How To Remove Beehive From Roof

Which Bees Build Their Colony In Walls

Before you do anything about the beehive between your walls, it’s a good idea to know about what kinds of bees you’re dealing with first. Honeybees are typically the most common type of bee to build a colony between walls in a home, as they are usually the only type of bee that can spend the winter there.

While honeybees are active between November and April in the United States, wasps are not. That being said, you’ll still want to check and make sure you know what bees are living with you.

Honey Bee Preservation: Importance Of Protecting Pollinators

In this article, Pollinating New Ideas from University of Minnesota Extension, Marla Spivak, researcher and entomology professor, points out:

Honey bees and wild bees pollinate more than 70 percent of our fruits and vegetables. From a monetary standpoint, their value is estimated at $16 billion in U.S. farm income . Yet our bees are dying at alarming rates. Since 2007, an average of 30 percent of all U.S. colonies have died every winter due to disease, parasites, lack of plant diversity, pesticides and a flowerless landscape.

So, knowing this and after all this states insect is the honey bee, we know to protect our pollinators.

But, what do you do when they are pouring in the house around the chimney? Not just one, but thousands of honey bees.

This happens every year. The bees return to the same place. The sound of the swarm is recognizable now. One appears in the living room. Then another. And, then another. Within minutes, thousands of bees are in the living room. This year an immediate response was to tape a shower curtain over the fireplace as soon as the bees were heard.

Each year, the doors and windows are opened to let them out with hope the bees dont like what they are exploring. Every year the swarm leaves, thankfully. But, in the meantime its a mess with a house full of bees.

The Pros And Cons Of Rooftop Hives

When considering locations for new beehives, many people overlook their roof as a possibility. A habit that perfectly explains one of this locations best advantages: it is discreet. But what complications come with rooftop beekeeping and is this the right solution for you? Lets explore the pros and cons of placing your beehives on the roof.

Pros

People are curiously oblivious to anything above our heads. So, when you place a beehive on top of a building it often goes unnoticed. This is an advantage in an urban or suburban setting because it reduces the chance that a neighbor will complain. Out of sight, out of mind!

Rooftop beehives will also have less of a presence in your own yard. The hive entrance is a busy place. During the day, a constant flurry of flying bees makes the area around a hive an undesirable location for anyone but the bees. When you place your beehives on a rooftop, this is no longer an issue. You dont have to give over a corner of your property to flying bees. You also dont have to worry about guard bees objecting to nearby weeding or rambunctious pets. The bees are literally out of your hair when they are placed on the roof.

Another advantage of rooftop hives is that they seem less plagued by ants and hive beetles.Both of these pests live in the soil so, it makes sense that youd see less of them in a rooftop apiary.

Cons

Solutions

You May Like: How Much Is A Shingle Roof Per Square Foot

Calculating The Cost Of Beehive Removal

Professional beehive removal is comprehensive and reliable. It begins with an inspection, followed by removal.

Oftentimes there are recommendations on what to do to prevent or keep bees from building a new hive in the same location. These services come at a cost.

The average range for beehive removal is around $200 to $750.

The national average cost is about $550. In terms of the minimum and maximum costs, the least you could pay for bee removal is about $80 while the maximum cost is around $1,500.

How To Get Rid Of Bees In The Ground

A simple method for eliminating a ground bee problem is to purchase a chemical spray specifically labelled for these bees .

Bees on the ground are a species of yellow jacket and can become aggressive when agitated, so be sure to dress protectively and spray at night.

• Try to aim the chemical into the hive entrance so that the spray reaches the nesting area.
• Watch the area around dusk or dawn over the next few days for movement and spray again if needed.
• Note that bees who survive the spray will attempt to relocate their nest.
• Under no circumstances should you attempt to kill bees on the ground by pouring gasoline or other generic chemicals into the nest. Doing so will poison the ground, killing both plants and animals. It may also prove a fire or health hazard to humans.

Also Check: What Size Nails For 7 16 Osb Wall Sheathing

Spot And Spray The Hive

The best time to do this is after sunset as bees are inactive during this period. Carry a red flashlight or a flashlight with a red glaze cover as bees are blinded to such lights. Once you have spotted the hive, spray the pesticide into it. Stand at an optimum distance to avoid stings from falling bees or ones trying to escape.

What Smells Do Bees Hate

Lavender oil, citronella oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, lemon, and lime are also off-limits to bees. These are all ways to keep bees away from your skin with topical defenses. While other flying insects may be drawn to the scent of humans, bees are curious by nature and not drawn to the scent in the first place

Recommended Reading: Metal Roof Gable Overhang

How To Kill Bees In Your Ceiling

Depending on how long bees have been in the ceiling can help you determine if you have a small hive or a large one with thousands of bees. Use caution when removing the hive and work only in the early morning or evening when bees sleep. If the hive is large, you may want to call an exterminator rather than attempt to remove the hive yourself. Removing a beehive involves care and preparation. It is very important to use protective gear and be safe when removing bees.

References

Use Of Smoke Or Garlic Spray

One of the most common and effective methods of getting rid of bees is the use of smoke.

If theres a bees nest or colony in your eaves or roof, you can burn up some wood to cause smoke.

As a result, bees will get repulsed by the smell of smoke and will leave the site on their own.

The use of garlic spray around the site of bees nests can force them to leave.

However, these may or may not work depending on the site thats been invaded by bees.

Since the nest site is beneath the roof tiles, driving them out completely can be a tricky task.

This goes without saying that you must wear protective equipment before undertaking this.

Don’t Miss: Roof Replacement Cost California

Why Remove Bees Nests From Your Property

Having bees around can cause a lot of dangers and inconveniences. Its role in economic sustainability, in the medical world, and biodiversity is enormous. However, bees should be in the right place. From severe allergies to injuries, the danger of getting stung by a lot of bees, and more: bees will even harm your property with wax and honey.

To ensure you will have effective bee removal, following some simple rules is a good idea.

Remove The Hive Or Nest From The Structure

Depending on how your roof is constructed, there is only one way of getting rid of bees in roof tiles.

You can only get rid of the swarm of bees if you have managed to remove the nest.

Typically, you have to determine the site of the nest beneath the surface of the tiles. Most of the time, you might be disappointed if you cant manage to find their nest.

But once you have managed to locate the nest, you can safely remove the tiles.

Usually, the removal of bees nests takes time because you have to scrape away the nest completely. You might also need to make it bee-proof so they dont come back!

Then you have to install the tiles back again after the removal of the bees hive.

You May Like: How Much Does It Cost To Recoat An Rv Roof

Avoid Getting Rid Of Bees Yourself

When surfing the internet for bee removal methods, you will get different ideas. Be careful while using one of them, as it can cause injuries and bring harm to honeybees as well. Most bees are aggressive when protecting their nests, which requires extra strategies. Even if one of the methods works for you, it could bring a lot of harm to the environment.

Thoroughly Clean The Area

Clean the area where the beehive was, and clear the space of any evidence of a pre-existing nest. This will ensure no swarm of bees decide to build a hive in the same place later. Also, remove any dead bees. They may attract other bees. Disinfect the area to prevent the growth of pathogens. If you dont, they can cause other problems such as diseases.

Also Check: Should I Replace The Screws On My Metal Roof

How To Remove A Beehive In 6 Steps

• Written by Matthew Kolas on Jun 23, 2009To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience.Reviewed by

Beehive removal sounds like a frightening prospect, but it doesn’t have to be. You do need to be aware of a few things and follow certain steps in order to have a successful beehive removal.

Note: These instructions are for destroying the beehive. However, because bees are an integral part of nature and food production, you should consider solutions that preserve the creatures before eliminating a colony. Many beekeepers and pest control companies will remove beehives for free, so check your local listings before pursuing this option.

How To Handle A Bee Infestation In Your Roof

Youve stepped out of your front doors and noticed some bees buzzing around for the past few days. You didnt think much of it at first, but it appears those bees are here to stay. When you take a closer look, you can see a large nest tucked up under the eaves.

Youve got a problem as you certainly dont want bees for a house guest. If youre dealing with honey bees, honey can actually soak into your home and stain your roofing or walls. The weight of it could also cause roof damage or leaks. You need to figure out how to handle the infestation in your roof.

Don’t Miss: How Much Do New Shingles Cost

Early Signs Of A Formation Of Beehives:

• If you see more than 2-3 bees near your living space or in the vicinity of each other. This could be an indicator of a beehive in the making.
• Listen for popping noise coming from your wall cavity, chimney, and under a shed. The consistent buzzing sound of bees could be the sound of a beehive under construction.

Pay close attention to these signs. By doing so, you can prevent an infestation, and conduct bee removal yourself before it gets out of control. Once you know youve spotted a beehive for sure, then it is time to remove it safely.

Why Should The Honeycomb Be Removed

Honeycomb left in walls or roofs should be removed to prevent meltdown of honey. In the summer months its common to have honey leaking out of the walls and roofs. This always attracts more bees. Unborn larva can often have foul orders that can permeate through the walls. It also prevents future infestations as well as other insects that may be attracted to the sweet honey.

You May Like: How To Repair A Trailer Roof

How To Remove A Hive From A Tile Roof

• View Larger Image

Bees are beautiful, glorious, and beneficial creatures of mother nature. The problem is that sometimes they dont stay in nature. Sometimes they invade our homes. That is when they officially become a pest.

So what do you do when bees invade the roof of your home? Below are a few tips you need to know about removing hives from a tile roof:

Tip #1: Take action as soon as you discover the problem. The longer the bees stay, the bigger the hive. The bigger the Hive, the more difficult it is to remove. The more difficult the job, the higher the cost to remove it.

Tip #2: Dont just kill the bees. Killing the bees without removing the hive often results in problems down the road. Unless you catch it early, eliminating bees only provides temporary relief. If a hive remains inside a structure, new swarms will eventually re infest the same area. Bees are attracted to the smell of hive material and will often re infest and build new hives next to older ones.

Tip #3: Hire a licensed pest control company that specializes in bees. Make sure the company is insuredafter all its not butterflies we are dealing with. In San Diego wild bees are often Hybrid African beesand they can be quite aggressive. Dont attempt to do it yourself unless you possess the proper protection, knowledge, and equipment.

In general, most structural hive removals from a tile roof are performed by following the steps below:

How To Get Rid Of Bees In The House

Dealing with a colony of bees living in your home may be easy or difficult, depending on whether the hive is exposed.

• You should dress in bulky protective clothing and spray an exposed hive with pesticides after dusk to avoid stings.
• Watch the hive at dawn and dusk the next day for any activity and spray again, if necessary.
• Once you are sure the bees are dead, you should remove the hive to avoid the risk of honey or wax melting and causing damage to your walls. This will also make a future infestation less likely.
• In the event of a nest inside the walls, you may need to call a professional.
• Under no circumstances should you plug the entry point, as this may lead any bees in the hive to seek another exit, possibly into your living areas.

Don’t Miss: Skylights In Metal Roofing

Clean The Interior And Seal The Wall

After the hive and bees are removed, you’ll have to give the inside of the wall a good cleaning with soapy water or bleach . This helps to not just remove the honey, which can attract other bugs and insects and do damage to the wall when it melts in the warmer months, but to remove odors from the previous colony, which can attract more bees.

Leave the hole exposed for a few weeks to let everything air out. When you’re sure that there are no odors or honey left and no bees are returning, be sure to seal up the hole with the same material as the original wall and/or with sealant. Then, go around your home and seal any holes or openings you see to prevent this problem from happening again in the future.

Removing beehives can be very dangerous, especially if you are allergic to bee stings. Always wear proper bee protective clothing and hire a professional if you have concerns about doing the job yourself.

References

Bee Nest Removal Cost

So, why will anyone want to have a beehive removed? There are several reasons.

First, the hive may be situated around an inconvenient location.

Such locations may be close to doors windows. A beehive may have to be removed due to structural damage when you habitually use perfume, cologne, aftershave, and deodorant.

Also, wild beehives may need to be removed when you raise your own bees. You or a member of your household may be allergic to bee stings.

If so, its reason enough to want to have it removed.

You May Like: How To Add A Gable Overhang

Diatomaceous Earth To Get Rid Of A Beehive

This is one of the most effective methods to get rid of a beehive. It contains fossilized remains of diatoms and is widely used as a popular insecticide. Diatomaceous earth has sharp microscopic edges which cut the exoskeleton of the bees and eventually they die. Once the bees die, you can easily remove the beehive. All you need to do is fill the holes in the beehive with diatomaceous earth. Cover it with some putty. Make sure while doing this you wear leather gloves.

Honey Bees In Roof Spaces

Honey bees in roof spaces are not nearly as common as you might expect, in fact we dont come across honey bees in roof spaces that often. Generally honey bees dont colonise roofs as such, when they are flying in beneath tiles they more often than not are colonising a cavity wall or an old dismantled chimney stack that is hidden beneath the tiles or possibly a soffit.

Read Also: Hydrostop Cost Per Square Foot

Bees In Roof Spaces Must Be Removed

It is important that you have removed from your roof because leaving them will result in a larger problem later.

Many pest control companies will tell you its not necessary to remove the beehive after removing the bees. Leaving a beehive in a roof space after a treatment with insecticide or other compound is one of the biggest mistakes that people make. Bee removal without honeycomb removal will inevitably cause you problems of a more serious nature than the original bees themselves.