If bees are flying in and out of a gap in your wall, soffit or roofline for more than a couple of days, you almost certainly have an established colony inside the structure. Here is what to do, what not to do, and what it takes to actually fix it.

First, Do These Four Things

Keep people and pets 15 to 20 feet back, further if bees react to you approaching.
Close windows and doors near the entry point, and shut off attic fans that could pull bees inside.
Mark the entry point from a safe distance, a photo is perfect, so the technician can find it fast.
Call a live removal company. The sooner you call, the smaller the comb and the smaller the repair.

Do Not Do These Three Things

Do not spray. Store-bought sprays rarely reach the nest. They agitate the colony, can trigger a defensive response, and leave dead bees and full comb inside the wall.
Do not seal the entrance. This is the single most common mistake. Trapped bees chew and push deeper into the structure, and frequently end up in living space, coming out at light fixtures, outlets and vents.
Do not wait for winter. In South Florida colonies stay active year round. Waiting means more comb, more honey and a bigger repair.

How to Tell It Is a Wall Colony, Not Just Passing Bees

Watch a single spot for three to five minutes, ideally mid-morning. Steady two-way traffic in and out of the same opening is a nest. A cluster of bees hanging in the open with no traffic into a hole is a swarm, which is a much easier and cheaper job. Other confirmations: a low hum audible through drywall, a warm patch on the wall, honey or dark staining bleeding through paint, and bees appearing inside the house at light fixtures.

How a Wall Cut-Out Actually Works

Locate the nest. Bees may enter at a weep hole and nest several feet away. Tapping, listening and reading surface temperature maps the comb before anything is cut.
Choose the access side. Sometimes interior drywall repairs cleaner and cheaper than exterior stucco. You get the options before we start.
Remove bees alive. Low-pressure vacuum into ventilated boxes, brood comb rebanded into frames for relocation.
Remove all comb and honey. Every piece. This is the part that prevents damage and repeat colonies.
Clean and treat the cavity, replace honey-soaked insulation, then seal, patch and paint.

What It Costs

Wall removals in Palm Beach County generally start in the mid range and climb with height, access and repair scope: a single-story soffit or exterior wall is far less than a second-story tile roof or a colony in a concrete wall. Ground-level cavities can run around $300-$400. Complex jobs with full restoration run into the thousands. See the bee removal cost breakdown.

Why the Comb Has to Come Out

Unattended comb in a Florida wall melts. Honey runs down inside the cavity, stains through drywall and ceilings, soaks insulation, ferments and smells. It attracts ants, roaches, rodents and robbing bees, and the residual wax and pheromone make that exact cavity the most likely place for the next swarm to move in. That is why we do complete honeycomb removal rather than just extracting bees.

Get It Looked At

Free quote, no obligation, and a 24-hour response guarantee anywhere in Palm Beach County. Call 561-371-1722 or send photos through the form. Learn more about wall colony removal.

Bees in a Wall in Florida: What to Do and What It Costs