European Honey Bee Control in Fredericksburg, TX
In Fredericksburg, honey bee calls come in two kinds: a buzzing cluster hanging from a branch or fence, or a steady stream of bees slipping into a crack in a house wall, soffit or chimney. The first is usually a swarm passing through; the second is a colony that has moved in and needs a plan. Reach us by call or text at (210) 281-1064, or schedule a visit.
Swarm on a branch, or colony in the wall? #
A swarm is a homeless crowd parked for a rest while scouts shop for real estate. Texas A&M's ENT-3002 fact sheet calls swarms generally calm, though bees will sting someone who crowds them, and expects most to depart within a few hours; AgriLife's building bulletin allows up to two days. If it isn't over a door or a path, patience usually works. Texas swarm season is March through July, sometimes later.
A colony has claimed a cavity and started building wax comb. The tell is a busy doorway: bees streaming through the same crack from morning to evening, day after day. It won't resolve on its own, and AgriLife cautions that waiting only makes the job harder.
Old houses offer a lot of doorways #
Fredericksburg was founded in 1846, and its housing shows it. In the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 survey, 12.1% of the city's homes were built in 1939 or earlier (Census ACS). AgriLife's list of bee entry points reads like a tour of an older home:
- Holes where pipes and wiring enter
- Cracks around window frames
- Knot holes in wood siding
- Weep holes in brick, and joints where wood meets brick
- Chimneys without caps
Don't judge the size by the traffic outside: Insects in the City figures a colony living in a soffit probably numbers at least 30,000 bees.
Can anyone tell "European" bees just by looking? #
No. Telling the two apart takes a lab, through DNA work or measurements under a microscope, per AgriLife, which also works from the assumption that most feral Texas colonies have some African ancestry. Give every wild colony the same respect, whatever the name on this page; our Africanized honey bee page for Fredericksburg covers what to do if bees turn defensive.
Who can legally remove honey bees in Gillespie County? #
Under Texas law, the only people who may take money to remove a honey bee nest are registered beekeepers, barred from using pesticides, and licensed pest control professionals (AgriLife ENTO-080). TAIS adds that Texas has no "bee removal license," and it doesn't endorse anyone on its list.
If you'd like the bees taken out alive, check the TAIS bee removal list for beekeepers serving your county, and call only those listed for it. A beekeeper may be able to remove a colony alive where that's practical; AgriLife notes live removal takes longer and can cost more. And if the bees belong to a managed hive, only an apiary inspector may destroy it without the owner's permission.
Why the comb has to come out #
Whoever deals with the bees, leaving the comb behind invites trouble. According to AgriLife, abandoned comb smells, its honey ferments and seeps through drywall and ceilings, and it feeds ants, cockroaches, carpet beetles, wax moths and rodents. It can also lure a future swarm to the same void. Big colonies sometimes need a second visit, because young bees may still hatch as long as 10 days after treatment.
Mistakes to skip #
- Plugging an active hole: the bees will tunnel elsewhere, possibly into a room.
- A blast of spray at the doorway: AgriLife notes the comb can sit several yards away from that crack.
- Fumigant bombs, gasoline or any open flame, or tasting honey from a treated nest.
- Turning a hose on a swarm.
After bees and comb are out, close the gaps for good: caulk, vent screening tighter than 1/8-inch mesh, and a chimney cap.
How Pest Trappers handles honey bees in Fredericksburg #
A technician finds where the bees enter and, as far as possible, where the comb sits. You'll get a clear account of the options: referral to a registered beekeeper on the TAIS list when a live removal looks practical, or treatment and comb removal by us. Any product goes on per its label, and the quote comes after the inspection. We don't promise a live removal ourselves. Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549), a family outfit, holds the Texas Department of Agriculture license for this work. The honey bee guide and our Fredericksburg page have more.