The safest way to get rid of a bees nest is to work out what you have first, then pick the matching fix. A honey bee swarm hanging on a branch can usually be collected free by a local beekeeper. A bumble bee nest can usually be left to die off, or moved. An established honey bee colony inside a wall, roof or tree needs the whole nest cut out, which is a job for a specialist. Spraying almost never solves it. This guide walks through each case, the home remedies people try, and where doing it yourself stops making sense. For the full picture, see bee removal in Auckland.
How do you get rid of a bees nest safely?
Start by identifying the bees and the nest, from a safe distance. Then match the fix to the case: call a swarm collector for a fresh swarm, leave or relocate a bumble bee nest, and get a specialist to cut out an established honey bee colony. Don't spray, block or dig at a nest until you know which one you have.
| What you see | What it is | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| A ball of bees hanging from a branch, fence or post | A honey bee swarm | Call a swarm collector, often free |
| A few large, fuzzy bees using a hole in the ground, compost or a wall | A bumble bee nest | Leave it, or have it moved |
| A steady stream of small brown bees in and out of one gap in a wall, roof or tree | An established honey bee colony | Get a specialist to remove the whole nest |
| Shiny black and yellow insects with narrow waists, grey or brown papery nest | Wasps | A pest control business |
Our page on bumble bee nests covers that case in detail, and bees in walls and roofs covers established colonies.
What should you do about a honey bee swarm?
Leave it alone and call a swarm collector. Honey and Bees New Zealand says bees in a swarm are not aggressive unless provoked, and advises against spraying them, because insecticide can make the bees sick or kill them. In Auckland, the Auckland Beekeepers Club runs a free swarm collection service through independent volunteer collectors.
A swarm is a colony on the move, resting while scouts look for a new home. It often stays a few hours to a day or two, then leaves on its own. If it is somewhere harmless, waiting is a real option. If it starts moving into your wall or roof, call someone quickly, because a swarm that settles inside a cavity becomes a much bigger job. Our guide on getting rid of a bee swarm without killing it explains the steps.
Can you remove an established beehive yourself?
For most people, no. An established honey bee colony has thousands of bees, wax combs and stored honey, and the bees defend it. Removing it means opening the cavity, cutting out every comb and cleaning the space, while wearing a full bee suit. Done badly, you end up stung, with an angry colony and comb left behind to melt.
University bee labs in Georgia and California both say the whole nest has to come out, because leftover comb and honey can melt through walls and attract other bees to the same spot. Honey bees defending a nest that is being opened can become aggressive in a way they never are while swarming. Unless you keep bees yourself and have the gear, this is the point to get a specialist.
Should you spray a bees nest?
No. Spraying rarely solves a bee problem and often makes it worse. UGA's bee lab says insecticide only really works on bees that moved in within the last day or two. On an established colony, the dead bees, comb and honey stay where they are, and the poisoned honey is dangerous to other bees that come to rob it.
There is a wider cost too. NZ Bee Health and Biosecurity explains that American foulbrood, a fatal disease of honey bee brood, spreads when weak or abandoned colonies are robbed by bees from nearby hives. A colony killed and left inside a wall is exactly that. Insecticide treatment has its place for wasps, which a pest control business handles. For honey bees, removal is the answer, not spray.
Do smells or home remedies keep bees away?
You will find plenty of home remedies online: peppermint oil, vinegar, cinnamon, citronella, mothballs, even WD-40. None is a reliable way to move an established bee colony, and we have not found an official New Zealand source that recommends any of them. A colony with comb, brood and honey inside a cavity will not abandon it because of a smell.
Smells and sprays might make a few bees avoid a spot for a while, but they don't remove the comb, which is the real problem. Mothballs and solvents bring their own risks inside a house. If the bees are a fresh swarm, they will likely leave on their own anyway. If they are an established colony, the comb has to come out.
When should you call a professional?
Call a specialist when the bees are inside a wall, roof, chimney or floor, when the nest is high up, when it has been there for weeks or more, when bees are getting into the house, or when anyone nearby is allergic to stings. Those are the cases where doing it yourself is most likely to go wrong.
A specialist can tell you what the job involves, whether the bees can be saved, and what it costs. Our guide to bee removal cost covers typical price ranges in Auckland, from free swarm collection to cutting a colony out of a wall.
Questions people ask
What is the quickest way to get rid of bees?
For a swarm, the quickest way is a phone call to a swarm collector. Collection is often free, and a swarm caught before it moves into a cavity is the easiest job there is. For an established colony, there is no fast safe shortcut. Spraying looks quick but leaves comb and honey behind, so the problem comes back.
How do you get rid of bees without killing them?
Have a beekeeper or bee specialist collect them. Swarms are boxed up and rehomed in a hive. Established colonies can often be cut out and rehomed too, comb and all. Bumble bee nests can be moved at night. Ask for live removal when you get quotes, because not every business offers it.
Does fly spray kill bees?
Household insect sprays can kill the bees they hit, but they don't reach the colony inside a wall, tree or roof, and they leave the comb and honey behind. Poisoned honey then puts other bees at risk. For a swarm, call a collector instead. For an established colony, get the whole nest removed.
Should you get rid of the queen bee?
Removing the queen on her own doesn't get rid of a colony. A healthy honey bee colony can raise a new queen from young larvae. When a specialist removes a colony, they try to collect the queen along with the workers so the bees settle in their new hive, but the whole nest still has to come out.
What should you do if you get stung?
Health New Zealand advises scraping a honey bee stinger out as quickly as possible, washing the area, and using an ice pack. Call 111 if someone has trouble breathing, swelling of the lips or face, or feels faint. For non-urgent advice, Healthline is free on 0800 611 116, any time.
Sources
- Honey and Bees New Zealand, Honey bee swarms
- Auckland Beekeepers Club, Free swarm collection
- University of Georgia Bee Lab, Honey bee swarms and bees in walls
- UC Riverside Bee Lab, Unwanted honey bees
- NZ Bee Health and Biosecurity, American foulbrood
- NZ Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Bumblebee nests at your place
- Health New Zealand, Bee and wasp stings
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