Bees are an important part of nature; however, bee hives that are on or around your property can degrade buildings and pose a threat to humans and pets. For people who are allergic to bee stings, having a bee hive near can be life-threatening. Calling in a bee expert is an option, but if you take the proper safety precautions, you can remove a bee hive yourself.
Safety
When removing a bee hive, you should take your personal safety seriously. When bees' hives are threatened, they will become aggressive, swarm and most certainly sting. Before beginning to remove the hive, get a bee keeper's suit, veil, gloves and hat to protect your body from bee stings. Do not wear any scent, such as perfume, cologne, aftershave or scented deodorant. When you're approaching the hive, move cautiously and don't make sudden movements.
If the hive you're removing has holes that lead to a structure, like your home or garage, be especially careful. Make sure all openings to the structure are closed before you begin removal, and when using an insecticide to kill the bees, don't corner them toward the structure.
Make sure that you are the only person close by when you remove the hive. Warn family, friends and neighbors that you will be removing a bee hive so that they can take the proper precautions, such as staying inside or leaving the property for a few hours.
Removal
Plan your hive removal so that the fewest number of bees will be in the hive as possible. Late winter or early spring is the best time of year, and late afternoon is the best time of day.
Approach the hive and apply an insecticide such as Bee Freeze or Sevin that kills swarms of bees. This will allow you to kill as much of the swarm as possible before it disperses. Still, you probably won't get the entire hive population your first try. Once the swarm disperses, spray again. You might need to repeat this several times before most of the bees are dead.
Once most of the bees are dead, you can remove the hive with your gloved hands.
Disposal
Destroy the hive by breaking it up with your gloves or a tool such as a hammer. Breaking the hive prevents other bees from finding the hive and inhabiting it. Once the hive is destroyed, you can use your insecticide to kill the rest of the bees. As an extra precaution, put the pieces of the destroyed hive in a trash bag, tie the bag tightly, and dispose of it in a trash bin with a lid. Disposing of the hive in this way should prevent bees from finding it.
The last step is to clean the area where the hive was to ensure there won't be any damage (if the hive was on a building) and that bees won't be encouraged to make a hive there again. Sponging the area with soap and water should do. Be sure you have no bees on or around you before taking off your suit or returning indoors.
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