Jo Lynne,

You seem to be searching for something that probably can't be found.
Unfortunately there's no simple solution to getting rid of bees within a wall
once they're established.  Hives take up space.  Even if you had the bees killed
you'd still have a wall full of wax and honey.  Most established hives within
walls cover 4-8 feet (by ~3" wide).

If you want to replace the beehive with insulation, the proper solution is to pay
a beekeeper to open up the hive (from inside or outside) to remove the bees and
cut out the wax and honey.

You could have the hive exterminated and on a hot day the hive might melt to
create the proper cavity for blown-in insulation.  However, I would guess the
resulting mess would be something you would despise - along with the stench of
rotting brood (baby bees).

How would you find a beekeeper to take out the hive?  Contact your local bee club
or ask a few questions of a beekeeper from a nearby farmer's market.  Be warned
that very few beekeepers will take on the messy job.  I do hive removals all the
time here but am reluctant to take apart the side of a house.  Old houses with
hollow walls are tough to dismantle without making a mess inside & out.

I wonder what the R-value is of a beehive?  They do generate a bit of heat during
winter.  Perhaps the best advice is to do nothing with that section and insulate
the surrounding wall.

Good luck.

Matthew Westall
     //        Earthling Bees
 >8(())))-     "Take me to your feeder"
     \\        Castle Rock, CO,  USA


[log in to unmask] wrote:

> the bees are in the outside wall of the house. we have been remodeling the
> house for two years. we need to get them out so we can blow in insulation. if