Bees!!!!

Dave L · 07-06-2008, 04:44 PM

I have bees, bees everywhere. They have decided that under my front stairs would be a perfect place to build a home. I dont see a building permit posted anywhere so I want them out.

I caulked the gap between the stairs and the walkway but they have dug around it. I have tried wasp/hornet spray (its what I had) but its not helping much. I have killed dozens of them at this point but I need to eliminate the problem at the source. The stairs are fixed and I cant remove them.

You can see in the corner of the picture I have shoveled some fine gravel and put a big rock on the new entrance but I am sure they will dig around it or go to the other side of the stairs and get in that way.

Any suggestions??

Danny_Ocean · 07-06-2008, 04:48 PM

Call a bee-keeper. Due to the current bee situation, I'm sure a bee-keeper will gladly take your bees without charge.

Dave L · 07-06-2008, 04:50 PM

I agree, but it think they need to take the whole nest, in this case it appears that that would be impossible

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Get your wallet out. I saw a show on this at Joeaksa's house the other night. You're in for a nightmare.

Dave L · 07-06-2008, 04:59 PM

I sent the Central Ontario Beekeepers' Association an email, hopefully they can recommend a bee keeper that will "take" the bees.

stevepaa · 07-06-2008, 06:05 PM

are they honey bees or hornets or wasps? That is a strange place for honey bees to make a hive.

Dave L · 07-06-2008, 06:20 PM

steve - bees, I had problems with wasps last year so I know the difference.

Rick - you are scaring me, on the way to Walmart to buy "supplies" I envisioned taking a sledge to the stairs to get at the hive. I really hope it doesnt come to that.

Update-

10pm, no bees around so I assume they are all in under the stairs, time for the second attack!

I dug up my temporary gravel barrier and filled the hole with half a can of wasp/hornet/bee foam. Its supposed to kill them but we will see. I then re-caulked further along the house and walkway to try and further seal off their entrance or exit if any of them survived the foam attack.

....to be continued....

Ronbo · 03:48 PM

I had bees about six months ago. First I only noticed a few, then slowly noticed more and more. They set up home under the floor of my balcony, above the garage. I finally called a bee removal company to take care of it. they had to go in through the garage ceiling to remove the hive, which was constructed between the wood frame (2x4s?) of the house. What they removed filled two and a half large bags.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Ronbo, what was that bill?

Dave L · 07-07-2008, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Ronbo, what was that bill?

yes please Ronbo, do tell.

stevepaa · 07-07-2008, 08:02 AM

Dave, if I was close by I would taek care of it for you. Yeah, I used to be a beekeeeper.

Blocking their exits and using foam should have done the tick.

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

Occasionally I get carpenter bees burrowing holes into my deck. I found the quick fix for them is, once I locate there burrowing spot, fill it with grease. I wonder how effective that would be to fill in the hole where they're getting under your porch. Might be a bit messy for a while, but...? (Just my own $.02...and worth every cent of it!

)

Randy

masraum · 07-07-2008, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcecale

Occasionally I get carpenter bees burrowing holes into my deck. I found the quick fix for them is, once I locate there burrowing spot, fill it with grease. I wonder how effective that would be to fill in the hole where they're getting under your porch. Might be a bit messy for a while, but...? (Just my own $.02...and worth every cent of it!

)

Randy

My parents have a house in FL. Carpenter bees attack it too. They used to spray WD40 into the hole after the bee. That worked really well, but my mom has since found a guy that treats the house with a cocktail of insecticides that prevents the holes entirely.

JavaBrewer · JavaBrewer's Garage

I like the expanding foam idea but wonder how many access holes you'll need to find and fill?

schamp · 07-07-2008, 08:58 AM

If you could get a fogger in there or rig up a hose hooked up to a fogger it might work. Might get some smell till it dries up. Hope its just regular honey bees.

Dave L · 07-07-2008, 12:48 PM

UPDATE -

The foam from last night appears to have worked as I havent seen any bees around today. There was only one access point that I saw them using so it is now well sealed with caulking. The only way they would be able to get in would be to borough under the patio stone to get under the stairs.

What I did differently this time was I sprayed the foam in at 10pm then sealed it. I think all of the bees would have been "home" by then and the foam would have done them in. Sealing it ensured none would get out. The last time I did it I just sealed it in the middle of the day so there were still bees outside. They seem like VERY determined creatures and found a way around my first effort to seal up the stairs.

Dave L · 07-07-2008, 12:49 PM

UPDATE -

The foam from last night appears to have worked as I havent seen any bees around today. There was only one access point that I saw them using so it is now well sealed with caulking. The only way they would be able to get in would be to borough under the patio stone to get under the stairs.

What I did differently this time was I sprayed the foam in at 10pm then sealed it. I think all of the bees would have been "home" by then and the foam would have done them in. Sealing it ensured none would get out. The last time I did it I just sealed it in the middle of the day so there were still bees outside. They seem like VERY determined creatures and found a way around my first effort to seal up the stairs.

Ronbo · 07-07-2008, 03:53 PM

The bill to remove the bees and hive and repair the holes they made to the garage ceiling was $400-ish. It took them the better part of 2 days to do this. It also came with a 5 year guarantee that they won't return to that area. They mentioned that the key to bee removal is to get the queen.

Joeaksa · 07-07-2008, 04:28 PM

The bill in my case was $499, up from $250 18 months ago when it happened on the back porch. This time they had just started swarming and the comb was about the size of a paperback book.

I feel your pain... had a lot better places to spend $750 for nothing...

Joeaksa · 07-07-2008, 04:29 PM

The bill in my case was $499, up from $250 18 months ago when it happened on the back porch. This time they had just started swarming and the comb was about the size of a paperback book.

I feel your pain... had a lot better places to spend $750 for nothing...