Professional Bee Removal FAQs

Bee Removal

The honey bees are removed alive and relocated in a live bee removal. The goal of a professional bee remover is to safely and thoroughly remove the bees from the structure.

• Safely open the structure
• Safely remove bees
• Remove comb and debris from cavity
• Seal the cavity back up
• Relocate bees

Live bee removals can be done on structures, trees, statues, pillars, just about anywhere a bee hive can form, they can be removed.

There are several styles of bee removals that may be used:

• Structural Removal – this is our specialty, in a structural removal the construction is considered and the best method is decided in order to make repair as easy as possible once the job is complete. The bees are gently and safely removed, comb is removed, the cavity is typically refilled with insulation or something to create a barrier to discourage another bee hive moving in, the hole is sealed up.
• Forced Abscond – this is not ideal in most structural removals since it will leave behind the comb, honey, and baby bees. This method gently forces or moves the bees off the comb and out of their nest using smoke to simulate a fire. The beekeeper finds the queen, puts her into a new box, allows the bees to settle down, and once the bees have all relocated into the new box with the queen – the job is complete. This works well in situations where opening up the tree or “structure” is not an option. Again, it’s not ideal for home construction as it will leave honey, pollen, and baby bees behind to rot once the bees are no longer there to care for the hive.
• Open Air Hive Removal – in cases where the hive is fully exposed, a beekeeper can easily remove the hive safely by cutting away each piece of comb and relocating the bees into a new hive box.
• Swarm capture – In cases where the bees have not fully established a hive and are still a “swarm”, beekeepers can remove the hive easily and safely with minimal tools. Once the queen is captured and the bees are settled into a new box, the job is done!

Extermination

Extermination is not a good option for “removing” honey bees from your property. Not only are you unnecessarily killing honey bees, but there are many practical reasons to avoid extermination as well.

• Beneficial bees killed
• Leftovers draw insects and mold
• Honey seeps into house and walls
• Old nest attracts new bees
• Insecticide contaminates
• Other beehives harmed

The only exceptions to preferring termination instead of live removal is in the case of overly aggressive bees in a highly populated area. While not common, there are situations where after assessment, extermination may be a better, safer option. This should not, however, be a first resort.

We do not do extermination of bee hives but can refer you to a pest control professional.