Some people might think that a beekeeper (as opposed to a pest exterminator) should remove bees from your home for free because they can take the bees with them or harvest the honey left behind from the removal.

However, the truth is, bee removal, particularly live bee removal, is quite often more work than it would appear and a beekeeper, like anyone else, should expect to be compensated for their time and effort.

Types of Bee Removal

Bee removals can be categorized as either a swarm removal OR an established colony removal.

Swarm Removal

The recent arrival of a large number of bees would generally be considered a swarm. When there is a swarm of bees, it’s likely that there is not yet a honeycomb present. In such cases, when access to swarm is relatively easy, then the time to remove them is reduced.

Established Bee Colony Removal

When bees have stayed in a particular area long enough (at least of week or more), they would be considered an established colony. As time passes, older colonies will be much larger and to remove them and the honeycomb can be much more time consuming. Such bee removal scenarios require more skill, experience and knowledge.

Why Bee Removal is Not Free

Ongoing Business Expenses

Bee removal services, even offered by beekeepers, is a business like any other in that there are always ongoing costs and expenses necessary to operate.

For instance, there is the cost of purchasing and replacing specialized equipment to get the job done correctly and safely. This can include but is not limited to licenses, insurance, supplies for bee removal repairs and hiring someone to provide customer support during and after normal business hours.

Additionally, just like anyone who drives to work and spends hours each day in an office, beekeepers spend their time and gas when they drive to a customer’s home, removing bees and repair any sheet rock or wood structure that had to be cut open to access the hive for removal as well as the hive clean up. This can translate to several hours of the beekeeper’s time.

Obviously, the more complex the bee removal job, the more time it takes to complete the bee removal task at hand.

Training and Experience

Beekeeping is a profession that takes years to become good at and it is different than the job of bee removal from homes and businesses, which also takes years of training and experience.

Safety

Bee removal work is not without its risks. A bee removal may require use of a ladder and power tools, which can result in injury to the beekeeper. Additionally, when removing the particularly aggressive Africanized bees, this presents an even more serious threat to a beekeeper’s safety and well-being.

When you have a bees that need to be removed from your home, call the bee removal professionals at The Beehive, Bee and Wasp Removal today at 480-468-8763!