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Honey bees are very social insects living in colonies with over 80,000 insects at a time. These colonies are made up of a single queen, female worker bees and make drones. The female worker bees make up the largest part of the population and they are the protectors of the colony which also houses eggs, larvae and pupae from the queen. And this is why honey bees are very territorial and aggressive near their colonies. This makes it quite difficult to remove bees because their instinct to protect results in stings that can be fatal for some people.

Bee removal protocol

The only effective way to get rid of bees is to burst open the hive and expose the colony driving them out of their safe haven. But that is easier said than done which is why there is a protocol that should be followed.
1. Figure out where the hive is located
The good news is that bees do not try to hide their hive. In fact, they have been known to build hives in obvious places like an old sofa placed outdoors, under a soda can, or even in your mailbox. It’s safe to say they are not afraid of being found.
2. Do not spray insecticide on the hive
It is recommended that you don’t spry insecticide or pesticide on the hive or block their access route if they are near a house. Blocking their access may send them looking for an alternative exit and entry route through the house which is even more dangerous. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has banned several insecticides from being used near bee population as the world attempts to promote the increase of bee populations. Plus the insecticides may just provoke a full on attack on you and your household.
3. Identify the type of bee
It is crucial to identify the type of bee you are dealing with. If it is in a colony it definitely isn’t a wood bee also known as a carpenter bee. This species doesn’t live in colonies and doesn’t have a queen to protect. They are solitary bees that live in wood that they have bored a hole into. You are probably dealing with honey or bumble bees. If it is the honey bee the hive is higher off the ground while bumble bees usually burrow into the ground building hives in rodent holes although they can also build in the trees. Honey bees are lethal stingers, bumble bees can sting when provoked but carpenter bees rarely sting and only the females sting.
4. Call a professional
A professional knows how to maneuver the site carefully to avoid provoking the bees while finding a way to get rid of them. They also have the right tools to remove bees and destroy their hive so that they don’t build a new colony in the same space again.