Bee Removal in Austin

FUN FACT

Did you know that bees can visit up to 100 flowers in a single day? This incredible foraging ability makes them vital pollinators for countless plant species, ensuring the survival and diversity of our natural world. In Texas, where diverse bee species thrive, their role in maintaining ecological balance is particularly important.

Schedule Your Bee Removal Call (512) 764-5804

Identification
Bees are remarkable insects known for their role in pollination and honey production. There are over 4,000 native bee species in North America, with honeybees being the most well-known. Although once endangered, honeybee populations have recovered, with over 3 million colonies in the US. In Texas, there are 12 common species that you might encounter. These social insects thrive in various habitats, from meadows and forests to urban gardens.

Habitat and Behavior
Bees are most active during the day, especially in warm weather. They feed on nectar from flowers, using their long tongues to sip the sugary liquid and store it in their honey sacs. A single bee can visit up to 100 flowers in a single day, collecting pollen and nectar. Bees build honeycombs made of wax to store honey and raise their young. They fiercely defend their hives, so it’s best to admire them from a distance.

Prickly Pear’s Approach

Exclusion: We inspect your property for potential nesting sites and help you manage your outdoor spaces to reduce attractants. This includes securing garbage cans and cleaning up spills that might attract bees.
Habitat Modification: We recommend planting a variety of flowering plants to create a pollinator-friendly environment while ensuring that bees do not establish hives in unwanted areas.
Hive Removal: If a beehive is found, we remove and relocate it with minimal disruption to the colony.

Conclusion

Bees play a crucial role in pollination, which is essential for the production of many crops. They contribute to a healthy ecosystem by promoting plant growth and diversity. Prickly Pear Wildlife offers expert services to manage bee populations and secure your property. If you notice signs of bee activity, contact us for professional help in maintaining a balance between human needs and wildlife conservation.

Bee Removal in Austin: Swarms and Established Hives

There are two very different bee calls, and it helps to know which one you have.

A swarm

A ball of bees hanging from a branch, fence or eave is usually a swarm resting while scouts look for a new home. Swarms are common in Central Texas in spring. They’re often calm and may leave on their own within a day or two. Keep people and pets back, and call us if they’re still there or are in a spot where they can’t stay.

An established hive

Bees going in and out of a gap in a wall, soffit, water meter box, shed or tree cavity mean comb is being built inside. These colonies don’t leave, and the comb and honey grow every week.

How we remove a hive

Locate the comb. We find where the colony is inside the wall or structure, using a thermal camera where needed.
Remove the colony and comb. Where we can, bees are moved alive to a hive box and placed with a local beekeeper.
Clean out the cavity. Comb and honey left behind melt, attract new swarms, and draw roaches and ants, so we remove all of it.
Seal the opening so another swarm can’t move into the same space.

Bee questions we hear

Should I spray the bees myself?

No. Spraying angers the colony and leaves comb and honey in the wall, which causes more problems than the bees did.

How can I tell bees from wasps?

Honey bees are fuzzy and golden-brown and nest inside cavities. Wasps are smooth and shiny and build open paper nests. See wasp control.

Commercial and HOA bee calls

We also remove hives from schools, churches, HOA common areas and commercial buildings, where bees near entrances and playgrounds can’t wait. We can schedule removals outside business hours.

What does it cost to remove a hive?

It depends on where the colony is and how much comb there is. A swarm on a branch is a quick job; a hive inside a wall that needs opening and repair takes longer. We give you a price after the inspection.

We provide bee removal across Austin, Pflugerville, Round Rock, Hutto, Georgetown, Leander and Cedar Park.

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