What do you do when bees build a hive inside the structure of your home? The best practice is to remove the bees, the hive, and to bee proof the area where bees were entering the structure.  The worst thing you can do is ignore the problem in the hopes that it will go away. For some, killing the bees may be a tempting low cost solution, but it can also cause multiple problems.

Eliminating bees without removing the hive from a structure is often not recommended, especially if the hive has been in the structure for more than 6 months. Take a look at the list below.  It is a quick breakdown of some of the problems that can ensue when you ignore and/or exterminate the bees without removing the hive.

1. Elimination without removal of the hive will most likely not solve the bee problem. Killing the bees only solves the problem temporarily. Because bees are attracted to the pheromones and the hive material, new swarms will often re infest the area over and over again.

2. Hives that are not removed will often decay and cause foul odors to emanate from the wall and/or roof.

3. Rodents and/or ants will often infest homes that have a neglected hive.

4. Honey can cause damage if the hive melts during the hotter times of the year. You see if the hive is alive, the fanning of the bees wings will keep the temperature cooler. Once the bees die, the hive heats up and the wax can melt and the honey can run into the drywall and down into the base boards.

Take a look at the video below. It’s a clip of a hive that had been sprayed by another company who did not remove the hive. A few months later the owner of the property discovered a sticky substance running down the exterior eave. The substance ran down the eave and formed a honey stain on the sidewalk. Also included, just for fun, is footage of the camera falling off the roof. The camera survived but the tripod it was attached to broke.