Pest profile

Western Honey Bee

Apis mellifera · Hymenoptera: Apidae[5][1]

Honey bees are important pollinators, but a colony that moves into a wall void or attic can become a stinging hazard and should be removed along with its comb.[1]

Honey bee worker with pollen on its hind legs
Honey bee worker with pollen on its hind legs. (c) Doug Miller, some rights reserved (CC BY) — via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0

How to identify it

  • Bees that forage on flowers for nectar and pollen and, when flowers are scarce, on syrups, fruit juice and other sweets.[1]
  • A swarm is a dense cluster of bees hanging from a branch or structure while scouts look for a new home.[1]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
YellowjacketShiny, hairless and bright yellow and black; scavenges meat and garbage.[2][3]
Bumble beeStout and hairy with black-and-yellow bands; small annual colonies nest in the ground or other cavities.[4]

Where it lives

Colonies usually nest in hollow trees but sometimes choose wall voids or attics; the comb may be some distance from the entrance hole.[1]

Biology and life cycle

Strong colonies divide in spring, sending out swarms; swarms are common from late April through June.[1]

Swarms usually settle in a new home within a day or so and leave on their own; a few bees left behind will die within days.[1]

Damage and signs

  • If an established hive in a wall is killed but the comb is left, the wax can melt or be eaten by wax moth larvae and honey can leak through walls.[1]

Health risk

Swarming bees are usually not aggressive; once a colony is established in a structure it becomes much more defensive and likely to sting.[1]

Control

Sanitation

Clean up sugary spills and use lids and liners on trash and recycling bins to avoid attracting foraging bees.[1]

When to call a professional

Call a local beekeeper to collect a swarm or remove a colony from a wall; your county extension office or fire station may have a list.[1]

After a colony is removed or killed, remove the comb and honey and don't eat honey from a treated colony; agree in advance on cleanup and repairs.[1]

Common questions

Should I spray a swarm on my tree?
No. Swarms are rarely aggressive and usually leave within a day; a beekeeper may collect it.[1]

Sources

  1. University of Kentucky Entomology, “ENTFACT-606: Controlling Nuisance Honey Bees.” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef606 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Pest Notes: Yellowjackets and Other Social Wasps, Publication 7450 (March 2012).” ipm.ucanr.edu/legacy_assets/PDF/PESTNOTES/pnyellowjackets.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
  3. University of Kentucky Entomology, “ENTFACT-620: Controlling Wasps, Hornets, and Yellowjackets.” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef620 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  4. Ohio State University Extension, “Bumble Bees and Solitary Bees & Wasps in Urban Landscapes, HYG-2143 (2011).” ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/HYG-2143-10 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  5. iNaturalist, “Apis mellifera taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/47219 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-06. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.