Bee Removal in Media and Delaware County, PA

Are They Honey Bees or Something Else?

Many bee calls turn out to be wasps. Honey bees are smaller than most people expect, about half an inch, and look fuzzy and amber-brown rather than shiny yellow. Here's a quick guide to what you might be seeing and where each one leads.

If it turns out to be wasps, our wasp nest removal and hornet nest removal pages explain what we do about them.

Bee Swarm Removal: Why a Cluster on a Branch Usually Moves On

Swarming is how honey bee colonies reproduce. In spring and early summer, a large share of a crowded colony leaves with the old queen and hangs in a cluster while scout bees search for a new home. The cluster may stay a few hours or a few days, then the whole swarm lifts off at once.

Swarming bees have no comb or brood to defend, so they are usually calm, but they will still sting if disturbed. Keep people and pets back, don't spray the cluster, and don't try to shake it into a box yourself. Many local beekeepers will collect a swarm that is within reach, and we can point you in the right direction when you call.

Anyone allergic to stings should stay indoors until the swarm has gone, and a severe reaction calls for 911 or medical care.

Why Are Bees in the Wall a Bigger Job?

When a swarm moves into a wall void, soffit, chimney chase or hollow tree, it builds wax comb and stores honey, and the colony can live there for years. That's very different from a yellow jacket nest, which dies every fall.

Killing the bees and leaving the comb behind creates new problems. Without bees to cool and guard it, honey can ferment and seep through ceilings and drywall, softened wax stains surfaces, and the leftover comb attracts wax moths, ants, rodents and often the next swarm. That's why an established colony usually has to be physically removed.

Removal generally means a cut-out: opening the wall or soffit, taking out the comb and bees so a beekeeper can relocate them, cleaning the cavity, then repairing and sealing the opening. It often involves both a beekeeper and a contractor, and we'll advise on how to approach it for your home.

Beehive Removal in PA: Relocation Options and Trade-Offs

Each route has its place, and the right one depends on where the bees are and how long they've been there.

• Swarm collection: a beekeeper gathers the cluster and takes it to a new hive. Fast and simple when the swarm is within reach.
• Cut-out and relocation: the wall or soffit is opened, comb and bees are removed and relocated, and the structure is repaired. The most thorough option for an established colony.
• Trap-out: a one-way exit lets bees leave but not return over several weeks, a method some beekeepers use when opening the wall isn't practical. Comb stays behind, so odor and sealing need follow-up.
• Treatment: a last resort, discussed only when relocation isn't workable and the colony poses a real hazard. The comb still has to come out afterward.

Pennsylvania's Bee Law, PDA Rules and Who Handles What

Pennsylvania's Bee Law gives the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) oversight of honey bees: beekeepers register their apiaries with PDA, and state apiary inspectors check colonies for diseases such as American foulbrood. A colony cut out of a wall usually ends up in a beekeeper's registered hive, which is part of why relocation, not spraying, is the normal route here.

Pesticide work that is part of the same job, such as treating yellow jackets found nearby, is regulated separately under the Pesticide Control Act of 1973. PDA licenses the businesses that do it, and 7 Pa. Code § 128.31 puts the license number on their vehicles. Wall and trim repairs after a cut-out belong to a contractor. This is general information, not legal advice.

What Happens When You Call Us About Bees

With bees, advice comes before anything else. Call (209) 563-1650 to confirm this option is available for your property.

1. 1

   Describe what you see

   Tell us whether the bees are clustered on something or flying in and out of an opening, how long they've been there and whether anyone at home is allergic.

2. 2

   Help with identification

   We help you work out whether you're dealing with honey bees, bumble bees, carpenter bees or wasps.

3. 3

   Free inspection when it helps

   If the insect or the nest location is unclear, we can schedule a free inspection to look in person.

4. 4

   Advice on the right route

   Swarms usually go to a local beekeeper; established colonies may need a beekeeper plus wall repair. We'll explain the options.

5. 5

   Written quote for our part

   Any work we do, such as treating wasps or yellow jackets found on the property, is quoted in writing before we start.

6. 6

   Sealing and prevention guidance

   Once the bees are out, we tell you which openings to close so a new swarm doesn't move in.

What Affects the Cost of Bee Removal in Delaware County

Costs vary widely with the situation, and beekeepers and contractors set their own fees for their part of the work. The main factors:

Because a cut-out involves more than one trade, the total often comes from two or three separate quotes: the beekeeper's removal, a contractor's repair to drywall, siding or a chimney chase, and our part if wasps or yellow jackets on the property need treatment. A colony that has lived in a rowhome cornice for several seasons can hold a lot of comb, which means a larger opening and more repair than a swarm that moved in last month.

• Whether you have a temporary swarm or an established colony with comb
• Where the colony is: wall, ceiling, soffit, chimney or hollow tree
• Height and access to the opening
• How long the colony has been there, which drives the amount of comb and honey
• Repairs to drywall, siding, trim or flashing after a cut-out
• Other stinging insects that need treatment on the same property

After the Bees Are Gone: Sealing and Preventing a Return

Old comb and honey give off a scent that scout bees find from a distance, so a cavity that once held a colony tends to attract new swarms. Once the comb is out and the space is cleaned, the entry should be closed with materials bees can't chew through or squeeze past.

Never seal an opening while bees are still using it. Trapped bees look for another way out, and that can be into your living space.

• Close gaps around soffits, fascia, chimney flashing and siding seams
• Screen attic and gable vents
• Cap unused chimneys and check where utility lines enter the house
• Have hollow trees close to the house looked at by an arborist