The buzz around town is that you have an unwanted beehive in your yard. While it might be tempting to eradicate those busy bees the same way you might a termite or carpenter ant colony, these precious pollinators play a vital role in maintaining our ecosystem by helping our food grow. So how can you safely let bees know it’s time to buzz off? This article will instruct you on how to humanely remove a beehive from your yard.
First, a bit about bees
There are over 20,000 known species of bees. Four thousand of those species are native to the United States, yet only 10% of bee species are social, meaning they belong to a hive or colony. In the U.S., only bumblebees and honeybees live in hives.
Bees build hives by chewing wax secreted from their abdomens until it becomes soft, then manipulate that wax into the hexagonal cells of a honeycomb. It takes about a week for a swarm of bees to build a hive.
If you have noticed an influx of bees around your property, the chances are good a hive is nearby.
Many people use the terms honeybee and bumblebee interchangeably; however, they are two different insects.
Honey bees have thin bodies and recognizable brown and gold bands on their abdomens. These bees are more petite (about 15 mm long) and have been domesticated for honey production. Honeybees nest above the ground and can only sting once.
Bumble bees are black and yellow, one-quarter to one inch long, and fuzzy. These bees nest below ground and produce less honey than honeybees. These master pollinators can sting multiple times and cover greater distances than honeybees.
Before we continue, it’s worth noting that a few stinging insects, like wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets, are sometimes mistaken for bees. Correctly identifying the insect you‘re dealing with can impact the means of removal.
How to humanely remove a beehive from your yard
The first step in beehive removal is determining where the hive is located. Bees swarm in late spring, meaning they search for a new home. Bees prefer making their hives in trees, on rocks, and in the crevices of rocks.
Once you have located the nest, there are a few ways to make them move out.
Smoke them out
Using smoke to scare off the hive is an effective technique of DIY hive removal. The smoke tricks the hive into thinking there’s a forest fire, causing bees to flee. Also, the smoke masks the bees’ communication pheromones, so they can’t communicate the presence of an intruder to one another.
Professional beekeepers burn pine cones, pine needles, dried manure, and wood shavings. Avoid synthetic materials and bleached papers since they can hurt the bees.
When smoking out the bees, place the burning materials underneath the nest with extreme caution and allow the smoke and fumes to fill the nest from below. The bees may grow aggravated, so it’s best to take cover indoors where you can still monitor the smoke, such as from behind a window or glass door.
When encountering a hive, it’s essential to wear protective clothing. Pants and long sleeves of thick material, gloves, goggles, and close-toed shoes are recommended.
Repel bees with scents
Bees have an acute sense of smell. They use their 170 olfactory receptors to find food and communicate messages to the hive through pheromones. With such a powerful sense of smell comes scent preferences. You can dissuade bees from building hives and even remove them with certain scents.
Scents to ward off bees include:
- Garlic
- Citronella
- Cinnamon
- Peppermint
- Lemon and lime
- Cayenne pepper
- Almond oil
To use these scents, sprinkle cinnamon, cayenne pepper, or garlic powder around the hive. Slice up some lemons and limes and place them near the nest. You can also light citronella candles to ward off bees. Add almond and peppermint oils to spray bottles and spray at the base of the nest.
You may have heard vinegar spray is used to get rid of bees; this is true. However, vinegar kills bees on contact, so it’s best to leave the vinegar on the shelf.
Bee-repellent plants
Another natural way to use scents to tell bees to buzz off is with plants. These leafy insect repellants produce oils and scents that bees find inhospitable.
Plants that help ward off bees:
- Cucumber
- Basil
- Marigold
- Geraniums
- Mint
- Eucalyptus
- Wormwood
- Pennyroyal
- Witch hazel
Placing these bee-repelling plants near the hive may help deter the bees and cause them to swarm to a new location.
Bee repellents
Bee repellents are widely available for purchase online and in hardware stores. These sprays rely on many of the scents mentioned in this article. These sprays are an excellent option for homeowners looking for premixed solutions in ready-to-spray containers.
Double-check the product label to ensure the spray is non-lethal. Bee repellent spray is available for purchase in natural and synthetic varieties.
Contact a beekeeper
The most hands-off approach to beehive removal is to call your local beekeeper association. Calling a beekeeper is likely the best solution for humane beehive removal for several reasons.
Hands-off approach: Save yourself from the risk of being stung by letting a pro handle the removal for you.
Inexpensive: These professional bee enthusiasts will often remove your hive for free. Feel free to tip these professionals for their time and expenses.
Distant relocation: With DIY beehive removal, you risk the bees relocating to another tree or structure nearby. Save yourself the hassle of repeated removal by allowing a beekeeper to relocate the hive to a bee farm.
They have the equipment: A beekeeper has all the necessary tools to perform the job quickly and efficiently. The pros have commercial-grade smokers and personal protective equipment designed for handling bees safely.
For safe hive removal, you can contact an American Bee Federation (ABF) certified beekeeper.
Why remove bees humanely?
While it might be tempting to reach for the pesticide when you notice a beehive in your yard, we need bees to maintain our food supply. Without bees, many kitchen table staples like apples, almonds, and coffee would become scarce and terribly expensive. And don’t forget about the honey!
Bees are responsible for 75% of all flowering plants and 35% of the world’s crops. Roughly every third bite you take was made possible by bees.
Over the past decade, pesticides, climate change, and habitat loss have decreased the bee population substantially. Those hard-working bees in your yard are valuable survivors who need our protection as much as we need them.
Common beehive locations
Behind bricks and siding: Honeybees can squeeze into very tight spaces. A gap as little as one-eighth of an inch is all a honeybee needs to crawl behind your brick or siding. The nests built in bricks and siding can become substantial because they tend to go unnoticed.
Eaves and soffits: These isolated spots are another favorite bee nesting place high off the ground. The bees can damage your roof if you don’t address this infestation.
Concrete blocks: Hollowed-out cinder blocks are a great starter home for bees. Like bricks, bees can squeeze behind concrete blocks and build inconspicuous hives that are difficult to notice.
Trees: A hollowed-out tree is a perfect place for bees to build a nest, but it makes the removal process tricky because it can be challenging to access the hive.
Under sheds: Sheds are another common location for insect nests because they usually don’t get as much foot traffic as a home or patio. Bees nest under floorboards and on support structures.
FAQ about beehive removal
It can take two weeks for any straggling bees to understand that the hive is gone. Bees need a hive to survive, so they won’t stick around much longer.
Spring is the best time to remove a hive because the bees have eaten most of their stored honey during winter. The hive population is also at its lowest in early spring, before the mating season has begun.
No. Bees sleep in shifts, so there’s no time when the entire hive is asleep. If you must approach a hive, the best time is between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the worker bees are out of the nest gathering pollen.
On average, beehive removal costs between $135 and $1065. Connect with beekeepers in your area who may be willing to relocate the hive for free.
Let a pro tackle this honey-do
Beehive removal can be dangerous, especially if you have a bee allergy. Let a local beekeeper take care of that hive removal and any other infestations you face.
Your unkempt lawn could attract some bee species that build their nests in the ground. Let a local lawn care professional take the sting out of mowing, trimming, and edging.
Main Image Credit: Pexels
