Milt,

>At this point, I just want to get the bees out of the barrel - alive.  Is
>there hope?  The only opening is the bung-hole and it's not my barrel so I
>would not want to damage it.  Any ideas?
>
This idea is untested, as far as I know.  My brother lived for many
years in Australia.  A friend there had an overstuffed chair, on a
covered porch, that became a home to a swarm of bees.  I do not know how
long they lived in the chair.  Someone, who claimed to have experience,
suggested that a 'no-pest-strip' be placed 'near' the entrance.  They
tried it and the bees absconded after a couple days (I think it was).
How close the strip should be I do not know.  Recently I asked my
brother about this, but he did not recall much about the experience (he
was involved but not closely - he is not a beekeeper).  I would guess
that 3 or 4 feet would be a good place to start, but a better guess
might come from a reading of the label.  If all else fails you might try
this.  I have never had occasion to try, and I would love to hear the
results if you do try it.

Tom Elliott
Chugiak, AK

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