Nick W: You asked for "ideas" ?? Somed years ago a homeowner asked me to eradicate bees from an outbuilding. Not knowing what was there, I suited up and went inside. For once it was SO easy. Bumblebees had nested in a small hand pushed floor cleaner. I asked for a pan of water (preferably hot) large enough to accommodate the cleaner, and plunged the whole thing in at once. Easy, safe, effective, cheap etc <vbg> So..............maybe it would be possible to be inventive and remove bees from the colony with a power vaccuum cleaner, vented into a tank of water? (Some models are built with a water container, instead of using disposable dust bag). All the best, Eunice