Just noticed I've got a bees nest in the kitchen extractor fan !!! Yes, they noticed the gap in the external cover and got in. I've phoned the local pest control and their option is to kill them but I'd rather have an option where they can carry on living. They're not actually causing a problem at the moment (but of course might multiply and be one in the future) so any advice on what to do. I'd have no problem leaving them there if they are going to move onto another nest and I can clean it out over winter. Oh, and I think they're bees as their front pair of wings are larger than the rear and their abdomen is mainly orange fur.

tks

Harvest the honey? 🙂

You could contact your local bee keeping association

one of the blokes at work keeps bees (or his wife does) so I have passed on your question.

Bees in an extractor fan in the kitchen?

Easy.

Leave them there, buy bread and simply switch on the fan whilst holding up a piece of bread for an automatic honey dispenser…

Bee keeping bloke tells me that if you can't remove the extractor (safely) then killing them is pretty much the only choice…… but I prefer mastiles_fanylion option 🙂

Tks for the replies and especially like the idea of the honey dispenser 😆

Think the hood is basically hooked over some brackets so might open the patio doors, lift off the hood and run like mad into the garden with it surrounded by a swarm of angry bees.

or phone the local bee keepers.

A mate keeps bees – think they may help for free if they get to keep them!

Precious bees. Keepers are always looking for ferals to improve their stock.

When I had one a beekeeper came and removced them for free.

Where are you based DaveGr?

I'm in Stratford on Avon. I think they're bumble bees rather than honey bees so won't be usefull for breeding stock.

If they are bumle bees they could be quite rare although useless for honey on the plus side bumble bee colonies dont get very big and they are pretty docile. If it was honey bees they'd be thousands and it would be quite scary.

Cover the extractor with a bit if cotton or similar on the inside.
Go to tobaconist and buy a pipe and aromatic tobacco.
Fill pipe with tobacco, light, then puff smoke towrds the extractor – simple.

gixer – then what? You done this yourself?

run around waving your hands in the air screaming like a little girl..

if its last resort, petrol fumes will kill bees. you dont need to burn the petrol, just the fumes will kill them.

but local beekeepers are a good start for advice. Most are hobbyists and a wee bung to them would probably get you sorted.

My solution relise on there being an outside part of the extractor fan which will lead to the open air, if it's an extractor hood then the wee blighters will be flying around the kitchen, so leave an outside door or window open. Cynic-al, i'm a non-smoker, but would like to think of this as a safe method 😯

If they're in an extractor fan, would it not bee 😉 too simplistic to turn said fan on and, erm, extract them?

The extractor fan is ducted through the wall so in effect it's a sealed unit meaning they shouldn't get into the kitchen …. unless they eat through the ducting 😯 …. which they might do if the colony gets too big for the space they're in !!!

Just nuke it from orbit, the only way to be sure.

Leave them alone? They are harmless so long as you do not leave anything in the kitchen to attract them.

so long as you do not leave anything in the kitchen to attract them.

Like food?