Cutout call for a guy who sprayed the bees

[HiveMind]

So a guy called me for bee removal. Sounds like a swarm has taken up residence in the wall of his home. He asked me about some Hornet & Wasp spray that he sprayed the entrance with. He seems to believe that this is not effective against honeybees because the bees keep coming and going from the wall.

So my question is this: I'd like to perform a cutout and take this guy's bees off of his hands. But since he's already sprayed the hive entrance is there a good chance that these bees will just die from poisoning anyway? What would you do if you were in my shoes?

[pturley]

Get paid well to do the cut-out as the bees aren't worth much now.

If you have the equipment to spare, you could try to hive them and see if they can make it but many pesticides bioaccumulate to lethal levels over time (residual kill). I would think it's likely they are going to die.

I am a newbee, so I'd likely still do it for experience, but certainly not for free (or cheap, get paid for your time). I also wouldn't commit much in the way of materials to trying to save them, a nuc at best. The rest of the comb should go in the trash as you likely can't even save the wax at this point.

Sincerely,
Paul E. Turley

[rweakley]

I don't know if in the end it makes much difference or not, but I ALWAYS pass if they have been sprayed. My opinion at that point is, "You made the mess, you clean it up".

[Birdman]

Charge twice what you would for job.

[charmd2]

the half life on all the sprays is that within a few days the spray is useless anyway. If he didn't seven dust the bees I would happily do the cut out and take the bees home. The spray normally doesn't go far into the hive. How many "terrified" people are going to go close to the hole and use a whole can of spray anyway? From ten feet away I doubt they got much inside anyway.

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

Charge em good. 50 bucks a hour, .50cents a mile.
mike

[HiveMind]

I'm thinking about taking this approach.
1) Ask them to stop spraying the bees
2) Wait 3-4 days to see if the bees live (and to let the poison wear off)
3) If the colony is still doing fine after a few days then I'll charge a premium to come out and do the cutout

Thanks for the great advice! And keep it coming, by the way.

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

That sounds good. CHARGE EM THOUGH!!!
mike

[Oldtimer]

Been in this position myself a few times, it's a crap shoot. The bees will almost certainly dwindle quickly the first few days after you rescue them. They may then survive, or die out completely, I've had both outcomes.

[Bsweet]

I'd do it and take my chances, some perfect cut outs don't make it anyway.But I charge $100-$200. extra above my normal hourly fee just because they have been sprayed. Jim

[bluegrass]

My only concern would be the contamination of anything I use to do the cutout and then bringing it into my other hives. Like others have said, charge well and wash your suit well afterwards.

[honeyman46408]

If some one tells me they have sprayed the bees then want`s me to remove them I tell them to keep them, but I will tell them what they can expect if the bees die in the wall

[Michael Bush]

My theory is I don't want sprayed bees and I have better things to do. If you have the time and are getting paid enough, it might be worth it. But I wouldn't count on getting any bees. You might.

[Apiator]

And be sure to give the guy all the Raid-flavored honey you take out.

[Batman]

I will tell them what they can expect if the bees die in the wall

+1.

Ed, If profanity is ignorance made audible, is spraying bees in a wall ignorance in action?

I have done cutouts in walls that have been sprayed, I'm providing a service more than rescuing bees, this service also costs $. I have had success with the bees also, but I NEVER bring the comb home. I cut that down and throw it out. I also do NOT do the repairs, that's on them too. I am not a general contractor and don't need someone who's repair wasn't done right and leaking or something then have them come after me, my contract that I have them sign before I start clearly states that I am not responsible for repairs. Usually the spray has not really penetrated in far enough to effect the bees, since the holes were no where near the comb. Then people can't understand why the bees keep coming back....it's because they never left, all you killed was a few guards you (insert choice word here). Write up a contract and cover yourself. Walk them thru what you plan to do. Have fun and makes some money.
I have a school that called me and I was going to get a swarm from them in a tree about 6 ft up. I was not going to charge anything since the schools are in such dire straits with $. I don't charge for such a simple task, but found most people are willing to part with a little $ for gas since they know fuel costs. Well before I left the school super called and said they flew off. Later I find out they were sprayed and killed. Now I have the super calling me to let me know they have bees in the wall at the district office that they want me to take care of. There's a small problem, it just became a job. Now it's going to cost them for my time. Guess I will have to call them today to see what they want to do.

C2

[baldwinbees]

charge double...don't take any comb...cover your gloves with exam gloves...residual can last months depending....it can be nasty&slimy...look at it as a regular job&get paid,while you let him know that every 4th bite he puts in his mouth tonite he can thank a bee for...well he can't since he killed them...guess he should eat 25%less for a while

[honeyman46408]

+1.

Ed, If profanity is ignorance made audible, is spraying bees in a wall ignorance in action?

C2

Yes I think it is but we as beekeepers have to keep telling the story over and over (because John Q public is ignorant about bees) every time I remove a swarm I give a "bee" lesson and a lot of times when I sell a jar of honey I give a bee lesson.

[Batman]

Yes I think it is but we as beekeepers have to keep telling the story over and over (because John Q public is ignorant about bees) every time I remove a swarm I give a "bee" lesson and a lot of times when I sell a jar of honey I give a bee lesson.

I do the same thing. It's our passion for the little critters that makes us who we are and why we do it. I genereally get the same questions over and over when going on calls. I'm almost tempted to make a laminated pamphlet with the top questions that I get asked while dealing with bees just to save some time. There have been times when I spend more time chatting with the people and answering the their questions then it takes to actually round up the bees. It's ok though, I enjoy talking to them and helping educate them about bees. They are eatting up the pics of my son helping me.

C2

[HiveMind]

Boy I'm learning a lot. So yesterday I did give them a call and asked them to stop spraying the bees. Told them that we'll wait a few days and see if the bees live. And then I can come out at that time if the bees are still alive and well. That's when the wife told me her husband might be outside plugging the entrance up. So I'm guessing these people will end up with a wall full of dead bees one way or another.

So, if they're just too cheap to get a pro out there to do a proper cutout, what is the harm to their home if they end up with a bunch of dead bees in the wall? And what if they block the hive entrance and there is comb in the wall? Will they potentially end up with bigger problems if they don't deal with this the right way?

[Bsweet]

Well lets see, The bees WILL look for another way out andit may lead to to interior of the home, if they do die inside the wall they will have rotting decomposing bees, the brood if any will die and decompose. The wax comd will start to get warm and melt releasing the honey/water/nectur which will ferment, it will begin to soak and seap through the wall/cealing and dripping onto the floor/carpet. While all this is going on they can expect rats/mice possil
bly fly maggots,ants and roaches. Unless the hubby is a good handyman they will have to have someone rip the wall out to clean up the mess within the wall and make repairs,call an exterminator for the ants/mice/rats,roaches and clean or replace the flooring/carpet. Seems to me cheaper to hire a keeper to do a cutout in thhe first place. Jim