Bees · North Arkansas
Not every bee needs to be killed.
A swarm hanging in a tree is honey bees looking for a new home, and they'll usually move on in a day or two. A colony inside your wall is a different story. And the big bees drilling perfect holes in your fascia boards are carpenter bees, which are their own problem.
- Swarms
- April to June
- Carpenter bees
- Spring
- Where
- Walls, eaves, decks
- Risk
- Stings, wood damage
Signs
Which bee problem do you have?
- A ball of bees on a branch or fenceA honey bee swarm resting while scouts look for a home. Leave it alone and call a local beekeeper first.
- Bees flying in and out of a gap in the sidingAn established colony in the wall. The longer it stays, the more comb and honey there is to deal with.
- Round, half-inch holes in woodPerfectly round holes in eaves, fascia, decks and porch rails, often with sawdust below. Carpenter bees.
- Woodpecker damage around the holesWoodpeckers tear up the wood going after carpenter bee larvae.
Where they hide
Where they settle
Honey bees move into wall voids, soffits, chimneys, hollow trees and old sheds.
Carpenter bees drill into bare or weathered wood: fascia boards, rafter tails, decks, porch rails and log homes.
Bumblebees nest in the ground, in old mouse nests and under sheds.
Know what you've got
The bees we see around here
Honey bee
Fuzzy, golden brown. Lives in big colonies and swarms in spring. A colony in a wall needs the comb taken out too.
Carpenter bee
Looks like a bumblebee with a shiny black, bald rear end. Drills nesting holes in wood. Males hover at you but can't sting.
Bumblebee
Big and fuzzy all over. Small ground nests. Rarely stings unless the nest gets disturbed.
Sweat bee
Tiny and often shiny green. Drawn to sweat. Stings only if pinched.
Our process
How we handle bees
Every job starts with a free inspection. Most homes end up on our quarterly plan, which includes free re-treats between visits. See the plans.
Find out what it is
Swarm, wall colony, carpenter bees or something that only looks like a bee. Yellowjackets get called bees all the time.
Swarms
We'll point you to a local beekeeper when the bees can be saved. Confirm their policy on honey bees.
Wall colonies
The bees and the comb have to come out, or the honey melts, stains the wall and draws other pests.
Carpenter bees
We treat the holes in spring, then plug them, so next year's bees don't use the same tunnels.
Before we get there
What you can do today
- Paint or stain bare wood. Carpenter bees prefer raw, weathered wood.
- Call a beekeeper first if it's a swarm on a branch.
- Keep kids and pets away from a swarm until it leaves.
What not to do
- Don't spray a swarm. It turns calm bees defensive.
- Don't seal up a wall with bees inside. The honey and dead bees rot in the wall.
FAQ
Bees questions
Will a swarm sting me?
Swarming bees are usually calm because they have no home to defend. Give them space and they'll move on in a day or two.
Do carpenter bees sting?
Males can't sting, even though they dive at you. Females can, but rarely do.
Why can't you just kill the bees in my wall?
You can, but the comb and honey left behind melt in summer heat, stain the drywall and attract ants, roaches and rodents. The comb needs to come out.
Are these bees or yellowjackets?
If they're bright yellow and black, shiny, and nesting in the ground, they're probably yellowjackets. See hornets and wasps.
Keep reading
Other pests we treat
Think you've got bees?
We'll come out, find what you've got, and tell you what it takes. No charge, no pressure.