Bee FAQs
How much do you charge for removing a bee hive?
We do not give estimates over the phone. It is impossible to give an accurate estimate on the cost for removing a bee hive without seeing it. There are too many elements to consider. How long the bees have been at the location, the height at which the hive is located, whether the bees are on a tree or a building, accessibility and building materials are just some of these variables. We do however, come out within a reasonable amount of time and give a free estimate. When we arrive, we are ready to work and if our price accepted, we get to work. If not, we leave and you have no obligation. Please note that our minimum service charge is $150. The only exception is if you request a “drop everything and come out now” emergency service. For these calls, we do ask for a higher minimum charge and withdraw our free estimate option. The amount depends on the day of the week and time of day. Please contact us for more information.
What is the difference between a European Bee and an African Bee?
African Honey Bees (AHB) differ significantly in behavior from their cousins, the European honey bees (the gentle bees managed by beekeepers) as AHBs can exhibit defensive behavior that can potentially compromise public safety. If someone approaches a European honey bee hive, a few of the bees might come out of the hive to “inspect” the disruptive activity. But when an AHB nest is disturbed, several hundred bees can come out to defend the nest and chase the victim for over ¼ mile. The resulting amount of stings is greatly increased from that of European bees, and children, the elderly, and pets especially are not able to sustain the large number of stings.
Where do bees typically build their colonies?
Bees typically only need an opening that is as small as an 1/8” in order to begin building a colony. If undetected the bees can cause harm to your family and/or neighbors. Some common places to look for bee colonies are:
- Underneath the lining of a roof
- Large Trees
- Between drywall enclosures
- Behind and Underneath bricks
- In and around sheds or other outside storage units
- Under trailers
- In underground irrigation or electrical control boxes
Its also important to note that while there are only certain places honey bees will build their colonies, African Honey Bees (AHB) also known as the “killer bees” are much less picky and need less space, so make sure you are also checking the these common places as well for early detection of a colony:
- Rain Gutters
- Water Meters
- Bird Houses
- Outdoor Grills
- Playgrounds
- Flower Pots
- Air Conditioning Units
- An opening that is large enough for bees to easily enter and egress, but not too big to easily defend.
- They prefer a home that is protected from rain and weather. However Africanized bees have the propensity to make their hives underground in irrigation and electrical control boxes.
- Inside the opening, they look for a void that is large enough to sustain the future growth of the colony.
Why can’t wild bees be collected?
Currently, the state of Florida recommends that all wild honey bee colonies found in proximity to people (in walls, birdhouses, trees, etc.) be eradicated by a certified pest control operator. Statistics out of the Southwestern United States (where Africanized Honey Bees have a head start) show that 50% of wild honey bee stinging attacks occur in instances where the victim was aware of the colony’s existence but did nothing about it. Therefore, if the nest had been removed, the stinging attack would not have occurred.
Many residents do not wish to eradicate honey bee colonies on their properties because the bees may not have been disturbed or may not have caused any harm in the past. However, just because a colony is presently calm does not mean that it will stay that way. Honey bee colonies become more defensive once their nest is established as they have something to protect (honey, brood, pollen, etc.). Nest establishment can take a few months. Also, there is evidence that the average queen lives about 6 months to one year. When a new queen is born to replace the old queen, she leaves the colony to mate in the air with 15-20 different male bees (drones). Therefore, she is mating with any drones from nearby colonies (not with bees from her hive). If African bees are in the area, there is a possibility that the new queen will mate with African drones. The resulting offspring may display African characteristics. Therefore, a feral colony that was once calm (or even European) 6 months ago may be defensive (or even African) today, and should be eradicated.
Why do people say that wild bees should not be eradicated? What is CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder)?
Florida residents aware of recent news reports about honey bees will recognize the threat that Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is causing to the beekeeping and pollination industry. The concern over the disappearance of honey bees caused by CCD is both warranted and important to the industry, and many residents are reluctant to have colonies eradicated as a result of this concern. However, the African bee issue and the disappearance of managed honey bees are unrelated as far as most experts are concerned. This means that eradicating one wild honey bee nest in Florida does nothing to hurt honey bee populations overall. In fact, there can be as many as 100-200 bee colonies per square mile in areas where African bees occur. So, even removing one colony does very little to the overall population of wild bees. It’s simply a public safety issue. State officials are NOT searching for wild colonies in an effort to destroy them all. But, they do recommend that honey bees found nesting in proximity to people be eradicated by trained Pest Control Operators (PCO). If a Florida resident has a colony or swarm of honey bees on his or her property, it is imperative that he or she contact a trained PCO as soon as possible.
Because eradication is now state regulation, it is not recommended that beekeepers be called for nest removal and relocation. We all love the bees, their honey and the pollination services as much as anyone, but we always need to put safety first!
How can you proof something against bees?
Bee-proofing is the practice of methodically removing or restricting access to potential AHB nesting sites. This practice is beneficial for many reasons. Naturally, if an area is bee-proofed, the potential for feral (or wild) colonies to move into that area is greatly lowered and, as a result, the risk of stinging incidents is also lowered. In addition, colonies that establish themselves inside a wall or around a structure must be eradicated immediately by a PCO. This process can be expensive and often requires structural repair (which also costs time and money). Bee-proofing a property not only makes the area safer, but it also saves time and money. It is an ongoing process that requires an initial set-up procedure to address a majority of the sites on a property. It also requires follow-up inspections to maintain the bee-proofed area.
Residents often deal with many sorts of insect issues—ants invading the kitchen, mosquitoes hovering around a backyard gathering, wasps constructing a nest in the doorway, etc. However, there is a difference between these somewhat routine occurrences and an interaction with Africanized Honey Bees (AHB). Generally, any problems insects cause to people can be fixed with a little common sense and some bug spray. But, when an AHB nest is disturbed, several hundred bees can come out to defend the nest and chase the victim for over ¼ mile. The resulting amount of stings is greatly increased from that of European bees, and children, the elderly, and pets especially are not able to sustain many stings. Therefore, it is important that any potential AHB nesting sites be eliminated by bee-proofing the property.
How can you verify if someone is a “legitimate” Pest Control Operator (PCO)?
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) maintains a list of pest control operators who have been properly trained by either FDACS or University of Florida staff to safely remove honey bees. This list is available at the following website: http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/plantinsp/apiary/PCO_removal_list.xls
This link opens an Excel Spreadsheet with a tab for each County in the State. Click on your county and choose from the list. Pest Control Operators that have undergone this training possess the necessary skills to remove and eradicate honey bee swarms and established colonies. Since the State of Florida periodically updates this site, it is recommended that consumers always use the link instead of saving the file.
What should I be aware of before calling a Pest Control Operator (PCO)?
Customers in need of a PCO should consider entering into a contract that states the specific terms of the removal. A contract should detail the colony removal procedure—method of applying pesticides, disposal of dead bees, and complete removal of comb. Often, a customer will hire a PCO to remove a honey bee colony from the walls of a house, but the PCO will not remove the comb or inform the customer of the importance of comb-removal. Several days after the bee removal, maggots (small hive beetle larvae) from the remaining comb begin to enter the home, or stored honey drips out through the ceiling or seeps into the drywall and causes a stain. Without a contract that states specific removal terms, the customer has no recourse if these events occur.
When PCOs are trained to deal with stinging insects and removal of honey bees, they are provided with removal procedures that include details such as what types of pesticides to use and when, the best times to remove a colony, what personal protective equipment to wear, etc.
Why should I bee proof my home or place of business?
Bee proofing is the best thing you can do to proactively prevent bees from making your home theirs. As a swarm is in transit looking for a new home, the new queen sends out several scouts to look for a suitable new home.
The scouts are looking for several things:
When a scout finds a suitable site, it returns to the swarm and competes with the other scouts to convince the queen that his new home is the best. The queen makes a decision and the colony heads to the potential new home. If she agrees with the scout, the colony moves in.
When proofing against bees, one needs to think like a scout and consider the above mentioned attributes. The entire structure needs to be inspected and any openings need to be sealed with an appropriate sealer that will resist local weather.
At Bird and Bee Removal, we are experts in proofing against bees and offer these services at a discounted price during the colder (slower) months for customers who wish to be proactive in preparing for the warmer months. For the cost of removing a small hive once, you could proof an entire house. We can come to your property and provide a no cost, no obligation estimate on bee proofing your structure. Our proofing services come with a no-nonsense guarantee.
Think of it like changing the oil in your car every 3,000 miles. This costs less than the alternative of having your engine seize.
