Advice please

[Mike M]

My wife and I purchased a property in NE Pennsylvania about a year and a half ago and are in the process of building our retirement/vacation home there. The old farm house is completely infested with honey bees. So much so that we have named the place Bee Haven.

I would like to start my own hives there next year. My question is what do you beekeeping gurus think about me setting up a hive now in hopes of luring a swarm from the house so that I have a head start for next Spring?

We plan to knock down the old farmhouse, probably next winter due to the bees. This would likely kill most of the bees in the walls. It would be a shame to have to buy new bees when I have a large supply there already.

Thanks in advance for your responses. I've already learned a lot from lurking here and I'm sure I'll be asking lots more questions.

Mike

[mark williams]

If you are going to knock the house down anyway,Why don't you go in the wall's & remove the bee's?
If you got some hives & frames you could save the bees if you'll do it now.>>>>Mark

[Mitch]

I would get a bee vac or build one and start sucking them from the wall now.This would give you a fine start.if you are tearing down the place anyway you can just take it apart wall by wall if there are more than one hive of bees.UI would want to wait till next spring if you do not get them out now.If these bees have been there year after year they are survivors and resistant to mites. I would do my best to try and get them out and not kill them.There may be someone close to you on here that will be willing to help i am sure.

[ScadsOBees]

How many seperate colonies are in that house??

It sounds like you have more than a few hives in there if that is why you are destroying the house.

They could throw a swarm or two per colony, depending on the health of the bees. I would imagine that you'd need to get a swarm trap or two with a swarm lure out pretty quick since the season is on us now.

And I'd agree with the previous caller that you can also go in and cut out any of the hives that currently live there, although I'd recommend getting somebody who knows bees to help you if you have no experience.

[Mike M]

There appears to be at least three active colonies. There are three areas of extreme activity anyway.

The house is almost a hundred years old and is already falling apart. It would be torn down regardless of bees. There have been bees in the house for as long as I can remember. It was my wife's uncles place and he used to have problems with bears trying to tear his walls apart.

Last winter we tore out a section of wall and took out all the bees and honey (sorry). I thought that would get rid of them but this year they're back stronger than ever.

I am a TOTAL beginner (a newbee :D ). Is there anyone on here from Luzerne or Columbia County PA that I might call on to help?

Thanks again,

Mike

[Michael Bush]

I wouldn't destroy the house over bees. But then I've removed plenty of bees. If you're willing to tear down the house anyway, as mentioned, I'd open up the walls and cut out the combs and tie them in frames in a hive. If you can find an experienced beekeeper to help, that would be wise, but that's how I started.

http://www.kohala.net/bees/capture/index.html