The Job: A Huge Honey Bee Hive Inside a Fort Lauderdale Wall
The homeowner in Fort Lauderdale called and said they could hear "a little buzzing" in the wall. That's how a lot of our wall bee removal jobs start.
Sometimes you hear buzzing at night when the house is quiet. Other times you notice a few bees flying in and out of the same small opening.
They were right about the buzzing. They were wrong about the little part.
Once we opened the wall, we found a huge honey bee hive. You can see the size of the colony in the video above.
We took it all out alive, bees and comb together. The colony rode back with us and now lives at our apiary. We don't kill bees, and that includes large established colonies like this one.
How We Removed the Bees From the Wall
Removing an established hive from a wall is different from collecting a temporary swarm hanging from a branch. The honeycomb and bees must be accessed inside the structure.
We identify where the bees are entering and where the comb is located inside the wall.
We access the colony at the appropriate location to remove the bees and hive material.
We collect the bees alive and remove the comb rather than leaving honey and wax behind.
The bees are transported to our apiary where the colony can continue living.
We clean accessible hive residue and show the homeowner where the bees entered so the opening can be sealed appropriately.
Why All the Honeycomb Has to Come Out
A hive this big can hold a lot of honey. If somebody sprays the bees and walks away, that honey and wax remain inside the wall.
In the South Florida heat, unattended honeycomb can soften, collapse or leak. Honey can soak into drywall, create odors and attract ants, roaches and other pests.
Old hive material and lingering odors can also attract future swarms to the same area.
That's why on our wall removals we take out the comb along with the bees, clean what we can safely access, and identify the opening used by the colony so it can be sealed.
What to Do If You Hear Bees Buzzing Inside Your Wall
If you suspect honey bees are living inside your Fort Lauderdale home, avoid disturbing the area until the situation has been evaluated.
- Do not spray into the hole. Spraying can agitate the bees and does not remove the comb or honey inside.
- Do not seal the opening yet. Trapped bees may search for another exit, including into the living space.
- Keep people and pets away. Avoid the area where bees are entering and exiting the structure.
- Take a photo from a safe distance. You can text us a picture of the opening and visible bee activity.
For bee removal anywhere in Fort Lauderdale, call or text 954-546-0220. You can also learn more about our Broward County bee removal services .
Why Bees Build Hives Inside Walls in Fort Lauderdale
Honey bees naturally search for sheltered spaces where they can establish and protect a colony. Small gaps around exterior walls, siding, rooflines and other structural openings can provide access to hidden cavities.
Fort Lauderdale's warm climate supports honey bee activity through much of the year. A colony can become established inside a wall before the homeowner realizes how much comb has been built.
Common signs include steady buzzing from one location, repeated bee traffic through a small opening, and sometimes staining or honey appearing near the affected area.
If you're seeing these signs, professional evaluation can help determine whether you're dealing with a temporary swarm or an established hive inside the structure.