Call: 913-440-4703 (MO or KS)
Honey Bee Structural Removal
Structural Colony Removal
Summary
As a precautionary measure, Jeffrey will conduct an inspection to confirm that a removal is necessary. An active honey bee colony appears like a bustling airport on a warm and sunny afternoon. You can observe bees returning with visible pollen on their legs. Throughout the day, bees can be seen circling or hovering in front of their entry point, which is their way of orienting themselves to the sun.
Removing a live honey bee colony is a more precise process that helps pinpoint the exact location of the nest. Jeffrey can closely monitor the bees moving through the cavity and effectively identify and seal any openings. In most cases, the removal process is completed on the same day.
An effective structural honey bee removal ideally involves extracting the bees and their brood nest along with the honeycomb. This approach reduces the risk of attracting pests such as moths or mice and helps prevent re-infestation. Before closing the cavity, it is best to ensure that it is rendered uninhabitable. Most often, you will receive a written warranty against the bees rebuilding in the same location. Exterior gaps are sealed with latex or paint-ready caulk, depending on the situation. Jeffrey prefers to relocate the colony and re-establish it to preserve the population rather than resorting to extermination.
Accessing the Colony: Examples
A. Removal from the outside
When the colony is confined to an enclosed section of the structure on the outer walls, exterior entrances are sealed with high-quality, paint-ready caulk whenever feasible. Touch-up paint can be applied to the reassembled structure to cover any blemishes. However, some outer walls won’t be sealed as part of this work due to the extensive gaps—for instance, against a stone façade. Removing bees from the outside works well to prevent opening walls or ceilings inside the structure.
B. Removal By opening the floor
Bees can build their nests in the spaces between the floors of a structure. Sometimes, the cavity is not accessible from the outside. In such cases, the carpet is pulled back, and the subfloor is cut open whenever possible. The floor is then closed, and the carpet is reinstalled. However, the carpet may require the assistance of a third party to be re-stretched. This method is effective in preventing the need for drywall ceiling repairs.
C. Removal by opening an inside wall or ceiling
Walls or ceilings that are opened are closed when at all possible. Drywall screws are used to reattach the drywall. Whenever feasible, an initial joint compound coating is applied to any drywall entry points to seal them and prevent any remaining bees from entering the living space as they dissipate. All subsequent work to the initial coat over drywall joints is expected to be performed by a third party and is not included in the scope of work. A referral can be provided to a finish taper and painter.
D. Removal by opening a roof
When removal necessitates opening roofing shingles, the structure is opened to gain access. In most cases, an asphalt roof will settle back down and look like nothing happened. However, some worn shingles may not return to their exactly perfect original shape but are functional when felt paper is laid underneath. Accessing colonies under concrete or slate tile roofs is done on a case-by-case basis, and third-party involvement may be necessary depending on the complexity of the project.
Bee-Proofing, Sealing Gaps
Once a honeybee colony has been established, remnant smells cannot be eliminated. Future honeybee scouts may explore the structure to find a suitable place to live. Bee-proofing the structure is advisable. This involves sealing any potential entry gaps larger than 1/8 inch. We can undertake this work at an additional cost. If the structure cannot be secured, we recommend applying future spring pest treatments.
Preventing bees from rebuilding, Without Sealing
Treating annual infestations in the spring with a low-mammalian toxicity insecticide prevents future infestations. During swarm season, the insecticide eliminates individual scouts that repeatedly explore nesting sites. This approach is more cost-effective because we typically use it to protect against insects like carpenter bees, wasps, mud daubers, and spiders from infesting areas where honeybees also enter the structure.
Reasons to perform a Live Honeybee Removal
· An attempt is made to save the colony and relocate it.
· Insecticides can kill neighborhood honeybee colonies as they rob out an empty nest.
· It is best to relocate the entire colony and contents from a structure when possible. *
(Honeybees often store around 40 pounds of honey and pollen to survive the winter, and can store 100+ pounds, given enough space.)
*Horror Stories:
Honeycomb left in a cavity is often home to wax moth larvae that feed and emerge as moths. Jeffrey's encountered a customer in Topeka who had a colony euthanized in a wall void behind a modular shower. Hundreds of moths were emerging and entering their house. Cleaning out the decomposing nest resolved the moth problem.
A brand new swarm of bees typically consists of between 10,000 and 15,000 bees, weighing 3 to 5 pounds. In contrast, an average dead stinking squirrel in a wall weighs 1.5 pounds. As a honeybee colony establishes itself, the nest can weigh 25 to 100 pounds or more. A few weeks after one of Jeffrey's partners euthanized a colony in a roof overhang above a window boxout, the family was experiencing what is commonly associated with a decomposing dead smell inside their house. Jeffrey cleaned out a decomposing mass and used a Bienzymatic cleaner to help abate any residual odor.
A customer called with honey running down the walls. It was pooling at the baseboards and forming a sticky web of carpet below a south-facing window boxout roof overhang. Jeffrey removed pounds of honey and comb.
A Church Board Member had also called in with honey-stained ceilings, and Jeffrey removed pounds of honey from the ceiling.
Screened box used for saving the bees. Contact us now to save bees in KS or MO.
Honey Bee Swarm Removal
Swarm Removal
Honeybee swarms are commonly found hanging on trees, fences, picnic tables, and the sides of structures. On average, these swarms consist of between 10,000 and 16,000 honeybees. Dr. Chip Taylor, a retired professor from The University of Kansas, shared insights based on extensive experience with thousands of Africanized Swarms in Central America. Taylor explained that a swarm in the Midwest typically travels no more than a couple of miles from its original hive.
Honeybee swarms are generally not aggressive and only sting when provoked. Interestingly, one can safely reach into the swarm and collect honeybees in bunches as long as they don’t feel trapped. However, Africanized or “killer bee” swarms exhibit similar behavior and anatomical characteristics to native honeybees, except when examined under a microscope.
Scout bees, comprising approximately 3-5% of the swarm, play a crucial role in finding a suitable location to establish a permanent colony. They prefer confined spaces, such as a five-gallon bucket, with a minimal entrance. Within a few hours to a few days, swarms relocate to their permanent location. In the wild, they often seek refuge in hollow trees.
In residential areas, honeybees may choose man-made structures as their homes. We frequently encounter honeybees in roofline overhang areas or near fireplaces where the insulation has pulled away from the house. A preferred entrance for these bees is behind a woodpecker hole in the exterior siding, where insulation is missing. They seek a one-eighth inch or larger opening where caulk is split, allowing them to easily enter.
When honeybees are within reach, they can be captured and relocated. Swarms can be gently slid into a 5-gallon bucket, leaving a few stragglers behind to disperse over 24 to 48 hours. While it’s not always desirable to leave confused stragglers at the original location, as they may buzz around and cause unnecessary fear, capturing bees in a bucket is the fastest method because it requires only one trip.
It’s effective to shake and leave bees in a commercial beehive until nightfall to gather them. Honeybees almost always take up residence and move entirely within the hive after dark. Therefore, the hive is removed and relocated outside of daylight hours.
In some cases, a honeybee vacuum is used to draw bees into a netted box, making it easier to place them into a commercial beehive. However, this method is not entirely effective because it leaves a few stragglers flying around. Sometimes, vacuuming is necessary when honeybees must be removed immediately from a densely populated area. For instance, we removed bees from a tree in an outdoor beer garden in Westport using this method, ensuring we finished in plenty of time for their nightly patrons to arrive.
Once honeybees settle into a structure or tree, it becomes challenging to remove them. The sooner you contact us, the better! Swarms are usually quite friendly but can turn aggressive and sting if you attempt to kill them. In most cases, the on-site swarm removal is free. We charge a small trip fee to cover our expenses.
See swarm catch pictures here.
Honey Bee Swarm on a railroad traffic light. Contact us now to save bees in KS or MO.
Honey Bee Tree Colony Removal
Tree Colonies
In support of Bee Colonies
Cities within the Kansas City Metro region permit backyard beekeeping. In fact, where city ordinances and zoning laws support beekeeping as a legal activity, there’s often little that neighbors can do to prevent keeping “backyard bees” as long as the beekeeper adheres to the rules. City Councils have recognized that a well-managed bee hive poses minimal risk to nearby residents.
A tree colony can effectively deter other insects such as ants or yellow jackets, as well as animals like raccoons and squirrels. Moreover, the colony plays a crucial role in pollination. By keeping backyard bees, you’ll experience the rewarding feelings that come with contributing to the preservation of our vital honeybees.
Bee Trees Hazards
We’ve managed to relocate honey bee colonies to more suitable locations. For instance, we’ve moved colonies with flight paths directly next to public sidewalks at walking height or in heavily trafficked areas.
To relocate honey bees inside a tree, we can sometimes trap them out or exclude them from their home. To exclude a colony entirely, we must securely seal all entrances except for one, which is where an excluder is mounted. The excluder allows bees to exit but prevents them from returning to the nest.
A substitute beehive box is placed adjacent to the excluder. The box is held in place using temporary scaffolding or directly affixed to the structure. Foraging bees exit the box but cannot re-enter the nest.
After two to six weeks, the colony will often abscond, or leave on its own. If we’re fortunate, the substitute beehive will be a functioning colony that can be relocated and put to work. Most of the bees from the original nest will have been relocated. The remaining bees can either be euthanized or the entry sealed shut.
Prerequisites for Relocation (Exclusion) of Honeybees
For safety reasons, the entry point must be sufficiently distant from people to prevent stings. Ideally, it should be 25 feet away from any property line and 75 feet away from any neighboring occupied building or house. A bee box will be attached to the tree or structure, so we want to keep the entrance at most 10 feet high. Additionally, the colony must not have a history of being aggressive. All entrances except one must be sealable.
Overview of relocation Process:
1.) Confirm colony exists.
2.) Verify it is safe to perform an exclusion.
3.) Seal all entrances but one.
4.) Mount Excluder on only remaining entrance.
5.) Remove Excluder after colony vacates.
6.) Seal remaining entrance completely shut.
7.) Remove honeycomb or encapsulate it.
Emergency: Terminate process and exterminate colony.
Bee hive removed from tree limbs. Contact us now to save bees in KS or MO.
Honey Bees Scouting Behavior
Honey bees send scouts out to guide their swarm into a permanent residence and start building comb, raising brood, and storing nectar. They like a confined space about the size of a five gallon bucket (40 liters), with a minimally sized entrance of two square inches in diameter and at least six feet up.
In the wild, bees will take up residence in a hollow tree. In neighborhoods, they may take up residence in man-made structures. They may begin looking for place in your attic or walls. The are looking where caulk is split or the wall or ceiling have a gap they can slip through.
Honeybees swarm to propagate themselves and form a new colony. In swarming, approximately half of an established colony departs with the original queen to form a new colony. Remaining honeybees raise a new queen and continue their original colony.
The swarm in transition may 'hang out' together and are about the size of a volleyball or football depending on their numbers. Often you will find swarms hanging in trees or on fences, picnic tables and even the sides of homes. Scout bees hunt for a location to move into and form a permanent colony. Swarms usually move to a permanent location within a few hours to a few days of swarming. Although they appear ominous, swarms are not usually dangerous and will not usually sting unless they have been without food for a while.
A bee swarm send scouts out looking for a new home. Contact us now to save bee in KS or MO.
Why Save Honey Bees?
- Over thirty percent of managed honeybee colonies in the U.S. died over 2013-2014 winter, threatening food supply.
- Multiple factors such as pesticides, fungicides, parasites, viruses, and malnutrition are being proven as causes.
- Some experts are saying that we are getting closer to the point where we don't have enough bees in this country to meet pollination demands.
- The class of neonicotinoids is the world's most-used pesticide.
- One of the parasites harmful to bees are Varroa destructor mites.
- One serious problem is that bees require unplanted grasslands in which to forage, so scientists are finding that the bees can't get the nutrition they need from flowering crops alone.
- The latest drought conditions has decreased the range of nutrients available.
Contact us now to save bees in KS or MO.
Africanized Honey Bees Overwinter
PALISADE, Colo. (AP) - Africanized honey bees have been confirmed in Palisade
A fruit grower last month became concerned about abnormally aggressive behavior of a hive.
Officials say this is the farthest north that Africanized honey bees have been reported. Health officials say they once believed Africanized honey bees could not survive harsh winters, but these bees survived this past winter.
The Mesa County Health Department says the bees were sent for testing and once the tests came back, the hive was destroyed.
Africanized honey bees can be a threat to humans and animals when they are present in large numbers, and they can kill humans who suffer multiple stings.
Africanized honey bees are similar to the more familiar European honey bees, and the test requires measurements of wing and leg segments.
Bees hanging out on building. Contact us now to save bees in KS or MO.
Man dies after stung by bees 1,000 times
(CNN) — A Texas man died after a swarm of Africanized bees disturbed by his tractor attacked, stinging him more than 1,000 times Saturday.
The bees were living inside an old chicken coop that Larry Goodwin, 62, was pushing over to clear off his Moody, Texas, property, neighbor John Puckett told CNN affiliate KCEN-TV.
“He lifted the whole hive and disturbed them all and they just came swarming out of there and trapped him on his tractor,” Puckett said.
His daughter and neighbors rushed to help, but they said there was nothing they could do to save Goodwin.
“When we got to him, he was purple, he had thousands and thousands of bee stings on his face and arms,” Tanya Goodwin said.
Puckett said his wife and daughter were stung 100 times. “I came pretty close to losing my family,” Puckett said.
Allen Miller, whose company Bees Be Gone removed the hive after the attack, said he’s seen more Africanized bee hives in the past few weeks than he normally sees in a year.
“If anybody has any brush or anything on their lands, please clear it, because they don’t want to go through this,” Tanya Goodwin said. “Nobody needs to go through this.”
Africanized honey bees, known colloquially as “killer bees,” are believed to have entered Texas in 1990 and have since spread to at least 10 other states, from California to Florida.
Africanized honey bees, which are hybrids of African and European bees, can be highly defensive around their nests and swarm more frequently than other honey bees, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The venom carried by honey bees has similar potency.
Photo Caption: Larry Goodwin, 62, died from a swarm of Africanized bees on Sunday. Goodwin was consolidating a brush pile on a neighbor’s property when he upset a killer bee hive living in an old chicken coop.
Photo Courtesy: KCEN
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Read more: http://fox59.com/2013/06/04/man-killed-after-swarmed-by-bees-stung-1000-times/#ixzz2VHXSXGhi
Africanized bees in an old chicken coop. Contact us now to save bees in KS or MO.