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Bee Removal Melbourne | Bee Swarm and Hive Removal
Bees swarming or living in a wall? Our bee removal Melbourne team removes swarms and hives, comb and all, and seals the gap. Call 0401 573 777 for a free quote.
Bee swarm removal Melbourne or an established hive: why it changes everything
Honey bees cause almost every bee removal call in Melbourne, but they arrive in two very different situations. Which one you have decides the price and the method.
A swarm
Apis mellifera, on the move- What it looks like
- A cluster of thousands of bees hanging from a branch, fence or eave, often the size of a football.
- What is happening
- A colony has split and the swarm is resting while scout bees look for a new home. It may move on within a day or two.
- What we do
- Honey bee swarm removal is usually quick when the cluster is reachable. Swarm of bees removal is priced from $149.
An established colony
Apis mellifera, settled in- What it looks like
- Bees flying in and out of the same gap in a wall, roof, chimney or tree hollow, day after day.
- What is happening
- The bees are building comb, storing honey and raising young inside the cavity. The colony grows every week.
- What we do
- Bee colony removal takes the bees, comb and honey out of the cavity, then the gap is sealed so the next swarm cannot move in.
Native bees are rarely the problem
Most native Australian bees are solitary or stingless and do not form large colonies in houses. If you are unsure what you have, describe it on the phone before booking.
Signs you have bees in house wall cavities or the roof
A swarm is obvious. An established colony is easy to miss until it is large. These are the signs that bees have moved into the building.
Bees using one gap all day
A steady line of bees flying in and out of the same crack, weep hole, vent or roof tile.
A humming sound in a wall
A low buzzing from inside a wall or ceiling, often loudest in the late afternoon.
Bees inside rooms
Bees appearing at windows or light fittings indoors, especially near a chimney or wall vent.
Dark stains on a ceiling or wall
Brown or sticky patches can be honey or wax seeping through from comb in the cavity.
Bees around the chimney
Traffic at the top of a chimney or flue, or bees coming down into the fireplace.
A swarm that did not leave
A cluster that has stayed more than a couple of days has often found a way into the house.
Removing bees from wall cavities, roofs and chimneys
This is the job people most often try to fix with a can of spray, and the one that causes the most damage when they do.
If the bees in a wall are killed and the comb is left behind, the honey melts and ferments in summer heat, stains ceilings and draws ants, rodents and wax moths. The smell also attracts the next swarm to the same spot. That is why we remove honey bees from house cavities comb and all.
Bee removal from house walls
Removing bees from wall cavities means opening the smallest access we can, taking out the bees, comb and honey, and making good the opening. To remove bees from house walls properly, the comb has to come out too.
Bees in chimney removal
A bee hive in chimney flues and fireplace surrounds is common because chimneys hold warmth. Bee removal from chimney near me jobs are done from the roof or the firebox, and a bee swarm in chimney tops is caught before it builds comb.
Remove honey bees from house roofs
Colonies in roof voids and eaves are reached from inside the roof space where possible, so we remove the comb without lifting more roofing than we have to.
Bee hive removal Melbourne, matched to the situation
Beehive removal Melbourne homes need usually falls into one of three jobs. The price is fixed before we travel, so you know the bee hive removal price before we arrive.
Swarm collection
from$149
Best whenThe bees are hanging in a cluster on a branch, fence, letterbox or eave and arrived recently.
How it worksThe swarm is gently brushed or shaken into a collection box, usually within an hour, and taken away with the bees alive.
Keep in mindIf the swarm has already moved into a wall or roof, it becomes a colony removal instead.
Colony removal from a wall, roof or chimney
from$495
Best whenBees have been using the same gap for more than a few days and there is comb inside.
How it worksWe open the smallest access possible, remove the bees, comb and honey, clean the cavity and close the opening.
Keep in mindBrick walls, second storeys and tall chimneys can need extra access equipment, which we quote upfront.
Bee proofing
from$295
Best whenThe bees are gone, or keep choosing the same spot every spring.
How it worksThe old entry points, weep holes, vents and gaps are sealed with mesh and flashing so scout bees cannot move a new swarm in.
Keep in mindProofing after a colony removal comes with our 12 month written warranty on the entry points we seal.
For most established colonies, the right answer is removal plus proofing. It costs more once, and it stops the same wall filling with bees again next spring.
What Victorian law actually says about honey bees
Honey bees are an introduced species, so they are not protected wildlife under the Wildlife Act in Victoria. Plenty of websites claim it is illegal to kill bees, but that is not correct, and it is not the reason we remove them carefully.
We take care because bees matter for gardens and food crops, and because a colony left dead inside a wall causes damage. We only treat a colony as a last resort, when it cannot be removed safely, for example when someone in the home has a severe allergy and the colony is behind a wall that cannot be opened in time.
Varroa mite is now established in parts of Victoria, which is one more reason an abandoned colony should not be left inside a school, childcare centre or strata building.
- Bees removed with the comb, not just sprayed
- Treatment only as a last resort, and we tell you why
- Allergies, schools and childcare prioritised
Four bee mistakes that make the job bigger
Bees in a wall feel urgent, and the quick fixes are tempting. These are the ones that turn a simple job into a costly one.
- 1Spraying the entrance with fly spray. It kills a few bees, angers the rest and leaves the comb in the wall.
- 2Blocking the hole. Trapped bees find another way out, often into the house through a light fitting or vent.
- 3Leaving dead comb behind after a treatment. Melting honey stains ceilings and draws ants, rodents and the next swarm.
- 4Getting close when someone is allergic. Keep them inside, keep pets away and call for emergency bee removal.
How our bee removal service works
Four steps from the first call to a sealed wall.
Tell us what you see
A cluster or a gap with traffic, where it is and how long it has been there. That tells us swarm or colony.
Fixed price in writing
You get the method and a fixed price before we travel, including any access equipment.
Remove the bees
Swarm collected, or colony removed with its comb and honey, with everyone kept well back.
Seal the gap
Entry points sealed so scout bees cannot move a new swarm in, with a 12 month written warranty.
Bee removal cost in Melbourne
These are our starting prices for a standard Melbourne home. The honey bee removal cost for a colony depends on access, the size of the comb and whether it is brick or timber, and it is fixed in writing before we start.
Swarm collection
from$149
- Swarm on a branch, fence or eave
- Collected alive where reachable
- No call-out fee
Colony removal
from$495
- Bees, comb and honey removed
- Walls, roofs and chimneys
- Access opening made good
Bee proofing
from$295
- Entry points and weep holes sealed
- Stops the next swarm moving in
- 12 month written warranty
Common questions about price
- Beehive removal cost for a colony in a tree hollow is quoted after we see the tree
- Bee nest removal cost for a second colony on the same visit is quoted on the day
- Bee removal cost near me is the same across metropolitan Melbourne, with no call-out fee
For comparison, Melbourne bee removal prices start from about $90 for an easy swarm, difficult colonies in walls are often quoted from $1,000 or more, and most companies only quote colonies after an inspection.
- Covers
- Every entry point we seal
- Length
- 12 months from the job
- If bees move back in there
- We return at no charge
- Not covered
- New gaps elsewhere on the house
Metro Pest Services · Melbourne
A warranty on the part that stops bees coming back
A swarm can land anywhere, so nobody can honestly promise bees will not visit your garden. What we can warrant is the gaps we seal.
If bees move back into the house through an entry point we sealed within 12 months, we come back and deal with it at no charge. The sealed points are listed on your job record.
- Sealed entry points listed on your record
- Free return if bees get back in through them
- A clear scope, not an unbounded promise
Three things most bee exterminator companies will not tell you
A swarm on a branch may need nobody
If the cluster is high in a tree and nobody is at risk, it often moves on within a day or two. We will tell you on the phone if waiting is a sensible option.
Spraying a colony in a wall is the expensive option
A bee exterminator Melbourne job that only kills the colony and leaves the comb costs you later in ceiling stains, ants and the next swarm. Removal with the comb costs more once.
Free collectors are real, for easy swarms
Some beekeepers collect accessible swarms for little or nothing. They do not open walls or chimneys, and that is where a professional bee removal service earns its fee.
How to stop bees moving into your house
Scout bees look for a dry, sheltered cavity with a small entrance. Take those away and a swarm keeps looking elsewhere.
Seal gaps in brickwork, weatherboards and roof lines before spring.
Fit mesh to weep holes, wall vents and chimney tops.
Remove old comb completely after any colony has been removed.
Keep an eye on letterboxes, sheds and meter boxes in September to November.
Call early when a swarm lands on the house, before it finds a way in.
Bee removal near me, anywhere in Melbourne
Whether you need local bee removal, a bee catcher near me, a bee specialist near me or a bee removal service near me, one call books a technician anywhere in metropolitan Melbourne, with no call-out fee.
Inner Melbourne
- Melbourne CBD
- Carlton
- Fitzroy
- Richmond
- South Yarra
- St Kilda
- Collingwood
- Docklands
Northern suburbs
- Brunswick
- Coburg
- Preston
- Reservoir
- Epping
- Craigieburn
- Bundoora
- Heidelberg
Eastern suburbs
- Box Hill
- Doncaster
- Ringwood
- Glen Waverley
- Blackburn
- Croydon
- Boronia
- Lilydale
South east
- Dandenong
- Clayton
- Cranbourne
- Narre Warren
- Berwick
- Pakenham
- Springvale
- Keysborough
Bayside and south
- Brighton
- Sandringham
- Cheltenham
- Mentone
- Mordialloc
- Frankston
- Seaford
- Carrum Downs
Western suburbs
- Footscray
- Sunshine
- Altona
- Point Cook
- Werribee
- Hoppers Crossing
- Tarneit
- Melton
Bee swarm removal near me in spring. September to November is swarm season across Melbourne, when colonies split and clusters land on fences, trees and eaves.
Bee swarm collector near me for leafy suburbs. Eastern and south eastern suburbs with big gardens and tree hollows see the most swarms settling in chimneys and roof lines.
Bee hive removal near me in older homes. Weatherboard and brick homes with old weep holes, vents and chimneys give scout bees plenty of cavities to choose from.
Beekeeper removal near me for trees. Colonies in tree hollows away from the house are sometimes best left, or collected by a beekeeper hive removal specialist rather than cut out.
Bee Removal Melbourne FAQs
Not sure whether it is a swarm, a colony, wasps or native bees? Describe what you see on the phone and we will tell you straight away.
Call 0401 573 777How much does bee removal cost in Melbourne?
With us swarm collection starts from $149, colony removal from a wall, roof or chimney from $495 including the comb, and bee proofing from $295. The price is fixed before we travel, with no call-out fee.
What is the bee hive removal price for a hive in a wall?
A colony in a wall cavity starts from $495, covering removal of the bees, comb and honey and making good the access opening. Brick walls and second storey work can need access equipment, which we quote upfront.
Do you do emergency bee removal?
Yes. For emergency bee removal, such as bees inside the house, near a doorway or where someone has a severe allergy, call us. We send the first available technician, same day where one is available.
Can I get emergency bee removal near me today?
Call rather than using the form for emergency bee removal near me jobs, so we can give you safety advice straight away while a technician is booked.
Is bee relocation Melbourne wide possible?
For swarms, usually yes. A swarm on a branch can often be collected alive. For bee relocation near me searches about a colony inside a wall, it depends on access and the state of the comb, and we will tell you honestly before you book.
Do you offer humane bee removal?
Humane bee removal is how we approach every job: collect or remove the bees first, and only treat a colony as a last resort when it cannot be removed safely. If you want no kill bee removal near me, a reachable swarm is the best case.
Can a beekeeper remove the bees instead?
Beekeeper removal is a good option for an easy swarm, and some beekeepers collect them for little or nothing. Beekeeper removal near me searches rarely find someone who will open a wall, which is where our colony removal comes in.
What happens to the bees in a bee swarm relocation?
In a bee swarm relocation the cluster is collected into a box, usually at dusk when the flying bees have returned, and moved away from your property alive.
Is it illegal to kill bees in Victoria?
No, it is not illegal to kill bees here, because honey bees are an introduced species and are not protected wildlife. We still remove bees rather than spray them wherever we can, because a dead colony left in a wall causes damage.
Why do bees keep coming back to the same wall?
The old comb and the scent of the colony attract new swarms. Removing all the comb and sealing the gap is what stops it.
Do you remove bees from chimneys?
Yes. Bees in chimney removal is common because chimneys stay warm. We work from the roof or the firebox, remove the comb and fit mesh to the chimney top.
Is it a bee or a wasp?
Bees are hairy and rounder, and often carry pollen on their legs. Wasps are smooth, shiny and bright yellow and black. If you have wasps, we handle it as a wasp job.
What does bee nest removal involve?
Bee nest removal means taking out the bees, the comb and the honey, not just the bees you can see. For a honey bee removal job inside the house, that is what stops stains, smells and the next swarm.
Bees around the house right now?
Swarms from $149, colonies removed comb and all from $495, and a 12 month written warranty on the entry points we seal.