What To Do If You Find A Bee Hive In A Bush

Stumbling upon a buzzing bee hive when you’re out in your yard or taking a walk through nature can be startling. Your first instinct may be to run away or call an exterminator. However, honey bees are beneficial pollinators, so you should avoid killing them if you can Here’s what to do if you discover honey bees have set up home in a bush or shrub on your property

Leave The Bees Alone

The best initial response is to simply leave the bees alone Honey bee hives in bushes or trees are often temporary swarm clusters. Swarming is how honey bees propagate and create new colonies

In spring and summer, an existing hive may get overcrowded. The queen bee will leave with thousands of worker bees to find a new home. This swarm cluster will temporarily rest in shrubs, trees, and bushes while scout bees search for a suitable hollow cavity to establish a permanent hive.

Within 2-3 days, the bees usually move on once scouts report back about a good location. If you don’t bother the bees, they won’t bother you. Leaving them alone allows them time to relocate.

Identify If It’s A Permanent Hive

However, sometimes a swarm cluster in a bush becomes a permanent hive if the bees can’t find a better cavity. Signs a bush hive is permanent:

• Bees have been present for over 5 days. Temporary swarms leave within 2-3 days typically.

• You see bees entering and leaving the bush in a steady, high volume traffic pattern.

• You hear constant buzzing coming from the bush.

• You spot bees carrying large loads of pollen on their legs back to the bush. Swarm clusters don’t forage much.

• You see the bees have built honeycomb attached to bush branches and leaves.

• The bee activity continues for weeks with no drop-off.

If you confirm it’s an established hive rather than a temporary swarm, you’ll need to take action. Leaving a permanent hive in place allows the colony to grow very large by summer. This raises the risk of the bees becoming defensive and stinging if the bush is disturbed.

Call A Local Beekeeper

If you have a permanent honey bee hive in a bush on your property, look up local beekeepers and give them a call. Many hobbyist beekeepers are happy to come remove feral bee colonies and house them in managed hives. This saves the bees and puts them to good use pollinating gardens and producing honey.

A seasoned beekeeper will know how to properly cut out and relocate the hive with minimal disruption to the bees. They likely won’t even charge you, and you’ll be doing a good deed for the environment by finding the hive a new home.

Avoid Exterminators

It may be tempting to call a pest control company to just spray and kill the bees. However, honey bees are important beneficial insects we rely on for pollinating crops and flowers.

Killing the bees should always be an absolute last resort. Pesticide spraying can also be dangerous and kill other important pollinators like butterflies.

Prune Back The Bush

If you can’t find any local beekeepers willing to retrieve the bees, another option is pruning back the section of bush where the hive is located.

Wait until night when all the bees are inside the hive and inactive. Then carefully trim off the branches and stems with the hive comb attached. Lower the comb into a cardboard box and temporarily tape the box shut. The next morning, move the box at least 3 miles away to an uninhabited area.

Open the box and leave it for the bees to fly out and relocate on their own. This gentler method allows you to remove bees from the bush without killing them directly.

Use Bee Smokers And Protective Gear

If you must prune a hive yourself, use proper protective equipment like a beekeeper suit, gloves, and veil. Light a bee smoker to puff smoke around the hive entrance before cutting. The smoke triggers a feeding instinct in the bees, causing them to engorge on honey and become less defensive.

Work slowly and gently so you don’t crush bees or knock the hive completely apart. Some agitation is inevitable, so smoke regularly keeps bees calmer. Have an epinephrine pen on hand in case of allergic reactions to stings.

Call A Professional For Large, Aggressive Hives

In some cases, a bush hive may be too large or aggressive for a beginner to handle. Feral honey bee colonies can have over 60,000 bees. If bees are excessively guarding the bush and chase you when you approach, it’s best to call a professional bee removal service.

Experienced companies have the right tools and techniques to remove the hive humanely. This includes vacuuming bees into special containers rather than spraying insecticides. It’s worth the cost to save the bees and avoid getting stung.

Trim Back Bushes To Discourage Future Hives

To prevent more unwanted hives from moving into your bushes, do some strategic trimming. Honey bees prefer hives located off the ground, with small entrances facing south or east.

Prune bushes up off the ground so there are no low-hanging branches bees could nest under. Clear out the interior middle so there are no sheltered cavities. This removes ideal hive locations.

When To Leave A Hive In Place

Occasionally a bush hive may be situated high up or far away from human activity. If the bees seem docile and aren’t posing a stinging risk at the moment, you can monitor the hive and leave it be.

Defensive bee behavior often develops because of close encroachment by people. Give a well-situated bush hive a wide berth and avoid disturbing it, and the bees should coexist peacefully.

Create A Bee-Friendly Yard

Rather than fearing bees in bushes, embrace them by transforming your yard into a bee haven! Plant pollinator-friendly flowers, provide clean water sources, and let fallen leaves and dead wood remain for nesting material.

The more tolerant and welcoming your environment, the less likely bees are to sting if encountered. Their presence means your yard’s ecosystem is healthy.

Discovering a hive in your shrubbery can be startling, but stay calm and remember bees are beneficial. With proper care, you can reach a harmonious solution that keeps both you and the bees happy!