Can’t I just kill the bees myself?
You can try. But success is not always the outcome. The colony could be 10 feet or more from the entrance and using commercially available poisons may not be successful. Paying a professional exterminator may be more expensive than having them removed. Even the professionals don’t have a 100% success rate. In fact, many exterminators prefer to refer you to a beekeeper that does removals. Even if you are successful in killing them, that is just the start of your battle. Not only are you exposing yourself, children, and pets to the poisons you have soaked your house with, but you now have a wall or ceiling full of dead bees, larvae, pollen, wax, and honey. Honey has high hygroscopic properties which mean it will suck moisture out of the air. This will cause the honey to ferment and seep threw drywall. Once drywall is damaged, it will not hold paint, and must be replaced. The dead bees and fermenting honey will start to smell and attract other pests like ants, mice, rats, moths, beetle, etc. Please keep in mind that once you try poisoning the bees, there is no turning back. I know of no beekeeper that will remove bees that have been treated with poison.
What will happen with my bees?
Honeybees will be introduced into a traditional beehive and placed in an isolated out-apiary for observation. Once the colony becomes established in their new how and show no signs of disease or pest infestation, they will be moved into a communal apiary. Many times the bees will need to be fed to help them recover and rebuild from the removal or trapping.
All other types of bees will be disposed of in a safe and humane manor without the use of poisons or pesticides. We are currently in the process of making arrangements to provide these bees to a laboratory that will use the bee venom for sting-allergic patients.
Aren’t my honeybees worth money?
Yes and no. The heart of the colony is the queen. Without the queen, a colony will dwindle and die out. Capturing the queen in physical removals is about a 50/50 chance. When trapping, a lure queen needs to be purchased, as the original queen will be killed/die off. There is also the inherent risk that the colony is diseased. One can buy a package of bees (inspected and disease free) for ~$50, therefore the effort to remove/trap bees is not worth it for just the value of the bees. Low hanging swarms, because of the ease of capture, is the only situation where the effort is worth the value of the bees.
Can I keep the honey and or wax from my cut out?
We have no problem leaving you a section of comb honey to enjoy, but the remainder of the comb and honey must be taken for the bees. The comb will be inserted in wooden frames and given back to the bees in the new hive. The honey will be fed back to them so they can replace the comb that was damaged and feed the brood as they recover from the removal.
I’d like to be a hobbyist beekeeper. Can I keep my bees?
Absolutely! There are never enough beekeepers. If you would like to get started with your swarm or removal, we would gladly provide mentoring. We can even help set you up with the needed equipment and supplies.
Do you use poisons and pesticides during removals?
Simple answer is NO. All of our methods involve removing the bees alive. We don’t believe in the unnecessary use of poisons and pesticides and the damage they cause to the environment. I wouldn’t use them in my home and expose my family to them, so I will not use them in your home either. After the removal, I will instruct you how to rid yourself of any stragglers that may be left behind in a safe manner.
