European Honey Bee Control in Boerne, TX
Honey bees get noticed in Boerne in one of two ways: a buzzing, football-sized cluster hanging from a branch or fence in spring, or a steady line of bees flying in and out of one gap in a wall, soffit or chimney. A cluster in the open is a resting swarm and often moves on by itself, so keep your distance and give it time. Bees going into the house are a colony, and that needs attention soon, before the comb grows. Call or text (210) 281-1064, or book online, if bees are moving into a structure.
Swarm on a branch, or colony in the wall? #
A swarm is a queen and thousands of workers looking for a new home. AgriLife's Master Beekeeper material puts swarm season from March through July, possibly longer in parts of Texas. Sources differ on how long one lingers: one AgriLife fact sheet says a few hours, another says they usually move on within about two days. A resting swarm is usually calm, though bees will sting anyone who gets right up on it.
A colony has picked a cavity and started building wax comb. An AgriLife bulletin sizes a colony anywhere from 20,000 up to 90,000 bees, and Insects in the City estimates that a nest tucked into a roof soffit tops 30,000. Every week it stays makes the cleanup bigger.
One caution: no one can sort European from Africanized bees on sight; it takes microscope measurements or DNA. AgriLife works from the assumption that the majority of feral colonies in the state have some African ancestry, so handle every wild colony with care and read Africanized honey bee control as well.
How bees get into homes here, old and new #
Bees are not just an old-house problem. Most of Boerne's housing is new: 68.2% was built in 2000 or later (Census ACS). Yet the entry points AgriLife lists exist on new homes too:
- holes where pipes and wiring pass through walls
- cracks around window frames and knot holes in siding
- brick weep holes and joints where wood meets brick
- uncapped chimneys
Who can legally remove honey bees here? #
Under Texas law, paid honey bee removal is limited to registered beekeepers and licensed pest control professionals, and a beekeeper who lacks a pest license cannot use pesticides on the job. The state issues no separate "bee removal license." The Texas Apiary Inspection Service posts a county-by-county roster of beekeepers offering removal; it neither licenses nor vouches for them and suggests sticking to names listed for your own county (TAIS bee removal list). For Boerne, that means looking under Kendall County.
Where the site allows it, a beekeeper might collect a swarm or colony alive; AgriLife cautions that pulling a live colony out of a building is slower and often pricier. Pest Trappers does not promise a live removal; if you want that route, start with the list above.
Why the comb has to come out #
Killing a wall colony is only half the job. AgriLife warns that abandoned comb sours: honey ferments, walls stain and smell, and rodents, wax moths, ants, roaches and carpet beetles move in. Leftover comb is also a magnet for the next swarm (ENTO-080). In large colonies, brood can keep emerging for up to 10 days after treatment, so a follow-up may be needed.
Do and don't #
Do:
- Let a swarm be unless it is truly in the way.
- Put screen with openings under 1/8 inch over vents, caulk gaps and cap the chimney.
- Act early on bees entering a wall.
Don't:
- Seal the hole while bees are using it. They will dig deeper or find a way inside.
- Spray the entrance. The comb can be several yards from the opening you see.
- Use fumigants or anything flammable, or hose a swarm with water.
- Taste honey or reuse wax from a nest that has been treated.
How Pest Trappers handles honey bees in Boerne #
A technician finds the entrance, traces where the comb most likely sits and checks whether a beekeeper could reach it. They explain the options, including a beekeeper referral where that fits, and any product is used exactly as the label directs. Comb removal and repair needs are discussed up front, and pricing follows the inspection. Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549) is family-owned; the office confirms your appointment time. See the honey bee guide and our Boerne page for more.