Bee Nest Removal Cost

How Much Does Bee Nest Removal Cost?

Honey bee nest removal in the UK can cost between £70 and £700, depending on the size, location, and ease of access. Bumblebee nest removal will cost slightly less, ranging between £60 and £140.

If a bee nest has taken over your home, it can be difficult to know exactly how to remedy the problem in an environmentally friendly way. Is it best to hire a pest control expert for bee nest removal, or keep it as it is and hope the bees eventually disperse?

The species of bee can impact the price you’ll pay for their removal. Honey bee colonies can contain between 20,000 and 60,000 bees, while bumblebee nests can carry up to 400. The extent of the issue is reflected in the cost.

The population of many bee species in the UK is on the decline. As bees remain an essential contributor to the world's ecosystem, the preferred practice is to remove or relocate any nests - with extermination very much a last resort.

Several factors influence whether removing a nest is necessary. Carpenter bees tend to burrow into softwood or decaying wood, while honeybees often establish nests in walls, chimneys, and loft spaces - all of which can disrupt your home's structure. If the bees are causing structural damage to your property, delaying action can make the situation worse and potentially lead to expensive repairs.

The bees’ behaviour also affects the price you’ll pay for nest removal or relocation. While bumblebees may be relatively calm, other agitated or aggressive bee colonies tend to be more challenging to remove, as is often the case with nests found in smaller indoor spaces.

Bee Nest Removal Prices

Let’s take a closer look at different types of bee nest removal to give you an idea of the budget you may need to fix your problem:

Honeybee nest removal ranges from £70 to £700, depending on the size and location of the nest. As honeybee nests can contain up to 60,000 bees, the costs can significantly increase in line with the number of bees present.

Bumblebee nest removal costs much less and is fairly cheap, ranging from £60 to £140. To remove a honeybee swarm, prices start at £80 and rise in line with the size of the swarm and difficulty.

Removing honeybees from a chimney can cost upwards of £180, while treatment for mining bee nests starts at £100 and rises with complexity and bee volume.

It’s worth searching online for bee nest removal or relocation services near you, as most counties have free schemes run by volunteers or charities who are happy to take care of the work for you.

Additional Bee Nest Removal Costs

Once the bee nest has been removed or relocated, you may need to do some remedial work to correct or fix any areas of your home that the bees may have impacted. These tasks can include:

Repair Work

If you have had an infestation of carpenter bees who like to feast on wooden structures, you will likely need repairs or replacement work. This could be on window frames, wooden porch surrounds, or sheds.

For nests in walls, chimneys, or cavities, you may need to patch up once the hive has been removed, such as replacing eaves felt (around £400), repointing your house's brickwork (starting from £600), or replacing ridge tiles (around £300).

Relocation Services

Bees aren't a legally endangered species in the UK, but many species are in decline. Because of this, the preferred removal method is relocation rather than extermination.

This is usually charged as an additional fee to the original removal and varies depending on the local area and associated guidelines.

The British Beekeepers Association can help with free, volunteer-run honeybee swarm collections in the UK. These bees can then be relocated and rehomed under their protective service, helping to prevent unnecessary harm to the hives.

Honeycomb Removal

If a honeybee nest has been removed from your property, you may need any remaining honeycomb cleaned out to prevent residue that could attract pests such as ants, wasps and rodents. This is likely to carry extra costs and will depend on the leftover honeycomb's size and ease of access.

Hiring Scaffolding

If accessibility is an issue, you may need to hire scaffolding to access hard-to-reach areas—an access tower costs between £65 and £110.

Follow-Up Visit

Some beekeepers may want to pay you an extra visit to ensure the bee removal has been successful and the hive has not returned to its original location. This service is often offered free of charge, but it’s best to double-check this with your contractor.

Labour Cost of Bee Nest Removal & Timescales

The general timeline for removing bee nests is typically between 1 and 3 hours. For more complex settings, such as those where hives are in chimneys or deep in-wall nests, the time can extend to 4 to 6 hours.

If ease-of-access is restricted, the time can increase further. While some beekeeping services are free–such as the British Beekeepers Association, which handles swarms of honeybees in the UK–most services act on a paid-for basis, starting from £60 for bumblebee nests and £70 for honeybee nests, rising to more than £700 in some complex, high-volume situations.

Factors That Impact Bee Nest Removal Costs

Bee nest removal costs can be influenced by several factors, which is why the removal cost range can swing from £70 to £700 for honeybees.

Location and Accessibility

Most bee removal companies carry their own working-at-height equipment to reach hard-to-reach areas such as high alcoves, roof spaces, and eaves. However, the use of the specialist equipment will cost money and will likely bump up your overall project costs.

If you have a bee nest in your wall cavity or roof space, your removal costs will be higher than those associated with bee nests in open spaces such as gardens with limited access.

Nest Size

As with all home projects, the bigger your area, the higher your cost will be–and the same is true with bee hive size. Larger nests, hives, or swarms will require more equipment and resources to remove and may need one or more bee specialists, resulting in higher labour and supply costs.

Time of Year

The best time of year to remove bee nests is late winter and early spring because there are fewer bees. This means relocation and removal costs are far higher during peak bee seasons such as summer.

While local volunteer-led organisations offer some free relocation services, most bee removal companies will charge more during the summer due to higher service demand.

Bee Species

Although you may think a bee is just a bee, the species impacts the removal and relocation service required. Honeybees are often relocated, while bumblebees can be left to their own devices.

Other species, such as carpenter bees, may need different handling, resulting in different pricing for increased risk.

Building Regulations Related to Bee Nest Removal

Bees are essential for the planet’s ecosystem, but they aren’t a protected species at the time of writing. In the UK, several acts help to protect them:

• The Bees Act 1980 — this allows the government to create orders to prevent the spread of new diseases that impact bees.
• The Bee Diseases and Pests Control Orders — similar to the Bees Act of 1980, this helps to protect bees from existing pests and diseases that impact bees.
• Other Legislation - various food, drugs, veterinary, and environmental laws help to protect bees.

Due to their intrinsic value to the planet, bees need these regulations to help avoid unnecessary pests and diseases from harming their kind. These acts also help to encourage safe relocation to protect bee populations.

While the extermination of bees is technically legal in the UK, there are regulations and recommended guidelines:

• Any chemical treatment must comply with UK biocide and wildlife legislation
• The nest must be treated post-extermination to avoid harming other bees that may enter the nest
• Risk assessments must be carried out pre-extermination
• Honeycombs must be disposed of as controlled waste by licenced waste removal services

Any extermination service must be part of a regulated UK pest control body, such as The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) or The National Pest Technicians Association (NPTA), to ensure they are working according to guidelines.

Bee Nest Removal Methods

Removal methods will differ depending on the species of bee. The most common method is a professional relocation, where the hive, nest, or swarm is safely removed and rehomed in a more suitable, protected environment. This allows the bees to live and provide for the planet while being moved in an eco-friendly, environmentally, and ethical way.

However, in some instances, extermination may be the only option. This is most likely in circumstances where:

• There are a high number of bees in and outside of a property
• The access/entry point of the bees is unclear, leading to an infestation
• Holes in wood or bowing/distended ceilings or walls
• Dark patches in walls or ceilings, coupled with a musty odour

Professional extermination may be the only option when there's an infestation and the property’s structure or purpose is at risk. Preventative measures around the property can help prevent bee nests from forming, such as sealing holes or cracks after removal, to avoid recurring issues.

Let’s compare and contrast those different removal methods:

• Bee relocation/removal — Ensures the bees are taken somewhere more suitable and out of harm's way. However, bees can potentially return, and some companies may not carry out the relocation service safely.
• Preventative measures — Helps to avoid recurring bee hive/swarm issues, is cost-effective and harmless. Although it's not always as effective as other options.
• Extermination — Completely removes the bees and their nest, as well as significantly reducing the risk of any returning. This option isn’t environmentally friendly and should only be used if no other option is suitable.

Alternative Options for Nest Management

There may be instances where removing the bee nest might not be what you want to do. Bumblebee nests are the least impactful of the collection, and if they have nested somewhere tucked away from day-to-day activity on your property, you may find you’re happy to leave them to carry on about your business without interference.

Here are the main alternatives to removing a bee nest altogether:

• Leave the nest undisturbed — if they have nested in a low-traffic area, tucked away from your day-to-day activity, you may find you’re happy to leave them without any interference.
• Install bee houses — Encourage safe, designated nesting away from your home’s entryways. Solitary bee homes can cost as little as £6, while larger structures suitable for an entire hive may cost upwards of £50.
• Plant natural bee deterrents — Use plants such as peppermint and citronella to help ward bees away. Placing them in strategic locations, like high-traffic areas or near wooden structures, can reduce the likelihood of nest formation.

Checklist: Hiring a Bee Nest Removal Specialist

Before hiring a pest control specialist, review the following questions first:

• Have you verified their credentials? – Ensure the contractor follows best practices and holds relevant licences, such as a pest control licence or local wildlife handling permits.
• Do they specialise in relocation? – Relocation is eco-friendly and ethically sound, with conservation in mind, whereas extermination can potentially work out cheaper it's not as environmentally responsible.
• Can they provide a written quote? – Ask for an itemised breakdown, as well as confirming if anything comes with an additional charge. It's recommended to use the likes of MyJobQuote to receive a quote from separate companies.
• Do they use written agreements? – Avoid verbal agreements on carrying out the work or how much it will cost, as this prevents unexpected costs or disputes once the job is done.
• Have you checked their reviews? – Look for feedback on MyJobQuote or ask friends and family if they've had any similar issues in the past and if they have any recommendations.

Removing a Bee Nest Yourself: Considerations and Costs

If you have studied bee nest removal, are satisfied with the steps and process, and have the required PPE and protective clothing, you can attempt a DIY approach. However, you must have a clear exit strategy if the nest becomes agitated and the bees become aggressive, as this situation could lead to stings and unnecessary bee deaths.

All bee removal items should be bee-friendly to ensure the bees won’t be harmed. There are a range of bee-friendly products to choose from, such as smokers (£30+), brushes (£20+), oil and herb blends (£26+), and complete bee removal kits (£75+). A protective beekeeper suit costs upwards of £50.

Bee nests in hard-to-reach locations such as loft spaces, roof cavities, or high up on second-storey or above eaves are best left to the professionals, as the added complexity of working at height can lead to complications and accidents.

If you are unsure about any steps associated with bee nest removal, it’s best to leave it to the professionals to take care of in a safe and measured manner. With live bee hives and swarms comes the potential for mass bee casualties if the work isn’t carried out safely, which can harm the ecosystem and yourself if you get stung.

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