The job: a hive deep in a roof
The bees on this Fort Lauderdale job were not sitting on top of the roof. They had worked their way down into it. By the time we got up there, the colony had built comb deep inside the roof, and the only way to get it all out was to open the roof over the hive.
We opened the section where the bees were living, cut out the comb by hand and moved the bees into one of our hive boxes. The colony came down alive and went to our apiary.
How bees end up inside a roof
A swarm needs very little to get in. A lifted shingle or tile, a gap at the flashing, a loose vent or a hole at the roof edge is enough. Once they are inside, the space between the roof deck and the ceiling is dark and dry, so they settle in and start building comb. In South Florida a colony can keep growing all year, which is how a roof hive gets this big.
What we do on a roof removal
- We watch where the bees go in and out and track where the comb sits.
- We open the roof over the hive so we can reach every piece of comb.
- We cut the comb out by hand and move the bees into a hive box with a gentle bee vacuum built for live removal.
- We take out the honey and wax along with the bees.
Why the comb cannot stay in the roof
Honey and wax left behind in a hot roof can melt, leak through the ceiling and draw ants, roaches and wax moths. The smell also tells the next swarm there was a good home here. Getting all of it out is what keeps bees from moving back in.
Spraying a roof hive leaves all of that comb in place. We never kill bees. Every colony we remove comes out alive.
Signs of bees in your roof
- Steady traffic in and out of one spot on the roof or roof edge.
- A hum in the ceiling or attic near that spot.
- Bees showing up inside, near light fixtures or vents.
See more roof jobs: a Chase Bank roof in Fort Lauderdale, an Oakland Park roof hive and a Coral Springs roof soffit. Read how live bee removal works, or visit our Fort Lauderdale bee removal page. If bees are getting inside, see emergency bee removal. Call or text 954-546-0220.