Bee Removal Michigan — Honey Bees, Bumble Bees & Swarm Removal

Honey Bees

Apis mellifera

The most important bee situation to identify correctly. Golden-brown and fuzzy, 1/2 inch long, flying in high numbers. Swarms — a cluster of thousands hanging on a branch or structure — are a normal spring behavior and often temporary. Established colonies inside wall voids, chimneys, or tree cavities require professional extraction. Honey left inside a structure is a major secondary pest problem if not removed.

Bumble Bees

Bombus impatiens and related species

Large, fuzzy, black and yellow. Ground-nesting — colonies of 50–500 workers in abandoned rodent burrows, under patio stones, inside compost bins, and beneath landscape timbers. Bumble bees are important pollinators and not naturally aggressive, but they will sting repeatedly when the nest is threatened. Nests near walkways, play areas, or HVAC equipment require relocation or removal.

Carpenter Bees

Xylocopa virginica

Large, shiny black abdomen (bumble bees are fuzzy all over). Drill perfectly round 1/2-inch holes into unpainted or weathered wood — fascia boards, soffits, deck railings, porch ceilings. Males hover aggressively but cannot sting; females can. Multiple seasons of use weaken structural wood. Carpenter bees require wood treatment and physical exclusion — not swarm removal. See our Carpenter Bee page →

Mason Bees

Osmia lignaria and related species

Small, metallic blue-black solitary bees that nest in pre-existing holes in wood, hollow stems, and masonry gaps. Almost never sting. Mason bees are highly efficient pollinators and are generally not a pest — most infestations do not require treatment. If nesting in masonry gaps causing cosmetic concern, sealing entry points after the season ends is sufficient.

Mining Bees

Andrena species

Small solitary bees that nest in bare, compacted soil — lawns, garden beds, and sandy areas. Each female digs her own burrow; large groups nesting in the same area are called aggregations and can look alarming. Mining bees are non-aggressive and rarely sting. Active only 4–6 weeks in spring. Lawn care improvements (aeration, overseeding) typically resolve aggregations without chemical treatment.

Not Sure What You Have?

Bees, wasps, and yellow jackets are routinely misidentified — and the wrong response to the wrong species makes the situation worse. Our inspection is free and identifies the species before any recommendation is made. We will always tell you if a beekeeper or simply waiting is the right answer.

Honey Bee Swarm

A large cluster of bees — sometimes thousands — hanging on a tree branch, fence, mailbox, or exterior wall. Swarms are a natural reproductive behavior: the old queen leaves the hive with half the colony to find a new home. They are typically resting while scouts search for a cavity.

What to do: Do not spray. Swarms are generally non-aggressive — the bees have no comb or brood to defend. Most swarms move on within 24–72 hours. If the swarm is in a problematic location, contact a local beekeeper — many will collect swarms for free because the bees are valuable.

If the swarm has been in place for more than 3 days and bees are entering a wall or structure, it is transitioning to an established colony — call us immediately.

Established Colony in a Structure

Honey bees that have moved into a wall void, soffit, chimney, or tree cavity and started building wax comb. An established colony can contain 20,000–80,000 bees and up to 100 lbs of honey, wax, and brood. This is a serious structural situation.

Critical warning: Spraying an established colony without removing the comb is one of the costliest mistakes a homeowner can make. Dead bees and unprotected honey attract mice, ants, carpet beetles, and wax moths. The honey melts in summer heat, soaks through insulation and drywall, and can damage structural members. The fermented honey smell persists for years.

Proper removal requires eliminating the colony AND physically extracting all comb, honey, and wax. This is what Hi-Tech does on every structural honey bee job.

DIY Attempt

Hi-Tech Professional Removal

Free Inspection + Honest Assessment

We walk the property, identify the species, locate the nest or colony, and assess the situation honestly. If a beekeeper is the right answer, we'll tell you. If waiting is the right answer for a swarm, we'll tell you that too. We charge for treatment, not for telling you the truth about what you have.

Colony or Nest Elimination

For bumble bees and honey bees in accessible locations, commercial-grade treatment is applied directly to the nest at the appropriate time of day. For honey bee wall void colonies, treatment is timed with structural access to ensure the queen and brood are eliminated before comb extraction begins.

Comb Extraction (Honey Bee Structural Jobs)

For honey bee colonies in wall voids, soffits, or chimneys, all wax comb, honey, and brood must be physically removed. This is the step DIY spraying skips — and it's the step that determines whether you have a solved problem or a recurring one. We access the cavity, remove all organic material, and treat the cavity interior before it's sealed.

Entry Point Treatment + Exclusion Guidance

All entry points are treated with residual product and assessed for sealing. We provide specific recommendations for caulking, screening, and structural repairs that prevent future swarms from entering the same cavities. Without this step, old wax pheromone in the wall attracts new colonies every spring.

"Honey bees got into the wall behind my kitchen. Another company just sprayed and sealed it. Hi-Tech opened the wall, pulled out the entire comb, and explained exactly why that mattered. Two summers later — no bees, no smell, no mice in that wall. Worth every dollar."

"We had a giant bee cluster land on our fence post in May. I was about to spray it when a neighbor said to call Hi-Tech first. They told me it was a honey bee swarm, gave me a beekeeper's number, and said it would likely move in a day or two. It did. Didn't cost me anything."

"Bumble bees had nested right next to my back steps — I nearly stepped on the nest twice. Hi-Tech treated it quickly, explained why the ground there was attractive to them, and told me what to plant to deter them from the same spot next year. Professional, knowledgeable, fair price."

What's the difference between a swarm and a colony in my wall?

A swarm is a cluster of bees resting temporarily on a surface — a branch, fence, or siding — while scouts find a new home. Swarms typically move on within 24–72 hours and are not aggressive. A colony in your wall has established wax comb, a laying queen, and brood — it is a permanent structure that will not leave on its own and must be professionally removed including full comb extraction. If bees are entering a gap in your siding or soffit and you can hear buzzing inside the wall, that is an established colony.

Can I just spray honey bees in my wall and seal the hole?

No — and this is the most expensive mistake we see. Spraying kills the forager bees but leaves tens of thousands of dead bees, 20–100 lbs of honey, and wax comb sealed inside your wall. In summer heat, the honey melts, soaks through insulation and drywall, and ferments — creating a persistent odor and attracting mice, ants, carpet beetles, and wax moths for years. Proper removal requires physically extracting all comb, honey, and brood before sealing. We do this on every structural honey bee job.

Should I call a beekeeper or an exterminator?

For a honey bee swarm on an accessible surface — a branch, fence, or shrub — call a beekeeper first. Many will collect swarms for free because the bees are valuable. If the swarm is inside a structure, on a roof or high surface, or has been in place more than 3 days, a pest control professional is the appropriate call. For bumble bees, yellow jackets, wasps, or any non-honey-bee situation, a pest control professional is the right contact. When in doubt, call us — we'll tell you honestly who to call.

Are bumble bees protected in Michigan?

Several bumble bee species — including the rusty patched bumble bee — are federally listed as endangered and have protections. However, the most common bumble bee in Southeast Michigan, Bombus impatiens (common eastern bumble bee), is not on the endangered species list and can be legally treated when it presents a sting hazard. We always identify the species before treatment and will advise if relocation is a viable option for the specific situation.

Why do I get bees in the same wall every spring?

Old wax comb releases pheromones that honey bee scouts use to identify former nest sites as desirable. If a previous colony was sprayed without comb removal, or if the entry point was never sealed, new swarms will be attracted to that exact wall cavity every spring. The fix requires removing all remaining comb and wax, treating the cavity interior, and physically sealing the entry gap. Without all three steps, the problem recurs annually.

How long does bee removal take?

A bumble bee ground nest or accessible swarm can be addressed in 30–60 minutes. A honey bee wall void job is more involved — inspection, treatment, return visit for comb extraction once the colony is eliminated, and entry point treatment typically spans 1–2 visits over several days. We'll walk you through the full scope and timeline at the initial inspection before any work begins.

What's the difference between bees and carpenter bees?

Carpenter bees look similar to bumble bees but have a shiny, smooth black abdomen rather than a fuzzy yellow-and-black body. More importantly, carpenter bees bore perfectly round 1/2-inch holes into wood to nest — siding, fascia boards, soffits, deck railings, and porch ceilings. They are a structural damage problem, not a swarm or colony problem. If you're seeing round holes drilled into wood, see our Carpenter Bee Removal page for the appropriate treatment approach.

Do you serve my city in Southeast Michigan?

We serve all of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties — including Detroit, Livonia, Dearborn, Westland, Southfield, Warren, Sterling Heights, Troy, Farmington Hills, Royal Oak, Taylor, Lincoln Park, Canton, Novi, and surrounding communities. If you don't see your city listed, call us — we most likely cover your area.