Wall hive in a 100+ year old house in downtown Seabrook
Field notes by Charles Manning, Honeybee Removal
This house in downtown Seabrook is more than 100 years old. Honey bees had built a hive inside the wood-sided wall, roughly 4 by 8 feet of comb. Charles estimated well over a million bees. One half of the hive had been sprayed before we got there. The other half was still alive, and we removed it live.
Why you don't spray bees in a wall
On the sprayed side, the colony died but the comb stayed in the wall. With no bees to keep it cool, the wax and honey collapsed and turned dark and melted, like muck running down inside the wall. That mess draws ants, roaches, and the next swarm, stains the wall, and still has to be cut out. Spraying didn't save the homeowner a removal. It made the removal messier. See Live bee removal vs exterminator.
The live side
On the left side the colony was still alive. We opened the siding, removed the bees and the comb together, and relocated the colony. You can see how big these sheets of comb get inside an old wall cavity.
An old house takes care
Older homes have shiplap, wood siding, and gaps that let bees in and let colonies grow big before anyone notices. We work with the old boards and seal the entry so bees don't move back in.
Bees in your wall in Seabrook, Kemah, or League City?
Don't spray them and don't seal the hole. Call 281-910-5864 or send photos through the quote form. See Seabrook bee removal, Bees in your wall, and Case studies.