[ocba] Fwd: Hillsborough Home Colony

G. C. Palethorpe runsunix at mac.com
Sun May 11 22:19:50 EDT 2008


Many of the older houses are balloon framed, often there are not  
plates and headers where you might think, and nothing is tight.   
Moreover, the stud cavities are often open to space between floor  
joists.  It is very likely that the void around the window opens into  
a stud cavity, possibly into space between floor levels --but if it  
doesn't someone gets lucky.

I'm not telling you what to do, but you might want to think about  
what will happen if the weight goes up or down through the comb  
structure.  You might be able to probe with a borescope to see what  
you have before you start tearing apart the house.

-Chandler


On May 11, 2008, at 9:58 PM, lcauble at email.unc.edu wrote:

> Chandler,
> That's good info.  I don't have any experience with the old windows  
> with weights.  I was thinking that the bees have probably taken up  
> residence in a stud cavity
>
> Perhaps the first test would be to open and close the window.  If  
> the weights are moving freely, I'd say the bees are in the wall.   
> If the weights do not move freely, then the buggers are at the very  
> least in the void around the window and we can start there.
>
> One more old house framing question...
> Are many of the older houses balloon framed?  I am wondering if a  
> stud cavity in an older home may be open from top to bottom (bottom  
> of first floor to top of second floor).  Just trying to get a feel  
> for how much room they might have to work with in the wall if that  
> is where they are.
>
> I mostly understand new construction, but I'm not that up to speed  
> on older styles of building.
>
> I love working on these sorts of problems.
>
> Thanks again for the input.
>
>
>
> Lewis
>
>
> Quoting runsunix at mac.com:
>
>> I usually am a casual observer of the forum, but since i have   
>> extensive experience in building and remodeling i thought i would   
>> chime in just this once; hope it helps as i can't.
>>
>> If the house is old enough that the window sashes have cords w/  
>> weights, then the bees will almost certainly occupy the voids all  
>> the  way around the windows.  For each side of each sash a space  
>> with a  minimum of 2.5 inches is needed for proper function of the  
>> windows.   Usually the widows have similar spaces above and below  
>> the casings.   There may or may not be headers above the windows,  
>> and often the  framing is sloppy enough on older houses to allow  
>> bees to............
>>
>> Anyway, if the bees occupy just the window casing voids, they may  
>> be  removed by removing trim around the windows, something done   
>> periodically to replace sash cords anyway.  If the house has been   
>> remodeled to include sheetrock and replacement windows, the  
>> endeavor  becomes more complicated --we won't go there, but hard  
>> times make for  good memories!
>>
>> Best, Chandler
>>
>>
>> On May 11, 2008, at 6:37 PM, lcauble at email.unc.edu wrote:
>>
>>>  From my limited experience, it sounds to me like the removal will
>>> involve cutting sheetrock out of interior walls to access the bees.
>>> I'd be happy to get involved as long as they understand that  
>>> there  is a
>>> good chance that I will make an unholy mess and that they will  
>>> have to
>>> hire a sheetrock person to put things back in order.  This is  
>>> assuming
>>> that the interior walls are sheetrock and not plaster (whole 'nother
>>> can of worms).
>>>
>>> When I say unholy mess, I don't mean that I'm going in with a sledge
>>> and tearing out walls willy nilly.  I'll be as careful as  
>>> possible and
>>> only tear out what needs to come out.  Thing is, it's hard to say  
>>> what
>>> you might find when you open up the wall.  I think it's better to
>>> prepare the homeowner for the worst.
>>>
>>> I'd be happy to take a look at it if they are willing to consider  
>>> some
>>> light demolition in their house (not everyone is).
>>>
>>> Lewis
>>> 919.593.4823
>>>
>>>
>>> Quoting Jerome Schiro <jerome.schiro at gmail.com>:
>>>
>>>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>>> From: Jerome Schiro <jerome.schiro at gmail.com>
>>>> Date: May 10, 2008 10:58 PM
>>>> Subject: Hillsborough Home Colony
>>>> To: Becky Bollinger <beckyalis at gmail.com>
>>>>
>>>> Hi Becky,
>>>>
>>>> My neighbor asked me if I would like "some bees" that have taken
>>>> residence at his mother's house.  I went today to assess the   
>>>> situation.
>>>> Here's the story:
>>>>
>>>> The house is an older historic brick home with double hung  
>>>> wooden  cased
>>>> windows in West Hillsborough.  From what I can tell the colony  
>>>> is  using one
>>>> entrance.  The entrance is at the lower corner of a second  
>>>> story  window
>>>> where the wood casing and the brick meet.  I was able to view  
>>>> the  bees
>>>> entering and exiting  from the outside as well as watching them   
>>>> through the
>>>> window of the second story room.  My neighbor tells me that  
>>>> they  have been
>>>> there "for a few years", so it's likely an established colony.
>>>>
>>>> Is there anyone who would like to take a crack at this?  I will   
>>>> certainly
>>>> help but given the situation it will take more than my limited   
>>>> experience!!
>>>> I don't need an additional hive at this time.  Just thought I   
>>>> would help my
>>>> neighbor.  Look forward to hearing from you.
>>>>
>>>> Jerome Schiro
>>>> jerome.schiro at gmail.com
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>> North Carolina Beekeeping
>>> http://www.theocba.org/
>>
>>
>
>



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