The process of removing bees can be extremely daunting and even dangerous for those who are not trained to do it. We always recommend you hire a professional bee removal specialist to take care of your problem, but we will tell you the necessary information for you to remove them yourself if you choose to. The number one concern we have is safety, but if you follow this guide you should be able to considerably minimize all the risks involved. Remember, this task should not be taken lightly as it can be dangerous. If the hive begins to swarm, then it becomes a hazard for the entire neighborhood and not just for yourself.
You will need a few tools before you begin your challenging task. We recommend that you do not even attempt this project without a second person available. The second person would just be responsible for being the second pair of eyes and backing up the primary remover. This is mainly for safety reasons. It is always possible that something might go wrong, and it would be a good idea to have someone watching your back. At the very least, they will be able to contact emergency services if something goes really bad.
The rest of the tools will depend on the type of job you are going to be removing. It is also dependent on the type of bee that you are dealing with, but the general steps should be the same. You need to get to and from the hive safely. You may have to remove certain obstructions like walls, couches, or whatever is in the way. You need to have a decent view of the hive, so you can remove or destroy the entire hive structure. You should be relatively sure that you killed the queen. After the hive is all taken care of you need to prevent another hive from forming in the feature. Make sure that all the entrances to the hive area are removed.
These are just the general steps. We recommend that you follow the guide below to do it safely and to remember that professional exterminators are always an option. While we are not responsible for what you do or what happens to you, we still want you to perform the task as safely as possible.
Getting Rid of Bees: Prepare
There are a few things that you will need to do before you begin the removal process. The first thing you should do is identify the type of bee and the size of the hive. The bigger the hive, the more difficult the removal process is going to be. Clothing-wise you will need to make yourself a makeshift beekeeper’s suit. You will need most of the following things:
- Duct Tape – Use this to tape any areas where different articles of clothing meet. For example, the area between your shirt and gloves.
- Gloves – A decent pair of gloves.
- Long Sleeved Shirt or Jacket – Something that is thick enough to protect your arms.
- Long Jeans – Something that will completely cover your legs.
- Face Protection – Something that will protect your face, including neck, mouth, and eye areas.
- Hat – Something that covers your head completely.
Once you have all the clothes that you will be using, make sure you read our guide to assembling the suit. You will want to make sure you have all the necessary tools for the job. The mandatory one is a good, fast-acting bee poison. You will need at least two canisters of the stuff, and make sure that it is fast-acting. The rest of the tools will depend on the type of job you are going to be doing, but they can include any of the following:
- Bee Poison – You want something that is fast-acting. We recommend using something that will target the nervous system of the bees and stop them dead in their tracks in 15 seconds or less.
- Crow Bar – Something that you can use to expose the bee hive.
- Saw – Sometimes a crow bar will be impractical, and it might be necessary to use something a bit more powerful like a saw. This will let you cut a hole directly into the wall.
- Vacuum – A high powered shop vacuum might aid with the removal of a larger hive.
- Garbage bags – You will want to have these on hand to dispose of the hive as fast as possible.
Bee Removal Safety Plan
Safety Warning: Do NOT attempt if you are allergic to bees, around small children, elderly, pets, or alone.
Once you are sure you have all the tools you need to accomplish the job, the next step is just a really quick plan. An effective plan should have a plan of attack, a plan of retreat, and a quick overview with your partner so they know what to do.
The plan of attack will be covered in greater detail in the next step, but it is pretty simple. You want to approach the hive quickly, but quietly, trying not to disturb the hive. Once you are at their entrance, spray the poison directly into the opening, and hopefully, you will be able to poison the whole hive without any trouble. There is a chance that it might be necessary to remove a section of the wall that the bees have built their hive in. It should be done as quickly as safety permits.
The process of removing a wall to reach the hive can be extremely dangerous. All the bees will be on alert due to the vibrations from the saw. If the hive becomes a swarm and you are starting to get stung, it is important that you know exactly how you are going to retreat ahead of time. Execute your retreat plan should things become unsafe.
Make sure that your partner knows to watch your back at a distance. They are there to warn you if the bees have another exit, or to warn you to pull out if it becomes too dangerous. They should also have a can of the bee spray that you guys are using.
Getting Rid of Bees: Step By Step
- Prepare – Make sure you have all the necessary equipment from start to finish.
- Clear the Area – Make sure that there are no elderly persons, children, pets, or people with bee allergies around or in the house that you are working on. The bees might find a way into the house when their hive is attacked. For example, there should not be an infant inside the house directly opposite of the wall you’re working on. The bees might run from the poison directly into the house. Also, check your neighbors’ yards and make sure their kids are not outside.
- Plan – Make sure you and your partner know what what is going to happen at each step. This should not take longer then a few minutes, but it can save lives.
- Get Dressed – Everyone involved should be wearing some sort of basic protection, but you do not have to get fancy. A jacket, jeans, gloves, face protection, and some duct tape work wonders.
- Attack – Approach the hive as quickly and quietly as possible. Bees are sensitive to vibrations, so step softly. Once you reach the entrance that the hive is using start spraying the poison into the hive, and don’t stop until bees stop coming out. Constantly re-evaluate your situation. Make sure you have enough poison for the job, and try and estimate the size of the hive.
- Evaluate – Time to take a quick break for a few minutes. Step back and judge what’s going on. Make sure that the hive is dead and that any bees did not escape somewhere else, especially into a home. Once the poison has had a few minutes to really penetrate the hive it is now time to remove it.
- Remove the Hive – This part can get a bit messy. You might have to remove sections of the wall to remove the hive. You could just seal the entrance if it was a tiny one, but we recommend that you remove it. Once you have a clear view of the hive spray any remaining survivors. When it is safe just remove the hive into a garbage bag and seal tightly.
- Cool Off Period – The bees are gone, but there were probably some out gathering pollen. They will be returning throughout the day, and they might be upset that their hive is gone. You can go inside and take off your protection gear.
- Rebuild – Give the remaining survivors at least 24 hours to clear out before resealing the wall. Make sure not to leave any gaps to allow another hive to come in and rebuild.
