Bee Control in Bulverde, TX
Most bee questions in Bulverde come down to four situations: a honey bee swarm resting on a branch, a honey bee colony living inside a wall, a bumble bee nest low to the ground, or carpenter bees drilling round holes in wood. Each needs a different response, from simply waiting to prompt removal of comb. A fifth situation is common too: the "bee" turns out to be a wasp.
Pest Trappers can help you figure out which you have. Call or text (210) 281-1064, or request a bee inspection.
Which bee is it? #
| What you notice | Probably | Bulverde page |
|---|---|---|
| A hanging cluster of bees on a limb, post or eave | Honey bee swarm, resting | European honey bee control |
| A steady line of bees into one gap in a wall, soffit, chimney or meter box | Established honey bee colony | European honey bee control and Africanized honey bee control |
| Large, fuzzy black-and-yellow bees going in and out of a spot on or near the ground | Bumble bee nest | Bumble bee control |
| Shiny black bee hovering at trim, a deck or a fence, round holes with sawdust below | Carpenter bee | Carpenter bee control |
| Smooth, shiny black-and-yellow insects at a hole in the ground | Yellowjacket (a wasp) | Yellowjacket control |
| Tiny dark insects on a gray paper ball in a tree | Mexican honey wasp | Mexican honey wasp control |
Honey bees: treat every wild colony with care #
Honey bees are about 1/2 inch, hairy, with banded abdomens, and they build wax comb. A swarm is a colony on the move and is usually calm. AgriLife sources say it typically leaves within hours to about two days. A colony that has moved into a structure stays put and keeps building comb.
European and Africanized honey bees look alike, and only lab testing tells them apart. AgriLife assumes most wild colonies in Texas have some African ancestry, so the safe approach is to give every feral colony room, check before mowing, and never spray, poke or plug a nest. If bees chase you, cover your head and get inside a car or building.
Bumble bees and carpenter bees: big, loud, different problems #
Bumble bees are native, social and fuzzy all over. They nest in existing cavities near or in the ground, such as old rodent burrows, grass clumps and spaces under sheds, and the colony dies off in late fall. Three Texas species are on the state's conservation-need list, so leaving an out-of-the-way nest is reasonable.
Carpenter bees are solitary and have a shiny, mostly bare abdomen. They don't live in colonies, but females bore round tunnels into weathered wood. Males buzz at people but cannot sting. The concern is the wood, not the bee.
Not a bee after all #
Yellowjackets are often mistaken for honey bees. TAIS notes they are smooth and carry no pollen, and their nests are paper, usually underground. AgriLife says foragers can turn aggressive, especially in fall. Mexican honey wasps confuse people for a different reason: they make and store honey, but their nest is paper, not wax.
Water, creeks and late-summer bees in Bulverde #
Bulverde averages 30 to 33 inches of rain a year, and the city traces its earliest residents to Paleo-Indians along Cibolo Creek, according to its About Bulverde page. Even with creeks nearby, bees take water wherever it is easy to reach. AgriLife's ENTO-080 notes that honey bees visit swimming pools and birdbaths for water in late summer and then return to their hives.
So bees at the pool edge in August are not by themselves proof of a colony on your property. Watch where they fly when they leave. If the line heads into your soffit, wall or meter box rather than off over the fence, the colony is yours.
Who can remove bees in Texas #
For honey bees, Texas allows paid removal only by a registered beekeeper or a licensed pest control professional, and beekeepers without a license can't use pesticides. TAIS says there is no separate "bee removal license" and keeps a county list of beekeepers who do removals; Bulverde is in Comal County. Where it is practical, a beekeeper may be able to remove a swarm or colony alive.
Bumble bees, carpenter bees and wasps aren't covered by the beekeeper rules and are handled as ordinary pest work.
How Pest Trappers handles bee calls #
The technician identifies the bee, finds the nest or entry point, and explains the options, including leaving a nest that isn't in anyone's way or contacting a beekeeper for a honey bee colony where that makes sense. When treatment is the right choice, products are applied according to their labels, and for honey bees in a structure the plan includes dealing with the comb and sealing the entry afterward.
Pricing is given after the inspection, and the office confirms appointment times by phone or text. Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549) is a family-owned company; se habla español. See the Bulverde page for our other local services.