Call: 913-440-4703 KC Metro Area
Honey Bee Exclusion
Honeybee Exclusion Outline
Prerequisites
For safety reasons, the colony must not have a history of being aggressive. The entry point must be far enough away from people to avoid stings. For legal reasons, it needs to be 25 feet from any property line and 75 feet from any neighboring occupied building or house unless local building code requirements are more restrictive.
Jake's research* taught us that we cannot move colonies with flight paths directly next to public sidewalks at walking height or in heavily trafficked areas. The risk of agitated defensive bees is too great. We need a buffer zone of at least 25 feet from the nest to keep people safe.
Because a bee box is attached at the nest entrance, we need to keep the bee box no higher than about 10 feet. The box cannot have a risk of falling. All entrances but the one at the excluder must be sealable. This presents issues for rotten trees or structures that cannot be sealed tight.
Overview of Exclusion Process:
- Confirm colony exists.
- Verify it is safe to perform an exclusion.
- Seal all entrances but one.
- Mount Excluder on only remaining entrance.
- Remove Excluder after colony vacates.
- Seal remaining entrance completely shut.
- Remove honeycomb or encapsulate it.
Emergency: Terminate process and exterminate colony immediately.
*We thank Jake Goering for pioneering our Bee Exclusion Techniques through trial and error.
Detailed Outline of Exclusion Process
As due diligence, we will perform an inspection to verify you need an exclusion. An active colony on a warm sunny afternoon looks like a busy airport. Some bees return with visible pollen on their legs as they go back into their hive. Honeybee workers might be observed doing an orientation flight as they circle or hover back and forth in front of the entrance.
Honeybee exclusions are only effective when all cavity entrances are sealed shut.
Honeybees will always search for an alternative entrance. Both trees and structures present a similar challenge. If bees are in an area like a roof, or tree that is impossible to seal tight, bees will always find a way around the excluder and the process will fail. Therefore, we start by sealing all entrances. We then place an excluder on the colony’s main entrance. The excluder allows bees to exit but prevents re-entry through the excluder.
Bees gather around the entrance until the queen comes out or the colony collapses. Bees will be disoriented and often defensive. This can be a safety issue that requires the bees to be euthanized. People need to avoid approaching the area during their exclusion. Please contact us if things are not going well. For example, the bees have found an alternative
entrance. We will need to switch gears and euthanize if bees are attacking people or pets.
Time required to complete the exclusion can vary between 2 and 6 weeks, depending on the size of the colony. We must start the exclusion over and reset the clock each time bees find an alternative entrance. The exclusion is deemed complete when bees are no longer observed exiting through the excluder.
At completion the excluder is removed, and the final remaining entrance is sealed shut. A structure may require euthanizing remaining larvae back inside the cavity. Honeycomb and any remaining honey should be removed from the structure. We will leave honeycomb in a tree and just seal it shut which may attract ants until the honey is consumed.
Optionally, we can treat the inside cavity with an insecticidal dust blown back into the cavity. We offer no warranties once the exclusion is complete. It becomes out of our control to keep any future bees out. An annual inspection should be performed to visually inspect for breaches to the cavity before the start of each swarm season—somewhere around April 1st, after flowers are blooming in the spring. Unfortunately, squirrels, woodpeckers, temperature fluctuations or moisture may reopen the cavity at any time. Moisture causes the expansion or
contraction of wood joints or wood to rot out and may cause a breach in the sealed entrance.
Optionally, we can treat the inside cavity with an insecticida dust blown back into the cavity. We offer no warranties once the exclusion is complete. It becomes out of our control to keep any future bees out. An annual inspection should be performed to visually inspect for breaches to the cavity before the start of each swarm season—somewhere around April 1st, after flowers are blooming in the spring. Unfortunately, squirrels, woodpeckers, temperature fluctuations or moisture may reopen the cavity at any time. Moisture causes the expansion or
Leawood, Kansas tree nest was created on its outside limbs.
In support of Bee Tree Colonies
Backyard hobby or commercial beekeeping is allowed in many cities within the Kansas City Metro area. If your city’s rules and zoning laws allow it, you shouldn’t have any safety or legal trouble keeping “backyard bee trees” as long as you follow the guidelines for managed hives. For example, City Councils in Overland Park, Kansas, have found that a well-managed bee hive is generally safe for nearby residents, provided they are at least 25 feet away from any property line and 75 feet away from any home.
A feral bee hive in a tree is a natural occurrence. As long as you adhere to the safety guidelines for managed beehives, your legal obligation to maintain safe bees is likely fulfilled. Additionally, your homeowner’s policy may cover any visitors who are stung.
Kansas City, Missouri, has more stringent regulations that necessitate a permit for beekeeping. However, it is still possible to maintain a bee colony. Notably, the city prohibits bees from being kept alive in structures such as homes. But feral bees in a tree is not explicitly covered in their building codes.
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.
Example nest where comb is visible from entrance.