Lesson 81: Bees in Walls and Buildings

When a colony moves into a house: helping the owner decide, why spraying doesn't fix it, and the rules for removals

Once people know you keep bees, the calls start: "There are bees in my wall!" Swarms looking for a home (lesson 12) often choose hollow trees, and also voids in walls, soffits, attics and sheds. Helping with these calls is a good service, but removing an established colony from a building is skilled work, and in some states it requires a license.

First: is it honey bees?

Many "bees in the wall" calls are really yellowjackets (paper nests in wall voids), carpenter bees (round holes in wood), or bumble bees (lesson 69). Ask for a photo or look before you promise anything. Removing other stinging insects is pest-control work, not a beekeeper's job.

Is it really a problem?

A swarm vs. a colony: - A swarm is a cluster of bees hanging temporarily on a branch, fence or wall outside, resting while scouts find a new home (lesson 12). It will usually move on within hours to a few days, and it's easy to collect (lesson 29). - An established colony has moved inside and built comb. It won't leave on its own.

Honey bees in a wall don't damage the structure. If the colony is high up, or in a wall away from where people go, the chance of stings is small. The owner may decide to leave it, and some people enjoy watching them.

It becomes a problem when: the entrance is near a door, window, walkway or play area, someone in the home is allergic, bees are getting inside the living space, or the owner simply wants them gone.

Why spraying doesn't solve it

Killing the bees without removing the comb makes things worse: - After the insecticide breaks down, the empty cavity and combs attract the next swarm, sometimes year after year. - Dead brood and unguarded honey can rot and smell, draw ants, roaches, wax moths and beetles, and without bees to ventilate it, the wax and honey can melt and soak through walls and ceilings, staining them. - Pesticide-contaminated honey can be robbed by other bees, killing them too.

To fix it permanently, the entire nest (bees and all the comb) must be removed and the entrance sealed.

How a removal (a "cut-out") works

This is a job for an experienced beekeeper (and in some states a licensed one; see below), usually working with a carpenter: 1. Locate the nest: bees' flight path, a thermal camera, or tapping and listening; comb is often larger than expected. 2. Open the wall or ceiling over the nest. 3. Cut out the combs; brood comb can be tied or banded into empty frames and placed in a hive; honey comb is removed. 4. Collect the bees, ideally with the queen, into a hive box (some removers use a gentle bee vacuum). 5. Remove all comb, honey and wax residue, clean the cavity, and fill or seal it so it doesn't attract new bees. 6. The owner arranges repairs and seals the entrance.

A "trap-out" (a one-way cone over the entrance that lets bees leave but not return, with a hive nearby) is used where the wall can't be opened. It takes weeks, and the comb is left behind, so the cavity still must be dealt with.

Be honest about the costs: removals take time, gear, ladders, insurance, and repair work. Stings are likely. Colonies from walls may carry disease or mites and may be defensive. Keep them separate from your apiary until you've checked them (lessons 54, 58), and requeen if they're aggressive (lesson 45). In areas with Africanized bees, be especially careful (lesson 16).

📍 Georgia

This insert is shown to customers in Georgia.

In Georgia, removing honey bees from a structure is licensed work. "Honey Bee Control and Removal" (HBR) means removing honey bees from a structure without pesticides, and anyone offering it must hold an HBR Certified Operator License and work under an HBR Company License, issued through the Georgia Department of Agriculture's Structural Pest Control program.

• Collecting a free-hanging swarm (bees temporarily clustered on an object) does not need a license.
• Using pesticides on honey bees, or removing other stinging insects, requires a Household Pest Control license.
• Becoming certified requires 8 hours of approved training (a recorded course through UGA Extension is accepted, proctored at an Extension office), at least 3 supervised removal jobs, and passing the HBR exam (70% or higher), followed by an application, fees, and liability insurance for the company license. Certification lasts five years, with continuing training to renew.
• A certified operator may have uncertified helpers only when present and directly supervising them.
• Homeowners looking for help can search GDA's Structural Pest Company listing for companies licensed in "Honeybee Control and Removal."

Fees and details change; check GDA's Honey Bee Control and Removal page before you start.

What to remember

• Check it's honey bees first.
• Swarm on the outside = temporary and easy. Colony inside with comb = permanent until removed.
• Bees in walls don't damage structures; leaving them can be an option.
• Never just spray: the comb attracts new swarms, and rotting honey and melting wax cause damage. Remove all bees and comb, then seal.
• Cut-outs are skilled work, often with a carpenter; know your state's licensing rules (Georgia requires an HBR license).

Quick check

1. Why isn't spraying insecticide into the entrance a good fix for bees in a wall?
2. What's the difference between a swarm and an established colony, for the homeowner?
3. In Georgia, do you need a license to collect a swarm hanging on a tree branch?

Adapted from: Delaplane, Honey Bees and Beekeeping (UGA Bulletin 1045, rev. 2017), Unwanted Honey Bee Colonies; Georgia Department of Agriculture, Honey Bee Control and Removal; NC State Extension, Non-Honey Bee Stinging Insects in North Carolina.

Adapted from university Extension sources. Experienced Georgia beekeepers are reviewing these lessons. See something that doesn't match your experience? Tell us.