Changing entrance to hive

1007 Views 6 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Michael Bush, Apr 18, 2014

colmwiggle

Discussion Starter · Apr 18, 2014

Hi all,

I am fortunate enough to have a hive of Irish honeybees, unfortunately it is in a cavity wall on my property. I was wondering if it was possible to move or change the entrance to the hive because the current entrance is just above the door into the property and makes me, my partner, child and guests nervous coming and going.
As I see it I have two options,

1. Construct a pipe "corridor" out of guttering or similar and run it around the corner of the property and connect it up to the entrance to the hive (overnight) and hope that the bees will be ok with the new arrangement

or

2. Drill a hole in the wall and hope 1. That I aim right and 2. That they use that new hole to come and go.

The other thing I'm concerned about is the cavity in the wall filling up with honey or do ye think that is an issue?. I look forward to getting some good advice from ye.

Thanks

PS No swarms yet

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Rader Sidetrack

· #2 · Apr 18, 2014

Welcome to Beesource!

Yours is certainly an unusual post!

Most people posting here want info about removing bees from a structure humans also live in.

You can use a pipe to redirect bees. There are plenty of indoor observation hives that use similar pipes to provide bees with an entrance/exit.

Photo linked from (and more here): http://www.bushfarms.com/beesobservationhives.htm

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Michael Bush

· #3 · Apr 18, 2014

>1. Construct a pipe "corridor" out of guttering or similar and run it around the corner of the property and connect it up to the entrance to the hive (overnight) and hope that the bees will be ok with the new arrangement

As long as it's not too long this can work. The longer it is the less successful... Of course you'll have to close off the old entrance.

> 2. Drill a hole in the wall and hope 1. That I aim right and 2. That they use that new hole to come and go.

Again, if you close off the old entrance this could work. Odds are if you make the hole into the space they are in, this would work better for them. Maybe or maybe not for you...

> The other thing I'm concerned about is the cavity in the wall filling up with honey or do ye think that is an issue?

It will definitely fill up if it's not already full...

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BeeTech

· #4 · Apr 18, 2014

My advice is to do a cut-out and put them into a proper hive. This allows inspection and management and will result in healthier and more productive bees. Also in many places it is illegal to have bees in a hive that cannot be inspected. Besides even a healthy hive produces a lot of crap that you don't wan inside your walls, and if the hive dies. . . . even more, plus fermenting honey!

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colmwiggle

Discussion Starter · #5 · Apr 18, 2014

BeeTech said:
My advice is to do a cut-out and put them into a proper hive. This allows inspection and management and will result in healthier and more productive bees. Also in many places it is illegal to have bees in a hive that cannot be inspected. Besides even a healthy hive produces a lot of crap that you don't wan inside your walls, and if the hive dies. . . . even more, plus fermenting honey!

Crikey! A cut out! That sounds like a loud, destructive, messy and expensive job, angle grinders in summer + bees = headaches + stings and end of the hive. Not good. Wont be doing that now, I don't think.

Cavity filling up with honey sounds like a bee timebomb...

The first answer was my favorite.

Am I right in thinking that if I want to move the hive altogether I have to bust into the wall and remove all the comb...

Sounds like a bit more involved than I was hoping.

I dont want to interfere with them at all really, bees are not in great shape but I don't want a house with honey seeping out of the walls...

Need more information and advice please

Thanks for replys so far

c

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F6Hawk

· #6 · Apr 18, 2014

The longer you leave them there, the larger the hive, comb, and honey stores become. In a perfect world, they will live for years and the hive will never collapse. But what if they take off, as sometimes bees do in nature? Then you won't have to worry about getting stung when entering, just about all the melting honey & wax, plus all the critters those will attract (ants, beetles, moths, and basically anything that likes sweets). Runny honey does not mix well with either wood nor plaster walls.

Cutting it out is the best option, I think. Only YOU can decide when you will do it.

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Michael Bush

· #7 · Apr 18, 2014

>Am I right in thinking that if I want to move the hive altogether I have to bust into the wall and remove all the comb...

What is the wall made of?

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