We recently heard a horrifying account from a friend about a sudden honeybee infestation in a chimney. She came home to several bees buzzing around her living room, and then realized they were coming in through the chimney! We were impressed with her quick thinking — she immediately covered the fireplace opening with a huge sheet of Saran Wrap, and then taped a piece of painter’s plastic over that to create a seal.
If you have a fireplace and chimney, you could encounter a similar scenario if bees opt to build a hive in the chimney. So the big question is: what to do?
Our friend received some conflicting advice. Area pest experts told her to light a fire, and the heat and smoke would drive the bees out. Others, however, advised a complete removal of the hive, which will help ensure the bees don’t return.
There’s a DIY method to removing the bees, but it’s time-consuming. You can seal the chimney except for a single entrance point at the top, and using a mesh cone to help funnel the bees out, you can drive them into an adjoining box hive, which can then be taken to a far away location and released.
One of the big problems? This can take several weeks, and you may not have that much time or patience. We recommend calling in a specialist with experience in bee removal. Your chimney may suffer if bricks have to be removed in order to get to the hive, but the chimney can be fixed once the bees are completely gone.
Have you experienced a bee infestation in your chimney or home? How did you deal with it?
Photo: Flickr.com/photos/joosteto/55140865
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