swarm-list Mailing List: Re: Extraction from under a deck at Oakland Zoo pix

[Lucas Thornblade (lucas.thornblade]

Hi there.

Blake Vonderheide and I went to the zoo this afternoon and collected three frames of comb and a healthy queen.

Hoping the rest will follow suit tomorrow.

LT

On Jul 18, 2025, at 8:19 PM, Gerald Przybylski <gtp000000 [at] gmail.com> wrote:


Hi Lucas,
This is not at all like a swarm call.  No instant response required.
If you haven't done one of these jobs before I highly recommend you tag along with Nils or
whoever else is taking the lead.
You (someone) takes along a catch box with some foundationless frames in case there's
comb to rubber-band into them.
Best to include a bee-vac in the kit. It will simplify things a lot.
Power tools, like a power screw-driver or battery impact-driver with various sizes of philips bit and also Torx® bits.
I'm told the deck was built with screws, so removing deck boards will be pretty easy.
Will the best way in be via the top or via the side of the deck.
There are often surprises on jobs like this.

It will be important to look for other entrances, and try to get them all plugged, otherwise a future
swarm will sniff out the smells and move in next year or the year after.  The plugging up is
part of the job.

That's my 2¢

On 7/18/25 11:52 AM, Lucas Thornblade wrote:

Hi Gerry and Nils:

I wrote back earlier but not sure of the procedure. Sounds like Blake called the guy Greg at the Zoo but hasn’t gotten thru yet. I’m interested and about 10 mins from the zoo right now w some gear and an empty box in my vehicle. I’m new so just looking to get my 2nd colony. Blake said he’d be be happy to help mentor me w this one if we reach the zoo person. 

LT



On Jul 18, 2025, at 11:27 AM, Nils Joseph Kauffman via swarm-list <swarm-list [at] alamedabees.org> wrote:

I would be happy to volunteer on this or work with others on this. 

Nils

On Friday, July 18, 2025, Gerald Przybylski via swarm-list <swarm-list [at] alamedabees.org> wrote:

<zoo-ext.png>

They are definitely honey bees

Zoo    Oakland    Ca
   Under deck of back of vet clinic
Greg Flood    (510) 847-1193

They've been there for weeks.
The deck is put together with screws, not nails, so the disassembly and reassembly shouldn't be too complicated.

This could be a job for someone who wants get a little experience doing a cutout without the
risks associated with cutting into a bedroom wall, or having to worry about hidden utilities.

The zoo is a worthy institution, both for the animal rescue work they do, and as an educational institution.

cheers,
jerry

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