[beeseeingyoulater]

Hello,
Sorry if this is not the right forum but I think some of my questions overlap with general bee questions (like their habits and behaviors, so I can figure out what's going on).

Yesterday (a sunny day) I came home around 4 PM and there was a swarm of bees(?) around the back of my house... maybe hundreds or maybe a thousand, maybe more, I'm not sure.


I could see they were hanging around and flying into and out of a smallish hole in a back exterior wall in an overhang above a door, and I could tell some were in a ceiling near it (between 2 floors) because I could hear them. They also found some ways of getting into my main living spaces (I'm not 100% sure how, maybe coming thru other pathways from the ceiling... I had a small crack/hole in the ceiling from a leak that was never fully patched up before... and/or maybe thru gaps in windows. I duct taped the internal holes I think they were coming in through.


Today a cloudy, overcast day with occasional very light rain, as of 1 PM I don't see any bees outside or near the exterior hole (yet) or hear any buzzing, there were only 2 very tired looking bees inside (they couldn't fly) and one dead one... maybe they were here since yesterday hiding somewhere and couldn't get out.


Pictures here: https://imgur.com/a/gGkpFEe

I live a little north of Boston, MA in the North East USA.


* Are these bees? What type?

* What is the chance they are still living inside the hole (even though I don't see any flying around anymore). Maybe because of the overcast / occasional light rain day they've decided to stay inside? I don't hear any buzzing or anything in the ceiling (yesterday I did). If they decide to stay in the hole today because of the occasional light rain, will I be able to hear them buzz or will they just be quiet and walk?

* Is it possible they just moved into the hole yesterday for some temporary stay and then left the same day (and that's why I don't see them today?)

* How do I make them move out if they're already in there? How do I make them not move back in if they left and are gonna come back?

I've heard of the following (but not sure if they work with my type of bee, or if they work at all)

1. moth balls (I guess I'd duct tape it near the hole),
2. spraying vinegar + water into the hole,
3. sprinkling cinnamon (I guess on the floor) under the hole,.
4. something else?

* I've heard regular bee enthusiasts can sometimes take them, but in my case there aren't many... there were hundreds yesterday, maybe thousands, but probably in the hundreds... and today I don't see any. Also, how would they get them out? Smoke and a vacuum or do they have to cut a hole in the wall? If cutting a hole, I'd rather hire a professional to reduce chance something goes wrong with the wall cutting... if a professional, how do they typically do it (dangerous chemicals or just smoke and vacuum)? The area I'm concerned about is basically my kitchen.

Thank you so much!

 

[shinbone]

Those are definitely honey bees.

None of your proposed solutions 1-4 will work. And, a regular pest exterminator will simply kill the hive in place, and then you will have all those dead bees, larva, pollen, wax, honey, etc. rotting and leaking within your walls, and attracting more pests.

As you surmised, the only way to remove the hive will be to call a professional bee remover to cut the hive out of the walls. A properly done removal will probably require some structural disassembly to get at all the parts of the hive.

 

[aran]

Those are definitely honey bees.

None of your proposed solutions 1-4 will work. And, a regular pest exterminator will simply kill the hive in place, and then you will have all those dead bees, larva, pollen, wax, honey, etc. rotting and leaking within your walls, and attracting more pests.

As you surmised, the only way to remove the hive will be to call a professional bee remover to cut the hive out of the walls. A properly done removal will probably require some structural disassembly to get at all the parts of the hive.

yup sounds like a cutout coming.

 

[beemandan]

a regular pest exterminator will simply kill the hive in place, and then you will have all those dead bees, larva, pollen, wax, honey, etc. rotting and leaking within your walls,

Unless they have just recently moved in. In that case there would only be the stench of dead, decomposing bees. While that ain't pretty....it goes away in a couple of weeks.

 

[squarepeg]

welcome to beesource bsyl!

sorry about the delay in your posts appearing, but glad you finally got in.

sometimes there is a delay with new members pending approval of attachments ect.

(i deleted your first two attempts)

 

[beeseeingyoulater]

welcome to beesource bsyl!

sorry about the delay in your posts appearing, but glad you finally got in.

sometimes there is a delay with new members pending approval of attachments ect.

(i deleted your first two attempts)

Thank you for the welcome, great website you have here

 

[beeseeingyoulater]

Those are definitely honey bees.

None of your proposed solutions 1-4 will work. And, a regular pest exterminator will simply kill the hive in place, and then you will have all those dead bees, larva, pollen, wax, honey, etc. rotting and leaking within your walls, and attracting more pests.

As you surmised, the only way to remove the hive will be to call a professional bee remover to cut the hive out of the walls. A properly done removal will probably require some structural disassembly to get at all the parts of the hive.

Thanks for the reply.

I can confirm yesterday there were bees, and I could hear them in the walls. Yesterday was sunny.

Today is overcast with light rain, no sign of bees coming into or out of the hole, no sounds of any bees buzzing inside the walls. (I don't have x-ray or any way to see what's inside the wall/ceiling.)

* Is there a chance the bees just temporarily went in there for whatever reason yesterday and left? It was definitely hundreds of bees in the area and bees going to the hole, but now there's nothing going on I can see.

* If bees were inside my ceiling/walls hiding from the weather, would I still be able to hear them? (I don't hear anything)

* It's going to be cloudy or rainy the next 5 days in a row, I was hoping to just monitor the hole and see if anything comes in or out during those days... how long would bees camp inside in this kind of weather without coming out?

I'd rather not have walls cut prematurely.

 

[beeseeingyoulater]

yup sounds like a cutout coming.

Unless they have just recently moved in. In that case there would only be the stench of dead, decomposing bees. While that ain't pretty....it goes away in a couple of weeks.

Thanks for the reply, can you please see my reply to shinbone? I don't want to cut out the walls straight away because today I don't notice any bees (more details and questions in my reply to him). Is it possible they left on their own in the same day?

 

[beemandan]

On the next warm sunny day, you should have an answer. If, for some reason they did not take up residence, you should fill that opening so that others don't move in.

 

[Fivej]

Like beemandan said check on the next sunny day. Bees do not like wet,cool weather so they will stay inside their hive. They may be relatively inactive so you can't hear them. If they are on the south/sunny side of your house you will observe them earlier on a sunny day. If not, they may not be active until later in the day. Technically, they can remain in a hive for months as they do in the winter. However, this time a year you are likely see a few come and go when its not raining.
If there is no activity on a sunny day, foam the hole(s)up with a can of spray foam from any hardware store. If its a little hole, caulk may be ok. There are beekeepers who will remove them if they has moved in. They will probably physically remove the combs (if there are any) and vacuum the bees without use of any chemicals. If they are establishing a new hive, it may be possible to drive them out with honey bee gone which is a natural, almond based liquid. They do not like the smell. Contact a beekeeper that does bee removal.

 

[shinbone]

Is there a chance the bees just temporarily went in there for whatever reason yesterday and left?

While possible, it is very unlikely that you had a swarm take up temporary residence, and then move on.

I would say there is no need to be in a rush, but I wouldn't delay for more than a week or two. Watch the hole for a few days. If it is above 60F and you still see bees, then it is time to call a professional bee remover.

 

[beemandan]

While possible, it is very unlikely that you had a swarm take up temporary residence, and then move on.

I was thinking about the possibility of scout bees. I’ve seen them pouring into and out of a potential nesting site but evidently choosing another home.
To a non beekeeper this could take on the appearance of bees moving in.
Again….next warm sunny day will tell.