Bee Control in New Braunfels, TX
Bee problems in New Braunfels come in a few shapes: a humming cluster on a branch, bees pouring in and out of a gap in the siding, big fuzzy bees going into the ground, or round holes chewed into a deck rail. Each one is a different bee with a different answer, so the first move is to watch from a distance and note where the bees go. Don't seal, spray or knock anything down yet. When you are ready, call or text (210) 281-1064 or book online.
Which bee is it? A quick sort #
Bees going into a wall, soffit, chimney or meter box, or hanging in a cluster. These are honey bees. Out in the open, the cluster is a resting swarm; at an opening in a structure, it's a colony building wax comb inside. European and Africanized bees look the same without lab work, so give both the same respect.
Large, fuzzy bees entering a hole in the ground, a grass clump or a gap under a shed. These are bumble bees, native social bees that move into old burrows and other ready-made hollows. Their colonies die out in late fall. See bumble bee control in New Braunfels.
Big black bees hovering by a fence, deck or eave, with perfectly round holes and sawdust. These are carpenter bees. The top of the abdomen is shiny rather than fuzzy, and each female bores her own tunnel. See carpenter bee control in New Braunfels.
Bees that turn out to be wasps #
Two insects get called bees all the time.
- Yellowjackets are smooth, about 1/2 inch, black and yellow, and carry no pollen. TAIS notes they are often confused with honey bees. If your "bees" come from a hole in the lawn and get aggressive in late summer, see yellowjacket control in New Braunfels.
- Mexican honey wasps store honey but build a gray paper nest in a tree or shrub, not wax comb. AgriLife points to the material as the giveaway: honey bees make wax, social wasps make paper. See Mexican honey wasps in New Braunfels.
Water, drips and thirsty bees #
Springs and rivers get the attention here, but the water that matters for bees is in your own yard. Thirsty honey bees line up at pool edges and birdbaths in late summer, AgriLife's ENTO-080 bulletin notes, and drift away when the season turns (ENTO-080). TAIS adds that Africanized bees are attracted to water meters.
The city has a clear position on standing water. Its Public Health page says New Braunfels does not spray for mosquitoes, treats standing water only on public property, and cannot treat it on private property except abandoned lots (City of New Braunfels). That leaves leaky hose bibs, dripping air conditioner lines, low spots and buckets to the homeowner. Fixing them cuts mosquitoes and gives bees fewer reasons to linger near the house. Tape over holes in a water-meter lid, too; AgriLife lists it as a step against Africanized bees.
One city, two counties: finding a beekeeper #
TAIS is clear that Texas has no "bee removal license." Paid honey bee work is open to two groups: registered beekeepers, who can't apply pesticides, and licensed pest control companies. TAIS posts beekeeper contacts by county, endorses none of them, and recommends sticking to the ones listed where you live (TAIS bee removal list).
So your county matters. The Census Bureau's 2024 estimate places about 90,221 New Braunfels residents on the Comal County side and 26,256 on the Guadalupe County side. Where it's practical, a beekeeper may be able to take a swarm or colony out alive. When it isn't, or the bees are defensive, walled in or close to animals, a licensed pest control company is the other legal option.
What not to do with any bee colony #
- Don't seal the opening while bees are using it; they may move deeper or into the house.
- Don't spray into a wall or a hole. ENTO-080 notes the nest may be several yards from the entrance.
- Don't use fumigants, flammables or gasoline.
- Don't spray swarms with water, and never spray flowers to control bumble bees.
- Don't treat a nest yourself if anyone in the house has a bee or wasp allergy.
How Pest Trappers helps with bees in New Braunfels #
Our technician names the bee, tracks down where it lives and lays out your choices, including pointing you to a beekeeper when that suits a honey bee colony. Taking out comb and closing the opening get talked through up front, and every product goes on as its label requires. Pricing follows the inspection. Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549), a family-owned company with a Texas Department of Agriculture license, confirms each appointment time through the office. For other local pests, see the New Braunfels service page.