Honey bees are a beneficial species, playing a role in the ecosystem through the pollination of numerous plants and food crops. Due to their agricultural importance and declining worldwide populations, humane removal is the preferred approach when bees establish a presence near a home.
This method ensures the colony is preserved and relocated to a safe environment where they can continue their work. This approach requires first determining the nature of the bee activity to select the correct removal strategy.
Distinguishing Between a Swarm and an Established Hive
Identifying whether the bees are a temporary swarm or a permanent, established hive is the first step toward humane removal. A honey bee swarm appears as a dense, exposed cluster of bees, often hanging from a tree branch, a fence, or on the side of a structure. This cluster is typically docile because the bees are focused on protecting their queen and are engorged with honey for the journey to a new home. Swarms are temporary, usually resting for a few hours to a few days while scout bees search for a suitable cavity.
An established hive, conversely, is a settled colony hidden within a protected cavity, such as a wall void, chimney, or attic space. The telltale sign of an established hive is consistent, heavy bee traffic entering and exiting a small opening. These bees are defensive because they are protecting their brood (developing young) and stored honey. An established hive requires a specialized, more involved removal process than a simple swarm collection.
Immediate Non-Lethal Deterrents
While waiting for a professional to arrive, homeowners can use temporary, non-lethal measures to encourage the bees to remain calm or slightly shift their location. Honey bees rely heavily on their sense of smell for communication and orientation, making strong scents effective short-term deterrents. Essential oils like peppermint, citronella, clove, and eucalyptus disrupt the bees’ chemical signaling. Applying a diluted spray or placing cotton balls soaked in these oils near the entrance point may discourage activity in that specific area.
Beekeepers often use smoke to mask the bees’ alarm pheromones, which helps keep them calm during an inspection or while preparing for removal. Smoke mimics a wildfire, causing the bees to gorge themselves on honey in preparation to evacuate, temporarily making them less aggressive. Homeowners should limit access to the area and avoid making loud noises or vibrations, which can agitate the colony. These methods are temporary and will not solve the underlying problem of an established nest.
Professional Live Removal Options
Effective, long-term non-lethal removal of honey bees requires the expertise of a professional beekeeper or a specialized live bee removal company. For swarms, a local beekeeper can often collect the cluster quickly and relocate it for free or a nominal fee. Established hives require one of two primary methods to ensure the entire colony is safely relocated.
The “cut-out” method is the most direct approach for removing an established hive from a structure. This involves physically opening the wall, ceiling, or structural void to expose the entire honeycomb. The comb containing the queen, brood, and honey is carefully cut out and transferred into frames that can be placed in a new hive box. This method allows for the complete removal of all hive materials, which prevents future infestations and structural issues.
The “trap-out” method is a less invasive alternative used when direct access to the hive is impossible without causing extensive damage. This technique involves installing a one-way cone or tube over the existing entrance, allowing foraging bees to leave but preventing them from re-entering the original cavity. A new hive box is placed near the cone exit. Over a period of four to eight weeks, the worker bees are forced into the new container, hoping the queen eventually follows. While less damaging to the structure, the trap-out method is time-consuming and does not guarantee the removal of the queen or all the honeycomb from the wall void.
Regardless of the method used, removing all traces of honeycomb and honey must be completed after the bees are gone. Leftover honey can absorb moisture and ferment, potentially causing structural damage to drywall and wood. The residual scent of the comb and honey also attracts pests like ants, rodents, and new swarms looking for a ready-made nesting site. Professionals will remove the material and clean the cavity to eliminate the attractive pheromone residue.
Long-Term Exclusion and Prevention
Once the honey bees have been successfully relocated and the hive materials removed, immediate action is necessary to prevent a new colony from taking up residence in the same spot. This involves thoroughly sealing all potential entry points into the structure, especially the area where the bees were removed. Honey bees can utilize openings as small as one-fourth of an inch to access cavities.
Sealing involves using high-quality caulk or expandable foam for small cracks and crevices around utility lines and windows. Larger openings, such as soffit vents or chimney openings, should be covered with fine mesh screening, ideally hardware cloth with a mesh size of one-eighth of an inch. This physical barrier denies access to future swarms scouting for a protected cavity. By eliminating all potential nesting sites and removing the residual pheromones, the likelihood of re-colonization in that location is drastically reduced.