# beehive in attic



## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

I doubt that nest is even active. It seems quite large for a nest this early in the season. but I would still watch it for activity before doing anything. 

If no activity, it would be safe to remove. I would still proceed with caution though and wait until late in the day after it has cooled down. I would then take a garbage bag and envelope the nest all the way to the roof and break it off into the bag and seal it.

If it is active; all bets are off

It looks like you might be able to shoot it from the outside with some wasp and hornet killer spray. That is where I would start.


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## utilitylocator (Jan 13, 2009)

Im trying to get a jump start on the bee problem early. There are no bees yet, and I do believe they return to old nests.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

I always spray them 1st unless its in an area thats like 20f
I do not like being stung :no:


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## tpolk (Nov 7, 2009)

hornets will overwinter in a nest so i would spray as advised. no need for that kind of suprise
that looks like a white faced hornet nest


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## utilitylocator (Jan 13, 2009)

tpolk said:


> that looks like a white faced hornet nest


HMMMM.....never heard of it. I realy want the nest(s) gone while its still at the freezing mark.


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## tpolk (Nov 7, 2009)

they are here in va, uaually but not always in trees. they fly real fast in a straight line, you see the white face then they are on you. like yellow jackets they come in droves when disturbed


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

tpolk said:


> they are here in va, uaually but not always in trees. they fly real fast in a straight line, you see the white face then they are on you. like yellow jackets they come in droves when disturbed


If you can see their white faces as they are attacking, you are pointing the wrong direction!!:laughing:

It appears this is also known and the bald faced hornet, which is the term used in my area.

and as we discussed this before, wasps and hornets abandon the nests when winter comes.

from Wiki (the we know everything book)



> As winter approaches, the wasps die — except any just-fertilized queens. These hibernate underground or in hollow trees until spring. The nest itself is generally abandoned by winter, and will most likely not be reused. When spring arrives, the young queens emerge and the cycle begins again.


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## canadaclub (Oct 19, 2006)

lmao! when I was a kid I would have taken it out for a buck!:laughing: But seriously, I doubt the bees are active at this time of year. 

My first house had the same problem. I found a nest about 8' long between two floor joists. I removed it but they came back. I had to fine mesh all openings which I thought gave them entry. I also sprayed some WD40 on the joists they were attahed to. Worked for a couple of years but I have since sold the house so I don't know if it remedied the problem entirely.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Well I just took my soffit apart a few weeks ago & there were still 5 wasps alive that I found & killed
So can you please have the Wiki people come over to my house & walk around the house & tell any remaining wasps they should be dead by now

hmmmm...now that I think of it...it was a big yellow jacket nest I got rid of
Maybe a small wasp nest was there on the wood I took down


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## utilitylocator (Jan 13, 2009)

Man, I'd have a hard time abandoning a nice dry attic for an old hollow tree if I was planning on taking a long winter nap. Ya know what I mean?!?


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## canadaclub (Oct 19, 2006)

lmoa Scuba..I was painting and caulking a house last fall and after taking the phony shutters off, every one had a wasp nest behind them. But it was the top of 2nd story window flashing where the bumble bees were! I was stung 7 times on my face 4 times on my arms and I got paint all over the place while trying to stay secure 30 ft up on a ladder. My 'so called" partner was so busy laughing...may he R.I.P lol


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## utilitylocator (Jan 13, 2009)

So I think I am going to open up the vent hole to accomodate a larger air vent. I can than reach in through the vent and bag it. I think I should also seal up all the cracks and crevases that bees can use to access the attic as well...


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

Spray it with bee spray anyway, soak it good. Let it dry. Soak it a second time. This is to kill the queen and anyone else who was hibernating there before you manually remove it.


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## clb2010 (Mar 17, 2010)

Please spray first. Its just good practice and getting a face full of angry hornets is not fun so why take the chance?


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