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Removals FAQ

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What is the removal process?

All of our honeybee removals are performed live, and are 100% poison-free. Depending on the structure and the property owner’s desire, we will either perform a cutout or a forced abscond to remove your bees. 

 

A cutout involves opening the cavity that the bees are living in and removing the entire colony as well as all the combs. The cavity is then filled and sealed when applicable to prevent future bees from being able to reoccupy the same area, as bees are strongly attracted to spaces bees have previously lived in.

 

For some structures such as trees, a cutout is not possible, and a forced abscond is required instead. In this situation the bees are forced out, and the cavity is sealed behind them to prevent future re-infestation.

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What do you do with the bees?

We re-home all removal bees to a honeybee rescue apiary. There they are monitored, fed back their honey, and nursed back to full strength to help them recover quickly, adjust to their new home successfully, and continue their important role of pollinating.

 

What do you do with the comb and honey from the removal?

When possible we always try to salvage as much comb as we can, transferring it into frames to move into the bees' new permanent hive. We feed the honey back to the colony so they can rebuild combs and recover from the removal process.

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Do I have Africanized bees?

Most likely no. Unless your bees are chasing you in a big black cloud of hundreds+ without provocation, you don’t have Africanized bees.

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Are you sure I don’t have Africanized bees? Our bees get really aggravated when we mow and they chase me and sting!

Yes, bees do that. They don’t like vibrations. Additionally, bees get grumpy in the summer when resources are scarce and become defensive when things come near their home and food stores. Coincidentally, lots of mowing happens in the summer, creating the perfect conditions for sting-y bees.

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If I really do have bees attacking in a cloud of thousands without provocation, will you remove them?

Yes, we remove Africanized bees.

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Are the bees damaging my house?

No, bees don't cause structural damage. They build wax to live on in the voids and cavities within a structure. However, once bees have filled the available space, they may become irritable as they become crowded and will send swarms out of the colony.

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Why do you charge for removals?

Removing bees safely, completely, and correctly takes specialized knowledge, skills and equipment, and generally requires many hours of labor in a beesuit in 100 degree Texas heat. It takes time to open a structure correctly to minimize damage and repair, ensure the queen is captured, all combs are removed, and the structure is properly sealed if applicable.

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Are you licensed and insured?

We are fully insured, registered with TAIS, and current on all permits required to remove and transport bees within our service area in Texas.

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I just had my bees removed a few months ago, so why do I still have bees?

We have done many removals where we were called out to remove bees because the property owner still had an unresolved bee issue after they used a hobbyist beekeeper who does not specialize in removals. Often we find either not all the comb was taken out, or that the queen and part of the colony ran off the comb and retreated further into the structure due to the inexperience of the beekeeper doing the removal. Those bees were left behind and then rebuilt the hive. Occasionally, we even get called in to complete a removal in progress because the removal work or the colony’s size/temperament is more than the beekeeper could handle. Bees sting. Be safe, and hire a professional remover.

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Will you remove my bees if I’ve already tried to get rid of them by poisoning them?

In most cases yes, but there are additional charges involved due to contamination protocols and to prevent poison exposure. Be honest if you have already tried poisoning. If we start a removal and find evidence of undisclosed poisoning during the removal, we will add a 50% hazard surcharge to the removal cost.

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In some cases we cannot remove your bees if they have been poisoned. Sometimes it is too risky to our health or the health of our apiary to bring certain poisons in on rescue bees, which could harm the rest of our bee population. To understand why poisoning is never the solution to getting rid of unwanted bees, click here. 

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