Cut Out Suggestion?

[LandellApiaries]

I have a cut out to do in the front steps of an elderly couples home. The steps are brick and have a 3 inch concrete slab on top. The bees are entering along a crack on the side of the steps.

I have not done much masonry work, so my initial thoughts were to gut the grout around the bricks on one side to access the colony. I am not thinking there might be block behind them, or at least multiple layers of brick?? and the best way is to cut the slab with a demo saw and remove them from there.

Any suggestions on how to do this one?

[dixiebooks]

Can the concrete slab be removed? (Got a sledgehammer?) If so, that may the simplest and least destructive route. After the removal, a new slab could be poured if you have to break the old one. Are you sure they aren't getting in behind that blue board? I can't tell from the vid. -james

[jrbbees]

Seriously look at trap out. No distruction!

[okbees]

Under the assumption that the hive is somewhere in a void area of the steps, I would use a trap out. Any honey/comb left after the bee removal is not in a house wall, etc, that would induce any further issues.

[Bsweet]

I'd do a trap out if it was me. If done properly there will not be any honey left and wax comb ain't going to self combust any sooner than a paper wasp nest or a mouse nest in a wall. Jim

[LandellApiaries]

I met with the owners yesterday. The wife has gone into anaphylactic shock before and the husband is only allergic to wasps and hornets, not honeybees. Because of this I have abandoned the trap out idea, and they do not want a bait hive on the property. There is no access to the colony from behind the steps and from what I could see with a borescope, there is all new white comb. This was probably a swarm from this year. I gave the homeowner a quote to remove the top landing and extract the bees, but, they are concerned with the allergy issue and asked me to just exterminate. I don't do exterminations as I am not here to kill bees, but left them with a quote and proposal if they change their mind.