" So, what are your options? In our opinion here are your choices.
- Just leave them alone unless safety is a concern. Homeowners often follow this advice. In many cases the unmanaged bees will die over the winter due to problems with disease, parasitic mites, starvation, prolonged cold weather and other conditions. If you are convinced that the bees are dead, be sure to seal that opening as well as other places where bees may enter.
- Contact a pest control company for assistance. You may need to call several before you find one that will eradicate honey bees. Expect that eradication will not be a simple task and the charges for these services will reflect the difficulty of the job. It has been our experience that a single treatment kills only the adult bees flying or walking around the nest. After a few days the pupa, protected by the wax of their cells, will emerge as adults, so you still have a problem. We recommend that you insist they treat at least 2-3 times over a two week period.
- Find a beekeeper that will physically remove the comb and bees after the wall is removed exposing the nest. Expect to pay the beekeeper because the value of the bees is questionable at best. The labor needed to remove the colony coupled with angry bees and sticky honey makes this job difficult. When the beekeeper is done, you still have to rebuild the wall."
Bees in a Wall - What Can be Done? SEMBA - Southeastern Michigan Beekeepers Association
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