Taking the Honeybees out alive is the preferred method, for it salvages these beneficial insects to
allow them to continue their important work. Opening the walls,ceiling or eave of the structure and go
after the bees directly is usually the best solution and the most effective method to take. This is
accomplished by vacuuming them gently into a cage and later putting them in another hive. All of the
honeycomb will be cut out and removed, and in the process getting stung by the unhappy bees is a
strong likelihood. This is why it is best not to tackle this job yourself. During the removal it is important
that the Queen bee be removed, for she is the reason all the workers are there, and without her there
will be no more egg-laying and any last few workers will leave.
Another method used by professionals is referred to as “funneling”, in which a one-way funnel is
placed over the entrance hole the bees are using to get into the wall. The bees that exit are enticed to
move into another small colony placed close to that funnel, and the workers that exit and cannot re-
enter their home in the wall will accept a new place.
This, of course, does not eliminate the Queen, who remains inside and continues to lay eggs as long
as there is honey to feed the developing larvae. Funneling is best done in the early spring, when the
bees have used up much of their stored honey by feeding on it over the long winter. After the workers
have been removed by funneling it still may take many weeks for the honey reserves to be Robbed
out by a small coliny brought out to preform this task. At this point the wax honeycomb still should be
physically removed if posible and the wall closed and resealed.
The old hive still can draw other honeybees to that point.
The funneling method is not a preferable method due to the time involved it could take from 30 to 90
days
allow them to continue their important work. Opening the walls,ceiling or eave of the structure and go
after the bees directly is usually the best solution and the most effective method to take. This is
accomplished by vacuuming them gently into a cage and later putting them in another hive. All of the
honeycomb will be cut out and removed, and in the process getting stung by the unhappy bees is a
strong likelihood. This is why it is best not to tackle this job yourself. During the removal it is important
that the Queen bee be removed, for she is the reason all the workers are there, and without her there
will be no more egg-laying and any last few workers will leave.
Another method used by professionals is referred to as “funneling”, in which a one-way funnel is
placed over the entrance hole the bees are using to get into the wall. The bees that exit are enticed to
move into another small colony placed close to that funnel, and the workers that exit and cannot re-
enter their home in the wall will accept a new place.
This, of course, does not eliminate the Queen, who remains inside and continues to lay eggs as long
as there is honey to feed the developing larvae. Funneling is best done in the early spring, when the
bees have used up much of their stored honey by feeding on it over the long winter. After the workers
have been removed by funneling it still may take many weeks for the honey reserves to be Robbed
out by a small coliny brought out to preform this task. At this point the wax honeycomb still should be
physically removed if posible and the wall closed and resealed.
The old hive still can draw other honeybees to that point.
The funneling method is not a preferable method due to the time involved it could take from 30 to 90
days
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