Dallas Beekeeping - Honey Bee Removal And Rescue

Congratulations you have found the Dallas Honey Bee Removal and Rescue page.

This page is dedicated to the safe removal of honey bees for the Dallas and surrounding areas.  We are beekeepers for live safe local Dallas honeybee removal. We service all the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex and support our local Honey Bee Clubs.

Our mission is to educate as many people as possible on the value of saving the bees and honey bee rescue! Bees are important for Dallas!

Our goal is to stop the misinformation around Bee Removal often propagated by ill-informed pest control companies looking to profit from people looking to save the bees. and beekeepers or organizations looking to profit by spreading mis information on how vital honey bee rescue and relocation is around the Dallas/ Fort Worth Area. 

We Service Dallas County, Tarrant County, Collin County Rockwall County, and Denton County including all Cities!

For A fast local honeybee removal performed by Dallas Beekeepers and free estimates 

Call Us Now at 214-295-8216 

Below is some information and most commonly ask questions to help educate people with bee issues, Honey Bee facts, what to do with bee swarms, and when choosing a beekeeper in Dallas. 

Can all Honeybees Be Safely Relocated or Rescued?

Most if not all honey bees can be safely relocated.  Arguably All bees can be safely rehomed by a beekeeper or safely removed to an apiary but there is a very small percentage of honey bees that may or should not be relocated but we are talking 99.99% of all bees in Residential soffits, water boxes and other structures should and can be saved.  

Why does Dallas Have So Many Bees? 

Dallas is the perfect storm when it comes to honey bees bee swarms and beehives. We literally have a great environment to the preservation of honeybees.  The DFW metroplex including Richardson, Plano, McKinney, Garland, and even neighborhoods such as Lakewood and North Dallas are great habitats for bees due to our mild winters and winding creeks and waterways.  Most of Dallas used to be farmland full of honeybees.  These descendants of original hives reside in our lowlands of winding creeks giant oaks, hackberries and pecans and cottonwoods.  Ever notice your car covered in pollen in the early spring.  Tree pollen such as pecan helps feed baby honeybees (brood) and prepare for the nectar flow (early spring flowers).  Our native fields of wildflowers such as clovers as well as planted trees and shrubs such as holly bushes are abuzz with honeybees in the spring. Many of the older homes in Dallas are not as insulated too.  This provides lots of space for honeybees to find residence in soffits or honey bees in eves of roofs.  Sometimes Squirrels open a roof, and the bees move in to these perfect airconditioned boxes.  Honeybees also really like the green water meter boxes in our front yards.  But it is not uncommon to find bees in cable boxes, bees in planters, bees in hollowed out trees, bees in bird houses or honey bees in owl boxes.  All are great places for a new honey bee swarm in Dallas to take up residence. 

We also have a lot of back yard beekeepers!  The two honey bee clubs Collin County Hobby Beekeepers Association https://cchba.org/ and Trinity Valley Beekeepers Association https://www.tvbees.org/ have thousands of members combined.  Texas has more Honey Bee clubs than any other state!

 I never knew of Bee Removal or Honey Bee Problems? Is having a honey bee hive in my home common?

Yes, bee removal and honey bee problems are quite common in Dallas and surrounding areas.  It is estimated that 20-50+ bee removals are done a day every day all summer by local beekeepers and pest control technicians a day.  

What Causes a Bee Swarm?

Bee Swarms are common in early spring and late summer when older queens take a group of bees to establish a new hive.  The event can be quite amazing 30,000 bees in flight.  Literally the air is buzzing all around you in a swirling motion. Although swarms are the least dangerous type of bee encounters it is advised to not stand in them without protection. Specifically, eye protection from bee sings is recommended whenever around honeybees.  Honey Bee swarms can also be caused by human intervention.  Pest control companies that poison a hive may cause them to relocate. Hives or Swarms brought in on containers or trucks. Also, the back yard or novice beekeeper who has bees or has ordered a new set of packaged bees might lose their bees.

Are my bees Africanized? 

Honey Bees are just like people there are different races of honeybees and with that come different temperaments.  Many things can influence the aggressiveness of honeybees from time of year, weather, genetics, condition of a hive / swarm of bees and of course what the bees may have been exposed to. Africanized, Aggressive or “Hot” honeybees that readily sting passers by can attribute to the need to remove a hive as well as proximity to high traffic human areas. The issue arises when Honeybees take up residence in structures that cannot be repaired easily or at great financial cost. Many Pest Control or Exterminators tell people that the honeybees are Africanized or are too aggressive.  This simply is not the case.  It is easier and time prohibitive to poison bees, but it is not the right thing to do.  Many pest control companies deliberately do not treat or exterminate honeybees also because of the financial liability, social responsibility, and damage that can occur from killing a hive.  Hives do become more aggressive during the middle hottest part of the summer July and August as Hives guard their precious pollen and honey stores. 

What should I avoid when around bees?

Bees do not like dark colors, loud noises, or foul smells.  These are all indicators of natural bee predators and agitate bees.  Honey Bees tend to be aggressive when mowing the lawn.   To avoid potential stings, wear light colors or Easter/ floral colors.  Cover faces and eyes when around bees.  Do not stand near or in front of hives. Do not stand in the bee highway in front of a hive or near bee entrances to a hive unless you have bee proof equipment.  Also, if a bee hive is in a house turn off porch lights as this will help bees from being aggressive at night.  If you need to go around bees the best time is at night, early morning, or when it is less than 55 degrees outside as the hives are not active during this time.

• Do not attempt to spray bees with hornet spray.  This does not kill bees but makes them highly aggressive.  

• Do not attempt to seal up bees as they will find an alternate way out.  

• Call a professional bee service!

Killing Bees

Under NO CIRCUMSTNCES should a swarm of bees be killed or sprayed with any powders or honey bee poison to rid bees.  This is unethical and a tragedy to Beekeepers who struggle year after year to keep bees alive.  A Swarm or ball of honeybees are as docile as they ever will be.  If a swarm is removed and a few bees remain under no circumstance should the area be treated with poison to rid the extra bees.  The bees that encounter the poison often return to their source hive and this can kill the original hive which can be devastating to back yard beekeepers or hobby beekeepers.  Remaining bees from a swarm retrieval will often return to their hive after a few days. 

If your pest control company tells you to call a beekeeper, stick with them they are doing the right thing. 

I thought Honey Bees are protected. Are Honey Bees Protected by the Government?

The sad truth and simple answer is NO.  Although, some states have special provisions and licenses from anyone claiming to be a beekeeper Texas is not one of them.  To be a beekeeper in Texas one simply must register with the Texas Beekeepers Association https://txbeeinspection.tamu.edu/bee-removal/ . This is a great website to find local beekeepers willing to remove honey bees.  

***BEE AWARE Unfortunately, the vetting process is minimal and many pest control companies pretending to be beekeepers are listed.  

What about the Endangered Species Act? Are Honeybees considered?

Again, sadly Honeybees are not federally protected the answer is no.  Bees are considered threatened but that does not make them federally protected because they are an introduced species.  Many animals are protected in their natural habitat, but honeybees were brought over with early American settlers and have since spread to cover most of North and South America including the State of Texas. Many States have given grants and promote research into saving the bees ours being one of the best through Texas A&M AgriLife https://TXBeeinspection.tamu.edu .  To learn more, you can also reach out to the Texas Beekeepers Association which has many great honeybee related articles and up to date information on the local honey bee clubs run by beekeepers and fun honey bee facts https://texasbeekeepers.org/ .

What is the difference from a pest control company and a beekeeper?  How do I tell them apart? 

Over the last few years with the Covid pandemic we have seen a large shift in pest control companies pretending to be beekeepers.  Some of the well-known companies have opened sub divisions that profit from the extermination of bees under a different name.  This is bad news for beekeepers looking to save the bees. 

To practice Bee Removal in the State of Texas you are required to be a registered beekeeper with TAIS Texas Apiary Inspection Service.  But not all Beekeepers are the same.  Some registered beekeepers do not even keep bees. Some beekeepers carry no insurance.  Some registered beekeepers are pest control companies.  Some beekeepers are not LLC or businesses.  Some beekeeper pest-control companies are under insured and do not cover work on ladders!

But a beekeeper that removes bees for profit from a structure not their own or uses anything aside from smoke to remove bees must be registered by the Texas Department of Agriculture and have Structural Applicators License http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/OC/htm/OC.1951.htm) including a registered business with aTPLC#  and carry insurance of at least the state minimum.  The license is annually renewed and there are very strict rules when it comes to honeybees and the difference in the laws.  Structural Applicators must undergo a state background checks well as all apprentices that are under the applicator license and business. The business and individuals must be in good financial and legal status.  They are State of Texas verified. They must always carry their license card with them.  If they say they are and cannot produce the card more than likely they are not licensed.

If a beekeeper says only pest control technicians and exterminators carry the licenses, they are wrong.  Technically as a Commercial beekeeper if you perform mite treatments you must have the applicators license (though not regularly enforced).   Beekeepers are also ill prepared or underinsured to do work on your home as are many pest-control companies.  If they will not repair the area to its original state be wary of the workmanship of the company.  Many leave scars or homes in states of ill repair which may require thousands to repair. 

How to Tell a Beekeeper from A pest Control Company?

This is quite an easy answer ask the person if they have worked a honey bee yard!  Beekeepers love to show off their hives.  A pest control company or agent of a pest control will not have these.

Some pest control companies go as far as to pose as a beekeeper, so the website simply is not enough.  If they say check the website and they are not on it or if they have a gleaming white bee suit or are ill informed when it comes to bees.  Be very wary. 

Good questions to discern beekeepers from pest control companies.

What type of mite treatment due you use on your hives?  Apivar, Apistan, Tacktic, amitraz 12% are all brand or Oxalic acid / vapor treatments are all good answers to rid varroa mites from bees!

Where are your hives located? IF they say we donate or work with beekeepers they ARE NOT BEEKEEPERS!

Ask if the person you are speaking with will be removing the honeybees?  Beekeepers remove bees pest control sales agents send secondary workers and contract laborers to do their work.  Make sure the person working on your home is the person you are speaking to.  Beekeepers remove bees from houses!

When Do you extract Honey?  Can I buy some?  Most beekeepers have honey and sell it readily due to the low-price wholesalers give for honey vs the retail honey market.  Pest control companies do not have honey!

How long have you been working with bees? Or How do you get bees off the comb for honey?  If they say I just started, or they do not keep bees be wary of pest control companies hiring sales reps. 

TIPS

• Often Beekeepers are cheaper than pest control companies.  Beekeepers ROI comes from keeping bees wile pest-control and exterminators for bees are a “One time event.”  They have higher prices than beekeepers because they do not sell honey, pollination services, or bees!

• Pest control companies also demand payment up front or pay now to stop you from looking for more economical bee removal. 

Please Choose a local beekeeper. To learn more about honey bees visit us at: https://thebeerescue.com  or contact us at [email protected]

Call now for Local Dallas Beekeepers 800-687-8760