The strangest part is this: about 10 days after the operation, several dozen bees suddenly showed up one evening after dark around the center light that I mentioned. They were flying around in a large area and were all over the light. I employed a desperate measure, which I usually avoid: spraying Raid ant killer in spritzes right at them and around the edge of the down light. I am very particular about these commercial sprays, because I do not want to accidentally get the stuff on my skin, nor put in a place where the dogs would walk on it. However, they all went down; later I saw a bunch freshly accumulated on the mat outside the patio door. I don't know where all these were for 10 days, but now I think we are completely rid of them. -30-
Description of Work: In a 24-yr old house with a California red tile roof, which we bought during the framing and have continuously occupied since, there was a beehive established in a 2nd floor corner. We ignored the bees for the most part for many years; previously had two exterminators in, probably 10 yr. ago. They did virtually nothing. The second one, maybe 8 yr ago, said they would have to tear out the dry wall in the second floor, corner of the master suite, that side opening onto a balcony. He did not explain that it was the only complete solution, so I rejected it for the time being. Late in August 2012, the next-door neighbor called (this is legally a condominium complex because of the small amount of land actually owned by the home owner (excludes the front yard, for example), but the single-family houses are all detached stand-alone. The neighbor is 15-20 ft away, with a fence in between. They have been there 4 yr (orig owners contemporary with us, sold out), and have a new infant child. Apparently they like to sit outside a lot and were disturbed by the bees. The few bees that have ever come around our 1st floor patio door were always crawling as if disabled, and died at the edge of the door. A few got in and crawled, and fewer still flew around the overhead light until burned by the heat of the spotlight down light (until we replaced it with a fluorescent CFL in the shape of the spotlight). Starting in the neighborhood, I called this vendor (his business location is just around the corner, a mile at most). We are in a community incorporated with others into a city just 25 yr. ago It is still a country type area; only a very few miles and one is out in the desert and mountains. The vendor came with an assistant to look over the situation. He reaffirmed that it had to be dug into. They would come out in 2 days hence. I get up very late mornings, but I assumed they would be here at 8 a.m., so I was going to be ready, but I forgot to tell him that. He came at 8 but I failed to get up after a long night, and he went away. They called, and I apologized for the lack of communication. He said he had to go into L.A. during the day, but would be back for the job at 3p.m. He actually came at 5 but finished before dark (7 p.m). I thought that it would take a lot longer. small town community advantage: He explained that he had 5yr old twins and an 3 mo. old infant child who was in the hospital for surgery and he had been rather distracted. He was very pleasant and apologetic, said he would send a guy to repair the dry wall the next day. It turned out to be the 2nd day, but I don't care because my schedule is virtually non-existent. (I am 84 y.o.) I put up a baby gate in one doorway, so the dogs and I stayed in the family room while on both days the workers came and went freely in and out the front door and up the stairs. It was all a very pleasant experience. He carried out at least three big 33-36 gallon trash bags with the honeycomb. It was very dense, so there was not much volume in each bag, but heavy. He said that if the bees had had an ordered environment (like professional beekeepers), the honey could have been consumed, but the whole thing was so chaotic and the digging out so haphazard, that it was just not possible. He came with the guy on Friday to start the dry wall, then came back again to inspect it when the repair was done. The cost was actually split $500 for the extermination plus $300 for the dry wall repair. I don't know how these prices compare with anyone; I only knew that the job had to be done and they seemed like good people. There were a couple or three bees that were flying around sometime after they left, so I concluded that these had gotten away. I really did not want to know how he captured the bulk of them--he voluntarily made a remark that they were awfully angry.