European Honey Bee Control in Wimberley, TX
Honey bees usually make themselves known in Wimberley in one of two ways: a hanging cluster of bees on a branch or fence in spring, or bees traveling back and forth all day through one crack in the siding, soffit or chimney. A cluster is a swarm resting on its way somewhere else, and it often leaves on its own. A stream into the house means a colony has moved in, and that one needs to be dealt with, comb and all, sooner rather than later. Either way, keep your distance and put the spray can down. Phone or text (210) 281-1064, or schedule through our site, to have it inspected.
"European" is a guess nobody can make by eye #
Texas A&M AgriLife says the two look alike to anyone without a lab; only DNA or microscopic measurements separate them (AgriLife ENTO-080). AgriLife's working assumption is that the majority of feral colonies in Texas have at least some African ancestry, and with it the potential to be touchy. Treat every Wimberley swarm or wall colony with the same care. For the defensive side of the story, read Africanized honey bee control in Wimberley.
What you can tell by eye is bee versus wasp. Honey bees are about 1/2 inch, hairy, brown to black mixed with yellow, and they build wax comb. Wasps are smooth with a pinched waist and build paper nests.
Dry spells and the backyard water bowl #
Bees need water as much as nectar, and local water is not a sure thing: the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District says Jacob's Well sometimes stops flowing because of drought combined with pumping, and that its springshed lines up with the Cypress Creek watershed (BSEACD). In a dry stretch, a pool, a pet bowl, a dripping faucet or a birdbath can become a reliable drink.
A few bees at the water is not a colony. A dense, steady line flying toward the same spot on your house is.
Older Wimberley houses and the gaps bees use #
Census estimates for 2020 to 2024 show that 20.4% of Wimberley's homes were built before 1980, and another 23.3% in the 1980s (Census ACS). Weathering opens the gaps AgriLife lists as honey bee doorways:
- Openings around plumbing and electrical lines
- Window frames that have pulled away or cracked
- Siding with loose knots
- Weep holes in brick, and seams where brick meets wood trim
- Open, uncapped chimneys
Caulk gaps, screen vents with mesh smaller than 1/8 inch and cap the chimney before swarm season. AgriLife estimates a colony living behind a soffit at 30,000 bees or more.
Swarm or colony: which one do you have? #
Swarm: a ball of bees on a limb, fence or eave, mostly from March through July in Texas. How long it lingers varies by source: a few hours, or up to two days. Swarms aren't usually aggressive, but they may sting people who get close. Leave it alone unless it is a real problem, and don't hose it down.
Colony: bees entering and leaving a hole in the structure day after day, with wax comb inside. This one won't leave. AgriLife says the longer you wait, the harder the job gets.
Who can remove honey bees in Texas? #
- Texas law lets two kinds of people take money to remove a honey bee nest: registered beekeepers and licensed pest control operators. Only the licensed operators may apply pesticides.
- There is no such thing as a Texas "bee removal license." The Texas Apiary Inspection Service posts a county-by-county bee removal list without vouching for anyone on it; check the Hays County entries.
- When the setup allows it, a beekeeper may be able to take a swarm or colony out alive. AgriLife cautions that pulling a live colony out of a building is slower work and may be pricier.
- Asked whether honey bees are protected in Texas, the Texas A&M Honey Bee Lab answers no.
Don't spray into the entrance (the nest may be several yards away inside the wall), don't use flammables, and don't seal the bees in. Honey or wax from a treated nest is not for eating.
Pest Trappers and honey bee colonies in Wimberley #
A technician finds where the colony actually sits, not just where bees go in, and explains your choices, including whether a beekeeper removal is realistic for your situation. Treatment, when chosen, follows the product label. The comb and honey must then come out, or the leftovers can ferment, stain walls and draw ants, roaches, wax moths, rodents and future swarms. Brood can keep emerging for up to 10 days after treatment, so larger colonies may need a follow-up. Pricing follows the inspection. The licensed business is Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549), a family operation. Background reading: our honey bee guide and the Wimberley service page.