Get Rid of a Beehive

Have you got a dangerous beehive near your home? Keep reading for tips to safely removing bees.

Steps

Getting Help for a Big or Difficult Hive

  1. Call a professional if the hive is large or difficult to access.
    • Honey bees will typically have from 10,000-50,000 or more bees in a hive.
    • You may only see a small portion but the hives can be deeply hidden in walls, trees, chimneys, roofs, etc.
    • Some bees are more aggressive than others and will swarm or sting if the hive is threatened or if someone gets too close. Yellow jackets, though not a bee, will do this.
    • Removing a large hive can be very dangerous and requires great skill, training and experience.
  2. Call a professional if you're allergic. If you are allergic to bee venom then this may not be a safe task for you. If allergic, a bee sting may cause swelling of the throat or lips which may cause difficulty in breathing. Some bee stings have even induce vomiting and diarrhea. If you are highly allergic a bee sting could be fatal. So please proceed with caution.
  3. Contact a local bee keeper if the hive appears to contain honey bees. Honey bees are on the decline and they may be willing to relocate the bees for free or a nominal fee.
    • Look online or in the Yellow Pages (Bee keeping may not be well advertised in all areas, you may need to search). Search for beekeepers or apiaries for your local area.
    • Ask someone at a locally owned market or general merchandise store for bee wranglers or bee keeper contact information.
    • Call your local farmers market or nursery as they deal with bee keepers.
    • If a bee handler doesn't remove bees, they probably know of someone who does.

Removing a Small Hive Yourself

  1. Limit your beehive removal and extermination to small hives that can be easily managed with widely available spray insecticides. Avoid large hives and honey producing hives.
  2. Prepare your materials. You'll need:
    • Light-colored and smooth-textured clothing
    • Gloves (leather preferred)
    • Head gear (Bee keeper veil preferred)
    • Insecticide spray
    • Plastic garbage bag
    • Soap and Water
    • Materials to close off area (depends on where the beehive was located)
    • Bee-smoker (optional, helps calm bees which will make them less likely to sting.)
  3. Dress appropriately. Clothing is a very important part in the process of removing beehives. Light colored clothing with smooth texture is best for removing bees. If dark colored or rough texture is warm bees may become aggravated.
    • Gloves offer great protection for your hands, thick gloves offer better protection for you. Leather is the preferred gloves for the removal of a beehive among professionals. If no gloves or thin gloves are warn you may get stung or feel the sting through the thin layered gloves.
    • The head gear that professionals use is a beekeeper's veil. This offers great protection while not hindering your vision. Don't wear anything too thin and or nothing, this will leave your head/face open to bee stings.
    • Try not to wear heavy scented odors, such as : perfume, cologne, and scented deodorant. If worn the bees may get your scent confused with flowers.
  4. Find the hive. Locating a beehive may be trickier than it sounds. Many beehives are located in hard to reach places such as chimneys, inside walls, in the bark of a tree, and in the ground. The sooner you locate the beehive the better. The longer a beehive remains untouched the bigger it gets and harder to remove.
  5. Pick the right time. The best time to remove a beehive is late in the winter or in the early spring. During this time the beehive population is smallest. Bees are asleep in the early morning and in the evening, this is when it is safest to remove.
    • Bees are less active at night, and will likely all be at the hive then. However, it's harder to see and effectively kill bees at night. You may miss bees or smaller hives nearby
  6. Plan properly. Consider the fallout of removing the hive, and make sure you're ready for it.
    • Prepare to have repairs following the removal of a large honey bee hive from a home. Walls or structure may need to be cut away to gain access
    • Plan to bee proof to avoid further infestation in areas where the hive and honey can't be removed (behind stucco and brick).
    • Consider evacuating those with allergies, children, pets and elderly from the immediate area where a hive is active.
  7. Use an insecticide. One of the best ways to remove a beehive is by using a good/strong insecticide. In order to kill the bees inside you may need to repeat the spraying of the insecticide a couple of times. Approach this part of the task only when you're geared up in your protective layers.
    • The best place to spray the insecticide is in the hole of the beehive. Spraying in the beehive will give the most effective results. If unable to spray directly in the hole of the beehive, spray on it. This will give the same results but will take more spraying applications.
    • Never attempt to move a large hive and only disturb hives when small enough to eliminate with household chemicals.
  8. Physically remove the hive. Once the spraying is done, and you don't see any bees flying in an out of the hive, it is time to physically remove the beehive. Removing the beehive will prevent other bees from moving in.
  9. Dispose of the hive. Using a plastic garbage bag is the best way to dispose of the beehive. Once you place the beehive in the plastic garbage bag, securely tie the bag. Place in the trash container and put out for trash pickup.
    • Cleaning is an important process to do once the beehive is removed. Beehives are full of dangerous bacteria that should be cleaned thoroughly. Scrub the area with soap and water for the best results.
    • Make sure all of the hive and honey is removed whenever possible. Honey and dead bees may attract other bees, wax moths or ants. Scout bees will also find old hives and a new colony will move in if not removed.
  10. Close off the area. Closing of the area will prevent future bees from moving in. Plug all the entrances where bees could gain an entry point. Seal off all openings in the walls, and insert screens if necessary. If there is a hole in a wall a fresh new coat of paint will seal up the hole.



Tips

  • If you go outside and seem to be dived and "pinged" by bees you should get away. Walk away slowly without swatting. Take shelter. They "ping" or dive bomb you when you get too close. It's the first step before they sting in many cases.
  • Swarms sometimes seem to appear out of the blue. Just because it wasn't there yesterday doesn't mean you don't have 20,000 bees today.
  • Honey bees can be a gift to a beekeeper. Always contact your local beekeeper to let them help you. They can determine if the bees are salvageable.
  • Large hives may require you to evacuate your home until it can be controlled.
  • You may be required to call an exterminator or other professionals. Be upfront on the phone. A large hive may be outside their scope of treatment. They may recommend another company to try.
  • The pollination from bees are an important economical factor for fruit farmers.
  • In some jurisdictions it is illegal to kill honey bees. Check with your local authorities first. They may also be able to assist with removing the bees or helping find a professional to remove them for you.
  • You may be required to call a company that deals with nuisance animals and insects. These can often charge hefty fees.

Warnings

  • Some bees are attracted to sweet food others merely to flowers.
  • Bees don't usually sting unless threatened. Keep in mind your proximity to hive may be sensed as a threat.
  • Watch out for aggressive bees.
  • Populations of honey bees have dropped drastically in recent years. Hive collapse can have worldwide impact on food, crops, livestock and human survival. Always contact a bee wrangler for honey bees in hope to safely relocate and protect the hive.
  • European bees swarm once a year. Africanized bees swarm several times a year. They're looking for new hives to take over.
  • If you are allergic to bees don't attempt to remove the beehive by yourself.
  • Bees can be dangerous. If you are not sure what you are doing, or do not have the right equipment, call a professional bee wrangler.

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Sources and Citations

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