If you notice bees flying in and out of a small opening in your wall, roofline, soffit, or exterior siding, there is a good chance they are doing more than just passing through.
In South Florida, honey bees can establish colonies inside homes, garages, sheds, attics, exterior walls, and other protected cavities. Once they move in and begin building comb, the problem can become much more complicated than simply removing the bees you can see.
If you think you have bees inside your wall, the most important thing is knowing what not to do and what steps to take next.
How Do Bees Get Inside a Wall?
Honey bees do not need a large opening to enter a structure. A small gap in stucco, roofing, siding, soffits, vents, utility openings, or trim can give a swarm access to a protected wall cavity.
Once scout bees identify a suitable location, the colony can move in and begin establishing a hive.
South Florida homes can be especially attractive to bees because our warm climate allows bee activity to continue throughout much of the year.
Some of the most common entry points include:
- Cracks in stucco
- Gaps around rooflines
- Soffit openings
- Attic vents
- Openings around pipes or electrical lines
- Spaces around windows and doors
- Utility and meter boxes
You may only see a handful of bees entering and leaving, while thousands of bees could be living behind the wall.
Signs You May Have a Bee Colony Inside Your Wall
One of the clearest signs is steady bee traffic entering and exiting the same location.
You may also notice:
- Bees repeatedly flying to one specific opening
- Increased bee activity during warmer parts of the day
- Buzzing sounds inside a wall or ceiling
- Honey or dark staining appearing on drywall or exterior surfaces
- Bees appearing inside the house
- A sweet or unusual odor near the affected area
A few bees around flowers or landscaping usually are not a concern. Repeated traffic into a structural opening is different.
That can indicate an established colony.
Do Not Seal the Hole
One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is sealing the opening where bees are entering.
It may seem logical: close the hole and stop the bees.
Unfortunately, that can make the situation worse.
If an established colony is trapped inside the wall, the bees may begin searching for another way out. That can sometimes mean bees entering the living space through vents, light fixtures, electrical outlets, ceilings, or other openings.
Sealing the exterior opening also does nothing to address the honeycomb, brood, wax, or honey that may already be inside the wall.
A proper removal requires determining exactly where the colony is located and addressing the entire hive.
Why Removing Only the Bees Is Not Enough
An established hive is much more than a cluster of bees.
Inside the wall may be:
- Honeycomb
- Stored honey
- Brood
- Wax
- Pollen
- The queen
- Thousands of worker bees
If the bees are removed but the comb is left behind, several problems can develop.
Remaining honey can leak into walls or ceilings. Wax can melt in extreme heat. Old comb can attract ants, roaches, moths, rodents, and other pests.
The scent of an old hive can also attract future swarms back to the same location.
That is why complete bee removal is so important.
Swarm or Established Hive?
There is an important difference between a temporary swarm and an established colony.
A swarm may temporarily gather on a tree branch, fence, mailbox, building, or other surface while scout bees search for a permanent home.
An established colony has already moved into a cavity and started building comb.
If bees have been entering the same wall opening consistently for several days or longer, there is a greater chance that they have established a hive.
The longer the colony remains in place, the larger the hive can become.
What Does Professional Bee Removal From a Wall Involve?
Every situation is different, but professional structural bee removal generally starts with identifying the location and size of the colony.
The technician may inspect bee activity, entry points, wall construction, rooflines, and surrounding areas to determine where the hive is located.
In many cases, controlled access to the wall or structure is necessary.
The process may include:
- Locating the colony.
- Creating safe access to the hive.
- Removing the bees.
- Removing the honeycomb and hive material.
- Cleaning the cavity.
- Identifying and correcting the entry point.
- Repairing or preparing the area for repair.
The goal is not simply to stop bee activity for the day.
The goal is to solve the underlying problem.
Why Experience Matters With Structural Bee Removal
Removing bees from a tree branch is very different from removing a colony from inside a wall.
Structural bee removal may involve roofing, stucco, drywall, framing, soffits, electrical components, insulation, or other parts of the building.
That means the person performing the work needs to understand both bee behavior and how the structure is built.
At Bee Boyz Contractors Inc., we approach bee removal with that complete picture in mind.
We are not looking for the fastest way to make the bees disappear.
We want to determine where the colony is located, remove the hive properly, and help reduce the chances of the problem returning.
Why Bee Problems Are Different in South Florida
South Florida’s warm climate allows bees to remain active for much more of the year than in colder parts of the country.
Homes also provide exactly what a bee colony is looking for: shelter, warmth, protection from weather, and enclosed cavities.
That means homeowners in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties should take recurring bee activity around the home seriously.
A small amount of activity today can become a much larger colony over time.
What Should You Do If You See Bees Entering Your Wall?
Do not disturb the colony.
Do not spray chemicals into the opening.
Do not seal the entrance.
Keep children and pets away from the area and contact an experienced bee removal professional.
Photos and video can often be very helpful when evaluating the situation.
Need Bee Removal in South Florida?
If you are seeing bees entering your wall, roof, soffit, attic, meter box, or another part of your home, Bee Boyz Contractors Inc. can help.
Our team handles structural bee removal with a focus on identifying the colony, removing the hive properly, and addressing the conditions that allowed the bees to move in.
Do not wait for a small bee problem to become a much larger hive.
Contact Bee Boyz Contractors Inc. Today
Seeing bees going into your home?
Call Bee Boyz Contractors Inc. or send us photos and video of the bee activity. We can help determine what you are dealing with and discuss the safest next step.