How to Remove Honey Bees From Your House

Honey bees serve a very important purpose, helping to keep plant life thriving by spreading pollen, in addition to producing delicious pollen. While bees are a crucial part of the ecosystem, most people do not want them inside their house due to the risk of stings to any member of the family. This is particularly important if anyone in your family is allergic to bees, but anyone who finds honey bees in their home will want to take action so no one gets stung. 

Create An Exit

If you only find a single bee or two in your house, then you are unlikely to be dealing with a colony in your walls or another space. In this case, it may be enough to just give the bee or bees a way to get outside, which is where they likely want to be. Open up some doors and/or windows to give the bee a clear path outside and see if it takes the bait. 

Trap It Then Take It Outside

Another option in the case of a single bee that ended up inside by accident is to try to trap it in a glass or something similar. Once you trap the bee, take it outside and release it once you are a short distance away from the doors and windows. Then, make sure that the bee cannot get back inside by keeping your doors and windows shut. 

Stay Safe If There Is A Swarm

If you see a swarm of bees in your home, then you need to be extra careful. It is fairly rare to get attacked by swarming bees, especially inside. Even so, it is smartest to avoid a hive. If you see one, leave it alone and get an expert to remove it for you. Remember that swarming bees will become more aggravated by waving arms or people swatting at them. 

Avoid Pesticides

Whenever possible, you should try to avoid using pesticides to get rid of bees in your home. This is for a few reasons. Not only will pesticides contain harsh chemicals that put you and your family at risk, but you also do not want to kill the bees unless necessary. This is crucial since bee populations are declining and they are crucial for our ecosystem. 

Try A Natural Repellent

If you are determined to try taking care of the bees yourself first, consider trying a natural repellent. Some common suggestions include pungent smells like citronella, cucumber peels, and garlic powder. Avoid sweet-smelling scents. 

Removing A Colony From Walls

In the case of a colony of bees, you should really hire a professional to take remove the bees for you. This will be a time-consuming process that moves the entire colony. In the case of honey bees in a wall, you will first have to get rid of a layer of the wall, then either remove sections of comb, placing them into a hive, or vacuum up the bees and place them inside a hive body. After you remove all the bees, you will have to remove the comb. If you have not contaminated it, you can then use the comb for other bees. You will then have to clean the area before resealing the wall. 

Consult A Beekeeper

Because the populations of bees are declining, most beekeepers would be more than happy to help you remove bees from your home, even if it is a large swarm or colony. They will be able to use their experience to keep most of the bees in the colony alive while removing them from your home. 

Consult A Removal Professional

Another option is to consult a removal professional who has experience dealing with honey bees. They should hopefully know of a few methods that will not harm any parties involved. In some cases, however, the only solution will be to use pesticide or another deadly agent to kill off the bees. 

Discourage Bees From Returning

Once you get the bees out of your house, make sure that you take steps to prevent their return in the future. Start by inspecting the exterior of your home to confirm that there are no holes or cracks, sealing any that you find. You can fill wall cavities with insulation like foam or fill in cracks with a substance like caulk. As a bonus, keeping bees out of your home like this will also prevent other critters, from insects to wildlife, from getting inside. 

You should also make a point to thoroughly clean the area where the bees were. This includes removing any trace of honey or beeswax that remains. This is a crucial step as bees are attracted to an area where there were previously hives, whether or not those hives were their own. You can also try planting citronella plants or burning citronella candles when bees are in season to help keep them away.