Who removes honey bees in Virginia without killing them?

Beekeepers are the people who remove honey bees alive, and a swarm out in the open is the job they are most likely to take. If a swarm of honey bees is found, Maryland Extension's advice is to call or email a local beekeeper, and most will come and remove the swarm.^[3] Bees that have already moved into a wall are harder to place. Few beekeepers will retrieve honey bees nesting in a wall void of a home, and in that case Maryland Extension says a professional pest control company should be consulted.^[3] So the earlier you call, the better your chance of a live removal.

Honey bees are worth the effort: VDACS notes that the value of honey bees as pollinators far exceeds their honey production.^[2]

First, is it a swarm or a colony?

The answer decides who you call and how fast. Start by making sure they are honey bees at all. Honey bees are about half to five-eighths of an inch long, orangish-brown and fuzzy, and live in large colonies.^[3]

A swarm is a dense cluster of bees that appears suddenly on a branch, fence post, shrub or the side of a building. It is a group of bees on the move, looking for a new home, and it is the easy case.

A colony is bees that have moved in: a steady stream flying in and out of one gap in siding, a soffit, a chimney chase or a hollow tree, day after day. Behind that gap is wax comb, young bees and honey.

If you are not sure what you have, see how to tell bees from wasps. Yellowjackets also nest in wall voids,^[7] and beekeepers generally do not take those. Nor do they usually take paper wasps, which build nests of open hexagonal paper cells with no papery covering, usually in a protected spot such as under eaves,^[8] like the empty one below.

Who to call for a swarm

Call a beekeeper the same day, while the bees are still in the open. Places to look:

• Your local beekeeping association. Ask whether any members collect swarms near you.
• The VDACS beekeeper list. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services publishes a directory that lists beekeepers by region.^[1] It is built for farmers: VDACS describes it as a resource for Virginians who need bees or have bees to rent for pollination,^[2] and at least one listing asks for 2008 contracts. A few beekeepers on it do mention swarms. One entry reads "Swarms captured, Colonies removed from buildings", and another says "Would love to collect any swarms".^[1] Treat it as a list of names to try, not a swarm service.

Tell whoever you call how high the swarm is and what it is on. A swarm on a low branch is a quick job. One high in a tree or on a roof may not be worth a ladder, and a beekeeper may advise leaving it.

Who to call for bees in a wall

An established colony is real work, and not every beekeeper does it. Ask specifically for someone who removes colonies from buildings, and expect them to want to see it first.

A live removal from a wall usually means opening the siding, trim or drywall to reach the comb, taking out the comb and bees, and moving them into a hive. Virginia's beekeeping law requires beekeepers to keep bees in hives with movable frames, apart from short periods,^[4] so the bees end up in a proper hive, not a box in a garage.

Getting the comb out matters whoever does the job. If the bees are killed and the nest is left in the wall, the wax and honey melt, the honey may seep through plaster walls, the honey and dead bees give off a strong odor, and the debris attracts other insects and mice.^[3] A pest control company that treats a wall colony should still have a plan for the nest.

Licences to check

Live removal brings two kinds of work, and Virginia regulates both.

• Pesticides. If a company proposes to treat the bees, it must be licensed: no person may apply or recommend a pesticide commercially without a pesticide business license and a certified commercial applicator on staff.^[5] A beekeeper doing a live removal without chemicals is not spraying anything, but ask what they plan to use.
• Wall repair. Anyone who for a fee undertakes the repair or improvement of a building is a contractor under the Code,^[6] and a Class C contractor licence covers jobs over $1,000 and under $30,000.^[6] If the beekeeper's price includes rebuilding siding or drywall for more than $1,000, ask who holds the licence, or hire a licensed contractor for the repair yourself.

The state's beekeeping office is part of VDACS, which runs an apiary inspection program that promotes the science of beekeeping and regulates the movement of honey bees into the state and the sale of bees, queens and used equipment.^[2] Its contact is 804-786-3515 or vabees@vdacs.virginia.gov.^[2]

What to agree before work starts

• Whether all the comb and honey will be taken out of the wall.
• Who opens the wall, who closes it, and whether paint or trim is included.
• Whether a return visit is included to collect stragglers.
• How the entrance will be closed so another swarm is less likely to move in.

Get it in writing, with the price.

Stop and call a pro if

• Someone in the house is allergic to stings or has been stung many times.
• Bees are inside the living space, not just in the wall.
• The colony is high on the house, in a chimney or under the roof.
• The insects turn out to be yellowjackets or hornets. Do not plug a wall entrance yourself; Virginia Cooperative Extension warns that trapped yellowjackets may chew through into the house.^[7]

Getting help on Loclis

You can browse bee and wasp removal, look up pest control around Blacksburg, see what bee removal costs in Virginia, or read the other pest control answers. Once the bees are out, describe the wall or siding repair on Loclis and licensed local businesses can quote.