Swarm and Bee Removals

An article on KVOA News Tucson:

Monica King tells you how to keep an eye out for beehives

Listed below are individuals and organizations who remove honey bees in Tucson and nearby areas and who have specifically requested to have their name and contact information placed on this page. Although they are categorized by location, most are willing to travel.

SAZBA offers this information as a service to the community and has not investigated or confirmed the qualifications of those listed below. SAZBA does not endorse or warrant the services of anyone on the list. Further, SAZBA assumes no liability for services or work those individuals or organizations on the list might perform. You assume all liability in hiring any of the individuals or organizations listed below.

Because levels of experience in swarm and bee removal vary, use this list at your own discretion and thoroughly research the experience, knowledge, and abilities of anyone you consider hiring, whether from this list or elsewhere.

Please note that those on this list usually charge for their services and travel expenses, especially for bee removals. Bee removal, particularly from structures, requires extensive knowledge of bees as well as specific tools and equipment. In cases where bees cannot be removed and must be destroyed, an exterminator’s license is required. Further, almost all honey bee swarms or feral colonies in the Tucson area are Africanized, which, because of their extremely defensive nature, require care to be removed safely.

Beekeepers taking swarms or removing established colonies usually incur additional expenses to be able to make use of the bees, typically the purchase of a new queen; hence such bees are not “free” as is often assumed.

Typically the charges for removals are roughly the same as the cost of exterminating the colony, although some complex removals can be more costly. There are advantages to having the bees removed rather than exterminated. An established colony in a structure is likely to have built wax comb and filled it with honey, pollen, and bee larvae. Exterminating the colony without removing the comb could potentially cause other problems such as odor, mold or mildew, honey seeping through ceilings or walls, or attracting pests or even another honey bee colony.