European Honey Bee Control in Schertz, TX
Schertz homeowners usually meet honey bees in one of two ways: a humming clump of bees the size of a football draped over a shrub, fence rail or tree limb in spring, or bees trafficking all day through one gap in the soffit, the siding or a brick weep hole. A hanging cluster is a swarm that is resting and will usually move on, so the first move is to keep everyone back and wait. Bees going into the house are an established colony that will not leave on its own, and that is a job to start on soon. To have a technician take a look, book online or reach us by call or text at (210) 281-1064.
Swarm or colony: which one do you have? #
- Swarm: a ball of bees on a branch, eave or fence post, with no comb. AgriLife says swarms may stay a few hours, and its building guide says they usually move within 48 hours. They are not normally aggressive, but they can sting anyone who crowds them.
- Colony: bees entering one small opening day after day. Inside there is wax comb, brood and honey. By AgriLife's estimate, bees living in a roof soffit probably number 30,000 or more.
Swarm season in Texas runs from March through July and can stretch longer in some parts of the state.
Is it really a "European" honey bee? #
Not by sight. The two strains are identical to the eye, and telling them apart takes DNA work or microscope measurements. Texas A&M works from the assumption that most feral Texas colonies have some African ancestry, which can make them defensive. So treat every wild colony in Schertz with the same caution, and read Africanized honey bee control in Schertz before going near one. Our honey bee guide explains the biology.
Schertz is mostly Guadalupe County, and that matters for beekeepers #
Texas has no such thing as a "bee removal license." Anyone paid to remove a honey bee nest must either be a registered beekeeper or hold a structural pest control license, and beekeepers without that license may not use pesticides.
Many people start by looking for a beekeeper who can take the bees alive. The Texas Apiary Inspection Service at Texas A&M publishes beekeepers who do removals, grouped by county, and it advises calling only beekeepers listed for your own county (TAIS list). TAIS does not license or endorse the people on it.
The wrinkle in Schertz is that the city spans three counties. Census figures put 36,418 residents in Guadalupe County, 6,169 in Bexar and 1,841 in Comal (Census estimates). Most homes should look under Guadalupe, but check which county your property is actually in before picking a name from the list.
Pools, birdbaths and late summer visitors #
AgriLife's guide to bees around buildings says honey bees often show up at swimming pools and birdbaths in late summer looking for water, and then leave. A few bees sipping at the pool edge do not mean a hive is in your wall.
Pools are part of the local picture; the city's code enforcement page even has a category for stagnant water and swimming pools. Give drinking bees a little room and they will usually go about their business.
Leaving the comb in the wall causes new trouble #
Stopping the bees does not end the work. AgriLife's building guide lists what abandoned comb brings: smells, honey that ferments and stains drywall, and a feast for ants, roaches, wax moths, carpet beetles and rodents. Leftover comb can even lure the next swarm into the same wall. The longer you wait, the bigger the job gets.
Don't:
- Seal the hole while bees are inside.
- Spray the entrance; the nest may be several yards away from it inside the wall.
- Use fumigants or anything flammable.
- Eat honey or wax from a nest that has been treated.
- Hose a swarm with water.
What Pest Trappers does about honey bees in Schertz #
The technician confirms the bees are honey bees, decides whether you have a swarm or a colony, and finds where the comb sits. Where it is practical, a registered beekeeper may be able to remove the colony alive, and the technician can talk that through with you. When control is needed, they explain the options, follow the product label exactly and cover what it takes to get the comb out and close the opening afterward. With a big colony, plan on a possible second visit: AgriLife notes young bees can still hatch as long as 10 days after treatment. Pricing comes after the inspection. The company behind the work is Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549), family-owned and holding a Texas Department of Agriculture structural pest control license. See our Schertz page for other services.