Bee Removal

We protect bees, too

Honey bees pollinate the crops, gardens and orchards that feed Middle Tennessee. That’s why our first choice with honey bees is always to relocate them, not kill them.

We partner with dozens of beekeepers across Middle Tennessee. When we find a honey bee colony in a wall, tree or yard, a beekeeper can move it to a hive where it can keep doing its job.

When a colony can’t be relocated, for example when bees pose a danger to someone’s health or to your home, we remove them safely. It’s the last option, not the first.

Founders of the Tennessee Honey Festival

U.S. Pest Protection created the Tennessee Honey Festival in 2017 to celebrate honey, local beekeepers and the bees that make it all possible. The first festival was held in Hendersonville in 2018. In 2021, it moved to First Horizon Park, home of the Nashville Sounds.

The festival brings together thousands of neighbors from across Middle Tennessee. In 2021 alone, more than 20 honey vendors and beekeepers took part, including the Tennessee Beekeepers Association, alongside local artisans, food trucks and live music. An education tent featured talks on beekeeping, hive health and Tennessee’s beekeeping laws from experts including the state apiarist and the state bee inspector from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

It’s also a big part of why we treat honey bees differently. The beekeepers we celebrate at the festival are the same partners we call when a colony needs a new home.

Why honeycomb has to come out

When honey bees build a colony inside a wall, ceiling or soffit, removing the bees is only half the job. The honeycomb has to be removed too.

Comb left behind attracts rats, mice and a long list of other pests. Over time it rots, and the honey and wax can damage drywall and insulation. Your inspection will cover what removal involves for your home.

Which bee do you have?

Bee	What you’ll notice	What we do
Honey bees	A swarm on a branch, or bees going in and out of a wall, soffit or tree	Relocate the colony with a local beekeeper whenever possible
Carpenter bees	Large, shiny bees hovering near wood, and perfectly round holes in decks, eaves and fascia	Preventive and corrective treatment
Bumble bees	Large, fuzzy bees nesting in the ground, under decks or in wall voids	Treatment when the nest is a problem near your home

Not sure whether you have bees or wasps? Honey bees and bumble bees are fuzzy, while wasps and yellow jackets are smooth and shiny with a narrow waist. Our wasp control page covers paper wasps, yellow jackets and hornets.

Carpenter bees: protecting your wood

Carpenter bees don’t eat wood, but they bore round tunnels into it to raise their young. Year after year, those tunnels can weaken decks, fascia boards and eaves, and attract woodpeckers that dig in after the larvae.

We offer both preventive treatment, before the bees start drilling in spring, and corrective treatment for active holes. Learn more on our carpenter bee control page.

How much does bee removal cost?

• Honey bee relocation is priced by the beekeeper and depends on where the colony is and how hard it is to reach. A simple swarm can sometimes be relocated for free. Colonies inside walls can cost into the thousands, because the colony and honeycomb have to be removed.
• Carpenter bee treatment varies with the scope of the work and is priced after a free inspection.
• The inspection is free.

A year of bees in Middle Tennessee

Season	What homeowners see	What we focus on
Spring (Mar–May)	Honey bee swarms, carpenter bees drilling new holes	Swarm relocation, preventive carpenter bee treatment
Summer (Jun–Aug)	Busy colonies, bumble bee nests near decks and yards	Relocation, bumble bee treatment when needed
Fall (Sep–Nov)	Colonies settled into walls and trees	Relocation, inspection of carpenter bee damage
Winter (Dec–Feb)	Quiet season, damage visible in wood	Planning repairs and spring prevention

If you find a swarm

• Keep people and pets back, and don’t spray it or try to knock it down.
• Swarms are usually calm and often move on within a day or two.
• Call us. If it’s honey bees, we’ll work with a beekeeper to relocate them.

How it works

1. Free inspection. A Pest Pro identifies the bees and finds the nest.
2. A clear plan. Relocation with a beekeeper for honey bees, or treatment for carpenter bees and bumble bees.
3. The work. Bees and honeycomb are removed, or the treatment is applied.
4. Follow-up. We make sure the problem is solved, backed by our Whatever It Takes Guarantee.

Bee Removal FAQs

Serving homes across Middle Tennessee

We provide bee removal and relocation in Nashville, Hendersonville, Gallatin, Goodlettsville, Brentwood, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Mt. Juliet, Lebanon, Clarksville, and surrounding areas.

Found bees? Call 615.590.1260 or schedule a free inspection.