REMOVALS
“Why should I have to pay for bee removals?”
https://beekeepinglikeagirl.com/why-do-beekeepers-charge-for-live-bee-removal/
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Text us (727-266-0233) at least 2 pictures of your bee situation for a personalized quote. Pictures please, no video. Videos always comes in very grainy and difficult to see.
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The first picture should be closer up showing where the bees are going in and out.
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The second picture should be further back so we we see the entire house, tree, shed, or whatever the bees are living in or on - including the ground area we will be working above.
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Other important info we need to know is: what city you are in, how long they have been there, have they been aggressive, have you sprayed them, and are you the homeowner, renter, business owner / manager, or just a concerned citizen passing by?
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Typical Removals Costs
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Onsite investigation to find where the bees are $150
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Swarm removal (10 ft or under*) $150-$250
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Hive in an owl box, birdhouse, planter, or similar small removeable structure (10 ft or under*) $100-$300
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Hive in a concrete fence, statue, or similar non-moveable structure $350-$550
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Hive in a water meter box / internet utility post $200-$350
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Open hive in tree branches or under roof overhang (10 ft or under*) $200-$400
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Hive under a shed / in shed walls / in shed roof (10 ft or under*) $350-$550
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Hive under a mobile home $300-$500
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Hive in a tree hollow (10 ft or under*) $450-$650
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Hive in a building wall or roof (10 ft or under*) $350-$950
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Hive in between floors of a building $800-$1700.
*Additional fees will be charged when ladders or lifts are required for removals higher than 10 ft off the ground.
**Additional equipment decontamination fees apply if pesticides have been sprayed on the bees.
For a quote on your particular bee removal situation, please text a picture of the bees’ location to 727-266-0233. Actual price depends on size of hive, height of hive, ease of access, amount of disassembly required, etc.
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Note: In certain situations, bees will fly off and leave on their own. If an appointment is set and we arrive at your property to remove the bees, there is a minimum $150 service fee whether the bees are still on the property or not.
Onsite Investigation
The majority of the time we can tell from pictures where the bees are and what is required to remove them. In some situations a thorough onsite investigation is required before we can quote. We utilized tools such as a thermal camera, borescope camera, and listening devices to locate the bees behind walls or in between floors. If needed, we will enter crawl spaces or attics to visually look for the bees. The onsite investigation fee will be applied towards the removal fee if you proceed with utilizing us for performing your bee removal.
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Swarm Removal Process
Swarm removals could involve physically gathering the bees and placing them in a hive box, using a queen pheromone smell to attract the bees to a hive box, or using a specialized bee vacuum to collect the bees.
Open Hive Removal Process
Open hive removals typically include vacuuming up the bees with a specialized bee vacuum, cutting down and removing the hive (comb, brood, honey, etc), and cleaning up the area.
Hive Removal from Structure which can be opened
Hive removals from inside structures typically include cutting into and opening up the cavity that the bees are inhabiting, vacuuming up the bees with a specialized bee vacuum, removing the hive (comb, brood, honey, etc), cleaning up the area, spraying the area with primer/sealer, and temporarily replacing what was removed. The property owners are responsible for hiring a licensed contractor to permanently close up the opening and repair the damage to roofs, walls, floors, etc.
Hive Removal from Structure which can not be opened
If the area absolutely cannot be cut into, then the removal typically involves drilling a few holes into the area to introduce smoke and smells the bees do not like in order to drive them from the cavity. The hive (comb, brood, honey, etc) will be left in the cavity and if not properly sealed will draw pests such as hive beetles, wax moths, roaches, mice, etc. In addition, if the cavity is not completely sealed, it is highly likely another bee swarm will find the cavity and move in. It is the responsibility of the property owners to completely seal all holes, cracks, crevices, and openings into the cavity to avoid unwanted pests and inhabitation by a new bee colony.
After the Removal
Once the removal is complete, bees who were out foraging will return home to find their hive gone. These bees will congregate in the area where their hive was for up to 2 weeks. The size of the bee congregation should be a baseball size ball of bees or less. If a significant amount of bees (grapefruit sized ball of bees or more) remain after 2 weeks, text us a picture and we will make arrangements to return and vacuum up the remaining bees within the following week when we are back in your area.