Beehive removal

[Account Closed]

I need to have someone come in to remove a beehive from the exterior wall of a house that I am rehabbing. Is there anything specific I need to look out for to make sure the problem is taken care of properly i.e damage to the structure etc.

[Steve Babiak]

I had a bald-faced hornet's nest attached to a tree and the removal was DIY, based on a youtube video. I did that without wearing any protective suit or gear of any kind. Just don't do it with fire like some of the clowns on youtube did; one full can of foaming bee/wasp/hornet spray, along with a back-up can that was used just for a couple of sprays on the outside was all it took.

You sure it is bees, and not hornets or wasps? Can you post a picture?

[Wayne Brooks]

Honey bees? $200-300, exterminator.

[Joel Owens]

Hi Shaun,

I posted on this before but can't find the post.If there is a hive attached to the house it is different than on a tree etc.

If it's on exterior or interior wall.You will have to remove the wall of wood as well after the bee keeper comes out to clean out the bees.The wood (studs)will look clean but the residue on the studs will make the bees come back after you drywall up.

So you replace the whole section where they were in the walls.

[Jeff Fourrier]

Shaun,

I live just south of you near Lake Jackson and have also had major problems with bees in my houses. Joel is very correct in suggesting you remove all of the old hive to prevent them from coming back on a annual basis.
The problem I had with using an exterminator was all they wanted to do was kill them take my $300.00 and walk away!
Wanting to do the right thing, I'd thought they would "Remove" the queen and the workers would swarm in a makeshift hive and be relocated. Exterminator said they don't take the time to identify between domestic honey bees and Africanized so it was easier to just kill them.
My approach after that has been to become a nuisance to the hive by spraying the workers outside the entry point. After several days of harrasing them they pack up the queen and fly away! Monitor for a few days to ensure they've all left and then get to work. The objective is to remove all signs of the hive. Remove and dispose of the honey as you've been spraying workers who have tracked poison into the hive (As tempting as it may be, don't think about eating any of it).
Remove all of the old hive and points of attachment. Lightly spray interior of open cavity with bleach and water mix and allow to dry.
Close up your work ensuring to close off opening on the outside where bees were entering.
Monitor next year from early spring until mid summer for any new activity. If no signs you should no longer have bees in that area of the house.

[Lynn McGeein]

Shaun, I read something on the internet that said if you post an add on craigslist asking for bee removal, some beekeepers will come out and remove for free. Might be worth a try.

[Aaron Mazzrillo]

I've had quite a few bee issues in my rentals. I look for the guy willing to come out and remove the hive then relocate it. I have had good luck with what Lynn M. suggested.

Also, if they just kill the bees, other bees in the area may attack the hive to steal the honey (so I was told by one of the guys that came out to do a job for me.) It may appear as if they have come back! If the bee keeper doesn't do a good job cleaning the area, you may next have an issue with ants.

[Will Browm]

As a Pest Control Operator, I enjoy these posts. Some of what has been said is quite accurate. Some is not. If it is honeybees, please have someone verify they are NOT Africanised. We deal with those and our insurance and safety overseers demand we have a 3 mile escape plan. Even with protective equipment, you can get in big trouble Dying over a DIY bee removal is not a wise thing.

I have never found where you can cause bees to take the queen and abandon their honey from a nuisance.

Removing the matter is very important though not for the reasons above. If you leave the hive and honey, it will begin breaking down very fast. You will have ants and roaches loving that.

[David Wechsler]

I may be too late, but I would go along with LynnM in that you can often get a beekeeper to remove it for free. As a beekeeper myself, we're always interested in getting free bees and honey to boot!

If it's a big job (e.g. inside the walls), some people will charge you, and depending upon where the bees are, reconstruction may be needed.

My wife and I answered a swarm call once where a huge hive was found inside the walls of a church. It took us a bunch of hours to remove, we did it for free since we got a bunch of honey and bees. They were left with the final clean-up and re-building.

[Account Closed]

Thanks all for your suggestions. I had a bee remover come out. I had two of them - one inside the roof and another in the wall. They are charging me $1100 to remove them and clean everything, replace the studs and close it up. Seems steep but I have to have the rehab completed in two weeks and do not have the time to shop around beehive removers.

[Aaron Mazzrillo]

Will Browm - Not that I ever have any intention of getting close enough to figure it out, but how can you tell the difference between Africanized bees and other bees? Is it their behavior or is there a physical difference?

[Bill Gulley]

African bees are those really nasty ones, honey bees are cute.

Now, after all these years, I see that just knocking it down and running like heck then going back and tossing a cup of gas on it then cleaning it up is all wrong. :)

[Will Browm]

Aaron, that is a great question. I have no idea. I run a large branch with people with a ton of experience. I am allergic to bees, wasps and the like. My staff comes back and tells me. I feel kind of stupid after bringing it up! I am on vacation this week and will find out next week.

I do know Africanized are a newer issue and are not the case in the majority of cases in my state.

[Phillip Cailey]

after removing the comb and honey, i've sprayed a 50/50 mixture of lemon joy dishwashing detergent and amonia on the inside of the walls. It eliminates the scent left behind of the bees and reduces the chance of new arrivals in the future.