BeeCal Pest Management approaches honeybee removal as a careful, step-by-step process built around keeping the colony alive. Taking the bees away is only part of the job. A complete relocation also means removing the comb and honey, restoring the structure, and giving the bees a safe new home. Here is how our team handles a colony from start to finish.
Finding the Colony
Every relocation begins with locating the colony precisely. Our technicians watch how bees enter and leave a structure and look for signs such as staining or wax near an opening. To confirm the exact location inside a wall or roof without opening more of the structure than necessary, we may use thermal imaging to detect the heat of clustered bees, a borescope to see inside a cavity, or listening tools to trace the sound of the hive. Pinpointing the colony before any wall is opened limits the amount of repair needed later and shortens the time our technicians spend working near the bees.
Removing the Bees Alive
Once we know where the colony sits, we open only the section of stucco, drywall, or roofing needed to reach it. We then locate and capture the queen, which calms the colony and encourages the workers to gather with her. A specialized bee vacuum with gentle suction collects the bees without injuring them, and smoke is used when needed to keep the colony calm during the process. Because the goal is a living colony, our team works methodically to collect as many bees as possible rather than rushing the job. Removing the queen and the majority of the workers together is what keeps the colony viable for relocation.
Clearing and Sealing the Space
After the bees are removed, we take out all of the comb, honey, and brood from the cavity. Leaving any of this material behind can cause odor, staining, and damage, and it can attract pests or draw new swarms. We clean the area thoroughly and apply an enzyme treatment that breaks down the pheromones bees leave behind, which removes the scent that signals other colonies to move in. Insulation is restored where needed, and the opening is sealed and repaired to a finished condition so the structure is sound and far less likely to attract bees again.
Rehoming the Colony
The bees we collect are not destroyed. We relocate them to a managed hive or place them with a local beekeeper, where the colony can recover and continue pollinating. This approach protects an important pollinator and reflects the environmentally responsible methods our company is built on. Every colony we relocate is one that continues to contribute to the local ecosystem instead of being lost to extermination. Pairing removal with cleanup, sealing, and repair also means the work is done once, with little reason for bees to return to the same spot.
If a honeybee colony has moved into your home or onto your property, BeeCal Pest Management can remove and rehome it without harming the bees. Contact us for a free quote and we will walk you through the safest way to handle the colony.