Vernon beekeeper moves colony of bees

A hive of bees that made a home out of a homeowners shed was gently removed by a local beekeeper with a vacuum.

Beekeeper Dawn Tucker was called to a residence in Vernon to conduct a hive removal.

She said the removal was necessary because the bees had already moved into the shed they decided would be their new home.

If they were not removed, Tucker says the bees would start building comb and the queen would try to start to lay. In order to remove the bees without harming them, Tucker used a vacuum-like tool to collect them all.

“The vacuum has a specialized box and is able to be tempered so that while it sucks the bees up, they’re not harmed in the process,” said Tucker.

There is a box attached to the vacuum where the bees fall into, and Tucker says she put in a “hive box” so the bees can rest there until she brings them to their new home.

After the removal, Tucker brought the bees to her home where they will live. She says they seem to be doing well and she’s careful not to disturb them for a week, so they can adjust.

Tucker advises that in situations like these, it’s best to make sure the job is done properly or the bees can come back or their leftover honey can attract rodents to the area.