tomorrow but I think due to me not being licensed & bonded they would most likely just kill them due to liability. I wonder if somewhere a manhole cover tool can be rented & can rescue in the evening but due to bees by curbside worried will interact w/ driver parking car. Will check Friday as this is manhole cover for water well to water well throughfare & humidity might possibly make abscond.

Anyone done a manhole cut out? Has public works or vector control helped at all? Will post video later as late.

Cheers, David

Its not a manhole cover, a water meter cover, but maybe this will give you some ideas: http://picasaweb.google.com/pyxicephalus/May92008#

Here's another water meter cover: http://picasaweb.google.com/pyxicephalus/April12008#


...JP

[montauk170]

JP, that first link, May, was that a small hive you removed?  Did you combine or how are they doing now?

I did a similar one just at the beginning of this month. The amount of bees were very small but they are home now and seem to be doing good. Will inspect for the first time
and remove the cover from the medium tomorrow. Yeah, I took the cover home with me!  Will return it after I cut off the combs attached.

[JP]

JP, that first link, May, was that a small hive you removed?  Did you combine or how are they doing now?

I did a similar one just at the beginning of this month. The amount of bees were very small but they are home now and seem to be doing good. Will inspect for the first time
and remove the cover from the medium tomorrow. Yeah, I took the cover home with me!  Will return it after I cut off the combs attached.

Both were fairly small swarms. How are they doing today? Who knows.


...JP

[Apis_M_Rescue]

Well got to my community garden Monday & after the public works crews finished digging up the street & laying new pipe, they sent in their contracted man to take care of the bees. He suited in his bee outfit & told me to get my nuc box & veil to see if could rescue hive. He removed manhole #1 & I returned to see no comb but just small contingent of bees under lip of opening. I asked the pest guy if could lift up manhole lid & sure enough was small white comb underneath squished a bit, w/ eggs. Looked like 3 other combs were sheared off & in the drink floated down in sewer stream. Couldn't see queen so she musta retreated in the cracked dark recess or fallen in the great beyond. What a bummer of an event. Time of the essence he whipped out some pyrethrin based spray & went to work sayin that poison lasted 6months. He replaced both manhole covers & drove off in his new truck to next appointment after sayin is the busiest year ridding southern Calif of bees & making big bucks. Gave him my number & asked him to call me if he hears of honey bees in area needing to be rescued.

Only consolation is the near 60lbs of honey I collected Friday from a booming hive I saved from LA county erradication in January. Can't win em all but still tryin.

[Apis_M_Rescue]

Heres the video of the former hived swarm entering manhole. Danged city red tape & legalese. Live & learn

RIP Manhole Honey Bees

Cheers, David