Welcome back to the Bee Sanctuary! Today’s mission brought us to a home in Hide Bo for a roof removal with a twist. Unlike our typical top-down tile removals, these roof tiles were fixed, forcing us to go through the bathroom ceiling—directly above the shower.

The Situation: Moisture and Mistakes

Every removal is different, and this one presented two immediate challenges:

1. Soft Ceiling Boards: Years of steam from the shower had made the ceiling boards incredibly soft. This made cutting easy, but it also meant we had to be extra careful with the structural integrity of the area as we worked.
2. The “Doom” Factor: The homeowners had attempted to resolve the issue themselves using an insecticide spray. We always urge people: please don’t spray bees. It rarely solves the problem, it makes the bees more aggressive, and it complicates the rescue because we have to ensure the colony isn’t poisoned before moving them to our formal apiary.

The Extraction: A Cramped Cavity

With extra hands from Zalani today, we began the delicate process of opening up the ceiling.

• The Hunt: We initially hoped the colony was contained to a small area, but as we cut, we realized they had moved “over the wall” into a neighboring cavity.
• The Layout: Once we had clear sight, we found a well-organized nest. The bottom sections were packed with healthy brood (baby bees), while the top was capped with a thick crown of honey.
• The Tactic: We used the vacuum to clear the workers from the face of the comb. By clearing the “curtain” of bees first, we could safely assess the frame size and start cutting out sections of brood to mount into our transport boxes.

Moving to the Farm

Despite the cramped space and the soft ceiling, we were able to extract several high-quality frames of brood. Because of the previous insecticide use, we’ll be monitoring this colony closely at our formal apiary to ensure the Queen is laying healthy eggs and the workers are recovering well.

Want to see how this “Shower Colony” settles into the farm life?

Make sure to Subscribe to the Bee Sanctuary and hit the Like button! Your support helps us provide professional removals and save colonies that might otherwise be destroyed by DIY attempts.

Quick Question: If you found bees in your bathroom, would your first instinct be to grab a spray can or call a beekeeper? Let’s talk about safer alternatives in the comments!