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Need help identifying your bee issue? Bees will build their colonies within many different types of structures. They don’t discriminate and are very ingenious creatures. Bees only need an area the size of a dime to enter through and once inside a cavity, their main and immediate objective is too start building their colony. That means the workers are out collecting pollen and bringing it back to the hive, to help with the formation of the honeycomb, which is where the bees will store their food and the queen will lay her eggs to further expand the colony.

Bees will build their honeycomb to accommodate the shape of the cavity in which they are residing. In the warm months of the year, the queen is laying 2000-3000 eggs a day. They truly are busy bees! They will build to capacity within the location in which they have chosen. Sometimes, that can even be out in the open, hanging from a tree branch, but mostly bees love a darker, open cavity in a more obscure area.

Click on the categories below to get help in identifying the type of bee issue you have, and the scope of work we employ to guarantee safe, live removal of the bees, removal of the honeycomb, and all necessary repairs that may be needed. Come take a look inside

Bee Swarms

Although the sight of swarming bees can certainly unnerve some people, while fascinate others, it is, however, a very natural and wonderful part of the life cycle of honey bees (Apis mellifera). This cycle must happen in order for colonies to branch off to propagate and expand. There is no space in the colony for more than one queen.

Before the new queen emerges, the old queen takes off with part of the colony to establish a new nest, but before leaving their original colony, all of the bees will fill themselves up on nectar. Once the swarm has left its old nest or hive, this is when we might see a whirling mass of swarming bees in the air, or a bee swarm settled on the branch of a tree (or possibly somewhere not so convenient!). Don’t panic! These bees are not aggressive as they are all huddled together, protecting their queen, as she is not the strongest the flyers. Scout bees will start looking for more suitable locations very quickly and will report their findings back to the rest of the swarm. Once a location is agreed upon, they leave! Most swarms will land and rest anywhere from a couple of hours to a few days, before taking off to their more permanent location. If you can hang tight and let them bee, they will most likely leave on their own. Remember, please don’t spray them with even water, as you can harm the colony and separate the queen from her workers. Let nature take its course! If you feel more comfortable having the swarm removed sooner than later, you can always give us a call and we can get the bees removed to another safe location.

Structural Bee Hives Under Eaves

Honeybees will find small gaps and openings to gain access into a roof cavity, wall void or even a chimney. They only need an area smaller than the size of a dime, and they’re in. Bees will choose a variety of locations to colonize in and it can be very common for the bees to go unnoticed for a period of time. Depending on their flight path and location, many times our clients have had bee issues for several months before it was brought to their attention. If you notice any bee activity coming and going from a hole under the eave of the roof, in and out of a vent, next to a chimney, or from a hole in a wall, then you more than likely have a colony of bees residing within that part of the structure. Don’t worry! It’s more common than you may realize and the work is not as invasive as it may seem. We can help!

Once bees have made their way into a structure, it is imperative that the entire colony is removed, including all honeycomb and larvae. The underlying issues of returning bee problems stem from the improper removal of the colony. Any honeycomb left in the structure will end up melting and leaking. It will most definitely lead to more bees and will attract more insects and rodents to an abandoned food source. We are very meticulous when it comes to hive removal and the proper methods to ensure that the bees do not return. We are qualified and licensed to do all the necessary repairs after the removal is complete. We seal up all the entry points as well, ensuring no further infestation. All honey removals are guaranteed for five years.

We are experts in the area of live capture. With more than 50 years of combined experience, our methods of extraction are second to none. Many of our rescued colonies and swarms are relocated to our sanctuary in Acton, CA. The bees have the freedom to wander and pollinate over 150 acres of beautiful land, filled with thousands of fruit trees and acres of lilac. You can rest assured that your bees will be cared for with the utmost dignity and respect. We truly are devoted to our profession and hope you will find comfort in knowing that your bees will continue to live and thrive, peacefully.

Structural beehive in wall

When scouting swarms are looking to settle into more sheltered areas that will afford them security, space, and safety from the outside elements, they will often scout tiny openings in wall structures or arrangements. These openings can be tiny and can be holes that were left open from a fixture once present, unfinished or incomplete work done on the structure, wear and tear, damage, etc. These small openings or gaps that allow access into the wall voids within the structure, a perfect haven for bees. Once the scout bees have agreed upon a new permanent location, they will quickly swarm to that opening and move in. Thousands of bees will enter an area sometimes as small as a dime, within a few minutes. Then once settled in, they are off to work!

The workers (female) excrete a substance from their glands to construct the comb; which will house all the larvae, the pollen bands for food and their most arduous work to fill the cells with pollen, eventually turning it into honey. Colonies can live in walls for many months without being noticed if it’s in an area where the bees are not very visible. The flight path of the bees, the time of day and many other factors play heavily on whether a hive is easily and readily noticed. Once honeycomb is built, it is essential to remove not only all the bees but also the underlying issue of the honeycomb. If left, it again presents many of the same problems, as within other parts of structures. The honeycomb melt in warmer temperatures, leak, the larvae will rot, and the honey can ferment if moisture is attracted to it. Honeycomb left will attract more bees, as well as many other unwanted pests and rodents. Therefore, removing it in its entirety is vital for not having further issues in the future. In this case, we would make an opening into the wall, remove the bees alive, clean out all honeycomb, treat the cavities to neutralize the pheromone, making sure of no mold or mildew, then protecting the cavity from further infestation, then finally repairing the structure back to its original condition. We offer a five-year warranty on this scope of work. The entry points are sealed, and the bees are safely and humanely relocated.