European Honey Bee Control in Bandera, TX
Honey bees get noticed around Bandera in one of two ways: a dark, humming cluster hanging from a branch, a fence or a mailbox post in spring, or a steady line of bees going in and out of a crack in the siding, a chimney or a gap under the roof. The cluster is a resting swarm that usually leaves by itself. The steady line means a colony has moved in, and the longer it stays, the bigger the job gets. For a colony in a structure, call or text Pest Trappers at (210) 281-1064 or book online.
Passing through, or moving in? #
Texas swarm season runs March through July, and AgriLife says it can run later in places. A swarm is a colony in transit, resting before it moves on. Sources differ on how long they wait: Insects in the City says a few hours, while AgriLife's building bulletin says swarms usually move on within 48 hours (ENTO-080).
Swarms are not normally aggressive, but they will defend themselves if crowded, so keep back and do not hose them. An established colony is a different animal: it has wax comb, brood and stored honey, and it is staying.
Older Bandera houses and the gaps bees use #
A lot of the city's housing has some age on it. Census survey data for 2020 to 2024 puts 44.7% of homes inside Bandera's city limits as built before 1980 (Census ACS). Years of weather open the kinds of gaps AgriLife lists as honey bee doorways:
- holes where pipes and wiring enter the house
- cracks around window frames
- knot holes in wood siding
- brick weep holes and wood-to-brick joints
- chimneys without caps
A colony behind a roof soffit, Insects in the City says, probably holds 30,000 or more bees. Caulking gaps, screening vents with mesh finer than 1/8 inch and capping the chimney keep the next swarm out, but only after no bees are using the opening.
Thirsty bees at the river, the pool and the birdbath #
Bandera's City Park sits on the river downtown with swimming, fishing and picnic areas (City of Bandera), and plenty of yards have a pool, a pond or a birdbath. AgriLife notes that in late summer honey bees visit water like this to collect it, then leave.
We never call a wild colony "European" by sight #
European and Africanized honey bees look the same to anyone without a lab; only DNA or microscopic measurement tells them apart. AgriLife assumes most wild colonies in Texas carry some African genes, so any feral colony deserves caution. If a colony is defensive, see our Africanized honey bee page for Bandera. Our European honey bee guide has more background.
Getting bees out legally in Bandera County #
Texas lets two kinds of people take money for removing honey bees: beekeepers registered with the state, and pest control professionals who hold a license. A registered beekeeper without that license cannot apply pesticides. You may hear about a "bee removal license," but Texas does not issue one. TAIS keeps a bee removal list sorted by county; it does not license or endorse anyone on it, so call only beekeepers listed for Bandera County. Where the setting allows, a beekeeper may be able to take the colony out alive; AgriLife cautions that this generally means more time and a higher bill. Pest Trappers does not promise a live removal.
The comb has to come out too #
Dead bees are only part of the problem. Wax and honey left inside a wall ferment, smell and stain, and they pull in ants, roaches, wax moths and rodents, while the scent of old comb invites the next swarm. Large colonies may need a second treatment, since brood can keep emerging for up to 10 days. Do not spray the entrance yourself, use fumigants or flammables, or seal bees inside, and do not eat anything taken from a treated nest.
Pest Trappers and honey bee colonies in Bandera homes #
The technician finds the entry, gauges how far the colony reaches inside, explains the options for treatment and comb removal, and follows every product label. You get a price once the size and location of the colony are clear. Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549) is a family-owned business licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture, which is what Texas requires of a paid remover who uses pesticides. The office confirms your appointment. Other local services are on our Bandera page.