Bee Rescue

Please do not exterminate, spray, or try to harm bees.

Bees are incredible and we need them. If you have bees on your property that you would like removed please contact us. 805.380.3605. We might be able remove them or connect you with a network of beekeepers who could help.  Please keep in mind that removing bees from your property takes our beekeepers' time, space in a bee yard, food for the bees and mite treatments. The sooner you address bees on your property the better. They may fly away or they may take over your attic. The removal gets more involved and more expensive the longer they have been there.

You may have a Bee Swarm or a Bee Removal

Bee Swarm

Bee Swarm

Bees swarm and when they do they are looking for a new place to settle to start building a new hive. Unfortunately, they often settle in places that are unsafe for them or for us like utility meters, schoolyards, attics, etc. When we rescue bees we place them in one of our beautiful apiaries in Santa Barbara County.  We provide sugar syrup and protein patties to help them get situated and rebuild strength and we treat them for the varroa mite (one of the major causes of bee population decline). It is easier to rescue and relocate bees before they start drawing comb to establish a hive so time is of the essence with bee swarms as they will keep swarming until they find a spot they like and once they do they will begin to settle in and become more defensive. Bee swarms often look like balls of bees clinging to tree branches or bushes. Bees that are entering and exiting a crack in a wall or tree have most likely chosen that spot as their home and are no longer swarming and that becomes a Bee Removal.

Once bees are established and expanding their hive removing them often involves a "cut out" which is, usually, a much more difficult and time-consuming bee removal process. It literally involves cutting into walls, roofs, etc to be able to access the bees and remove them.

Bee Removal

Bee Removal from cinder block wallBee Removal from cinder block wall by Santa Barbara Hives

You may discover that bees have established a hive somewhere that is unsafe for them or for you or for others and that the bees need to be removed and relocated. Chances are we can help. If the bees have established their hive in a wall or roof they may need to be "cut out" meaning that a wall or whatever is obstructing access to them may need to be cut into to gain access to the bees and remove them as safely as possible. Bees find their ways into all sorts of places so please contact us to discuss the specifics of your situation. Bee Removals are, typically, more involved and time-consuming than Bee Swarms so we do have to charge to do them. Santa Barbara Hives rescues bees in the Santa Barbara area. This service is $125 per hour.

 

Swarm Box 

Bee Swarm Box

There is a pro-active option to addressing bee swarms! 

By placing a Swarm Box on your property you are providing an option for bee swarms to move into so that they don't end up in your attic, garage or the eaves of your house.  Some clients are allergic to bees, some have gardens that bees love but the bees can make gardening difficult or some have owl boxes, for example. Bees absolutely love owl boxes.

We hang the swarm box for our local customers in Santa Barbara County, remove swarms that move into the box and take them to one of our local apiaries or we can place them in your own hive on your property if you want bees. 

You can buy or rent a swarm box.

BUY

Each Bee baited Swarm Box is $100. The box has five frames inside for the bees to move in right away. We hang the box (5-15ft off the ground) and bait the box with our swarm lure. If a swarm moves into the box you call us and we relocate the swarm and hang the box back up. If you want the bees, we can place them in a hive on your property. We sell hive boxes and equipment and can set that up for you as well. You call us if another bee swarm moves into your Swarm Box to take care of them again. 

RENT

You pay a $100, refundable, deposit for the swarm box, call us if a swarm moves in and pay $50 each time we remove/relocate a swarm from the box.

IF YOU ARE PLACING AN OWL BOX ON YOUR PROPERTY WE STRONGLY SUGGEST GETTING A SWARM BOX!  BEES LOVE OWL BOXES AND OWLS DON'T LOVE OWL BOXES WITH BEE HIVES IN THEM.

Thank you for helping the bees.