Homeowner where I collected my last swarm wants the bees gone from the tree they are living in. They've been in there for a few years.
It's about 45 minutes from home, I want to help the guy... but I don't want to be driving out there every day for weeks on end. He and his wife have a new kid that's just getting old enough to start running around the yard and he's worried it may end up being a problem. I get that standpoint and would rather 1) keep the bees from being needlessly killed while maybe getting the genetics of the hive and 2) come to a satisfying conclusion for the home owner that doesn't result in someone ending up stung 50 times trying to dish soap or hose the hive to death.
What are my options. The hole in the tree is eye level and easy access all the way around. I do not know how big the cavity in the tree is, but with the way this hive has thrown swarms in the past my guess is that it is pretty big. He says some days there are so many bees that he and his wife have to walk the other way around the house to avoid them.
The other problem will be trying to seal up the tree if I can get them trapped out (and there will still be comb/honey/brood). As you can see, the branch that died there left a big opening. There are at least two small holes they are using, one being up at the top of that section, the other the obvious hole near the bottom. I don't know how you could reliably seal that big of an area? At that point I wonder if I should try to remove that entire dead chunk and see if the colony is accessible for cutting out once it's gone?
Just looking for ideas/opinions.
Thanks!
It's about 45 minutes from home, I want to help the guy... but I don't want to be driving out there every day for weeks on end. He and his wife have a new kid that's just getting old enough to start running around the yard and he's worried it may end up being a problem. I get that standpoint and would rather 1) keep the bees from being needlessly killed while maybe getting the genetics of the hive and 2) come to a satisfying conclusion for the home owner that doesn't result in someone ending up stung 50 times trying to dish soap or hose the hive to death.
What are my options. The hole in the tree is eye level and easy access all the way around. I do not know how big the cavity in the tree is, but with the way this hive has thrown swarms in the past my guess is that it is pretty big. He says some days there are so many bees that he and his wife have to walk the other way around the house to avoid them.

The other problem will be trying to seal up the tree if I can get them trapped out (and there will still be comb/honey/brood). As you can see, the branch that died there left a big opening. There are at least two small holes they are using, one being up at the top of that section, the other the obvious hole near the bottom. I don't know how you could reliably seal that big of an area? At that point I wonder if I should try to remove that entire dead chunk and see if the colony is accessible for cutting out once it's gone?
Just looking for ideas/opinions.
Thanks!