Bee Swarm Removal in Southern California
Short answer: I remove honey bee swarms alive for $250 across Orange County, the Inland Empire and Los Angeles County. A swarm is a ball of bees resting on a branch, fence, eave or car while scouts look for a new home. I box the whole cluster with its queen and take it to a beekeeper. No pesticides.
- Bee swarm removal
- $250
- Hive in a wall, roof or chimney
- $375 to $1,000
- Inspection and quote
- Free
- Guarantee on structural removals
- 6 months
- 268 Google reviews
- 5.0 stars
- Working with bees
- 15+ years
Text me a photo first
The fastest way to get a straight answer is to text a photo to (626) 487-6052. Stand well back, at least 50 feet, and shoot from there. From the photo I can usually tell you three things: whether they're honey bees, whether it's a swarm or bees going into your house, and what it will cost.
I answer calls and texts seven days a week. I do removals Monday through Saturday.
Is it a swarm or a hive?
This matters because it's the difference between a $250 visit and a structural job.
- Swarm: a tight cluster of bees hanging out in the open, anywhere from grapefruit to basketball size. You can see the whole ball. There's no comb yet, or only a little.
- Hive: a steady line of bees flying in and out of one gap in a wall, eave, roof tile, chimney or meter box. The colony itself is out of sight, with comb and honey inside.
If the bees have already moved into the structure, it's a beehive removal, which runs $375 to $1,000 depending on where the comb is and how much has to be opened up.
Will the swarm leave on its own?
Often it will. A swarm is the old queen and roughly half the colony, somewhere between 5,000 and 20,000 bees, waiting while scouts pick a new home. UC IPM says most decide within a few hours to a few days. I wrote more about that in will a bee swarm leave on its own.
Waiting has two risks. The spot the scouts pick may be your wall or attic, and a swarm that stays more than a few days can start building comb right where it hangs. Either way the job gets bigger. If the cluster is near a door, a pool, a walkway or a kid's play area, I'd rather get it the same day it shows up.
How I remove a swarm
- I confirm they're honey bees and look at how the cluster is sitting.
- I get the cluster, queen included, into a ventilated box. Once the queen is in, the stragglers follow her in.
- I wait for the flying bees to settle into the box, then close it up.
- The bees go to a vetted local beekeeper, alive.
I don't spray anything. Spraying a swarm scatters it, and a scattered swarm is the one that ends up in somebody's wall.
Size doesn't change the method. The biggest swarm I've ever taken was about 100 pounds of bees in a tree at Kaiser Permanente in Riverside, hanging from the branches all the way to the ground. It filled five bee boxes, and nobody got hurt. The video is below.
What a swarm removal costs
A swarm removal is $250. That's for a cluster I can reach out in the open. If the bees turn out to be inside a wall, roof or meter box, I'll tell you before I start and quote it as a hive removal instead. Prices for every kind of job are on my bee removal cost page.
I can't put a guarantee on a swarm removal. A swarm is in the open, and I have no control over whether another one lands in the same tree next month. Swarms also leave a little wax and scent behind, so the same branch can attract another one. Structural hive removals are different: those come with a 6-month guarantee.
Keep everyone safe until I get there
- Keep people and pets inside or at least 50 feet away.
- Shut off sprinklers near the cluster and hold off on mowing, blowers and trimmers.
- Don't spray it with water, bug spray or anything else.
- If a few bees bump into you, walk away slowly. Don't swat.
Most swarms are calm because they have no comb or honey to defend. Africanized bees are established across Southern California, though, and they can be touchy even as a swarm. If bees are chasing people or someone has been stung many times, call 911 first, then me. My emergency bee removal page covers what to do. For more on the first few minutes, see how to handle a bee swarm outside.
Swarm season in Southern California
Swarm season here runs about March through June, and April and May are the busiest. Our mild weather means I get swarm calls in other months too. Swarm season in Southern California goes month by month. In Los Angeles County, see bee swarm removal in Los Angeles.
I cover Orange County, the Inland Empire and Los Angeles County. Find your city on the service areas page.
Google reviews
Neighbors who saved their bees
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“Eli was so nice and took care of our enormous bee problem! He did our inspection and removal all in the same day and it only took about an hour. We would definitely recommend his services!!”
Andrea Pastor
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“I had a major beehive that was growing out of control. Eli came out, explained the process, and was able to find the queen — which was impressive cause it looked like finding a needle in a haystack. Great value for those looking for humane bee removal options!”
Max Robles
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“Eli The Bee Guy!! Great name, and he did a great job! Very professional, explained what he was going to do and went right to work and did it. Again great job!”
Tracy Karvala
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“Eli came through, took care of the issue, and was remarkably professional with his communication. I highly recommend his services. Not often you deal with bees on a massive scale, but it’s reassuring there are people who are passionate about taking care of them correctly while still offering a professional experience.”
Michael Sokolowski
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“I found a company whose mission is to capture your inconveniently misplaced honey bees and place them with a forever nurturing home! No killing, no one left behind, and a new home. Make sure to call Eli, great work and done in 10 minutes!!!”
Cynthia Laija
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“Eli showed up after I noticed some bees flying up and around the chimney stack. He got right to work, performed a thorough inspection of the chimney to ensure there were no bees building a hive, and sprayed repellant around the top. Thanks to his proactive measures and thoroughness we never had bees near the chimney again.”
Daniel Martinez
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“Eli is the best! 5 stars! Professional and informative! Very easy to talk to. Texted me back whenever I asked questions. I had an outside hive in a decorative pedestal for 20 years! He took the brood and queen the first day, then returned a few days later and took my remaining bees away! Everyone was saved!!!”
w poo
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“Eli was able to access and take care of our client’s bee situation quickly. He provided pictures and updated me on the process of the removal. Our company is very satisfied with his service!”
59Rett65
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“Very good service, fast, and does not just kill the bees — he takes his time and relocates them. Amazing work.”
INEEDNOS33
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“Very helpful and fast, would highly recommend.”
Anthony T
Bee swarm removal FAQ
How much does bee swarm removal cost?
$250 for a swarm I can reach out in the open. If the bees are already inside a wall, roof or meter box, it's a hive removal at $375 to $1,000, and I'll tell you before I start.
Do you kill the swarm?
No. I box the swarm alive with its queen and the bees go to a local beekeeper. I don't use pesticides on honey bees.
Do you guarantee swarm removals?
No. A swarm is out in the open, and I can't control whether another swarm lands in the same spot later. Structural hive removals carry a 6-month guarantee.
How fast can you come out?
Text me a photo and I'll tell you when I can get there. I answer calls and texts seven days a week and do removals Monday through Saturday.
Is a swarm dangerous?
Most swarms are calm because they have nothing to defend yet. Keep people and pets back, don't spray them, and call me. If bees are chasing or stinging people, call 911 first.
Get the swarm handled
Text a photo or call, and I'll tell you if it's a swarm and when I can be there.
From the field