The short version
A swarm pickup in Memphis is often $75–$250. Wall colonies cost several hundred dollars or more, plus repairs. Carpenter bee work is usually $100–$500.
- Wall colonies cost several hundred dollars or more.
- Ask whether repairs are included.
- Live removal costs more but saves the bees.
Homeowners and renters in Memphis with a swarm, a wall colony or carpenter bees.
What to look for
Most bees are helpful pollinators. Trouble starts when they move into a house. A wall colony can reach tens of thousands of bees. Around Memphis, honey bees usually swarm April through June. Spraying alone leaves comb and honey behind.
- 1Bees streaming in and out of one gap.
- 2A buzzing sound inside a wall.
- 3Dark, sticky stains on a ceiling or wall.
- 4A swarm hanging from a branch or fence.
- 5Round, clean holes in eaves or deck boards.
- 6Sawdust under holes in bare wood.
Why it’s worth acting soon
- Wall colonies grow larger every season.
- Comb can melt and leak honey into walls.
- Old comb attracts ants, beetles and moths.
- Carpenter bee tunnels get longer each year.
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Estimate bee removal cost in Memphis
Adjust for your situation to see a ballpark range.
Estimated range
A rough guide only. Wall colonies and repairs cost more.
Treatment options and typical costs
Inspection and Species Identification
$75–$200
A visit to identify the bee and find the colony.
- Time
- 45–90 minutes
- Best for
- Every job
Carpenter Bee Gallery Treatment and Wood Repair
$100–$500
Holes are treated, then filled. Painting or staining the wood helps keep them away.
- Time
- 1–3 hours plus sealing
- Best for
- Round holes in bare wood
Live Swarm Capture and Relocation
$75–$250; beekeepers may charge less
The bees are collected alive and moved to a hive.
- Time
- 1–3 hours
- Best for
- Swarms and reachable colonies
Structural Hive Removal with Comb Extraction
$300–$1,500 or more
The wall is opened and the bees and comb removed. Then it's cleaned and sealed.
- Time
- Half a day to a full day
- Best for
- Colonies inside walls, soffits or attics
Prices are typical published ranges. Ask what’s included before you compare quotes.
Crawlspace vents are easy for bees to use and easy to screen with metal mesh. Check them when you check the attic.What bee removal costs in Memphis.
- Structural Hive Removal with Comb Extraction: $300–$1,500 or more - A typical home in Memphis is worth around $170k, and honey leaking into a wall can cost far more than removal. Swarm season around Memphis runs April through June, and spring is the busiest time to book. - Inspection and Species Identification: $75–$200 - Carpenter Bee Gallery Treatment and Wood Repair: $100–$500 - Live Swarm Capture and Relocation: $75–$250; beekeepers may charge less
Local bees conditions in Memphis.
Across Memphis, the area is mostly urban, so bees pressure can differ from one block to the next depending on how tight the entry points are and how much food, water, or shelter is close by. An inspection in Memphis usually starts outside and works inward, checking the foundation, gaps around doors and windows, and any moisture or clutter near the structure first. Knowing Memphis's seasonal timing lets you schedule treatment before the busy stretch rather than after it, which usually means faster service and a more accurate quote. A provider who works Memphis and Tennessee every day can point out the specific conditions that matter most here, and getting the scope, price, and follow-up terms in writing makes it easier to compare options. Memphis sits in a humid subtropical climate, and that sets the pace for bee activity here: spring and summer (swarming and colony growth).
Stone walls, hollow fence posts and the space under a deck are favorite spots for bees to settle. Check them in spring before swarm season gets going.Which bees show up around Memphis.
Eastern carpenter bees bore round holes in bare wood around Memphis, especially eaves, fascia and decks. Bumble bees nest in the ground or old insulation. Their colonies die off each fall. Small ground-nesting bees in spring lawns are harmless. They're best left alone. Honey bees are behind most calls in Memphis: swarms in spring, and colonies that move into walls.
Swarms: what to do.
Scouts are hunting for a new home. It's usually calm and moves on within days. Keep people back. a beekeeper or removal service. A swarm is a colony on the move.
Bees in the wall.
Don't seal the hole, and don't just spray it. Trapped bees may come into the house. The fix is a cut-out. Bees and comb come out, then the wall is closed. Many homes around Memphis have crawl spaces, and colonies sometimes settle there too. Homes from Memphis out to Bartlett and Germantown see the same entry points: soffits, vents and wall gaps. Steady traffic at one gap means a colony inside.
Carpenter bees.
They drill round, half-inch holes in bare wood. Treat the holes, fill them, then paint the wood. Painted wood is far less attractive to them. Carpenter bees look like bumble bees with a shiny, bare abdomen.
A year of bees in Memphis.
- Winter: lows near 32°F in Memphis. Honey bees cluster inside. - Spring: swarm season, April through June. - Summer: highs near 91°F in Memphis. Watch for honey stains on walls. - Fall: bumble bee colonies die off. Seal gaps once bees are gone.
Bee, wasp or hornet?
- Yellowjacket: bright yellow and black, nests in the ground. - Honey bee: fuzzy, golden brown, about half an inch. - Bumble bee: big, fuzzy, black and yellow. - Carpenter bee: like a bumble bee, with a shiny bare abdomen. - Wasp: smooth, narrow waist, long legs.
If you get stung.
Wash the area and use a cold pack. An antihistamine eases itching. 911 for trouble breathing or a swollen face or throat. Scrape the stinger out quickly with a fingernail or card.
Live removal: what it involves.
They open the wall and gently vacuum the bees. Then they cut out the comb. The bees go to a managed hive. Then the space is cleaned, sealed and closed. A specialist finds the colony, often with a thermal camera.
What to tell the removal company.
- A photo or short video, taken from a safe distance. - Where the bees go in and out. - How high up the spot is. - How long you’ve noticed them. - Any stains, sounds or smells inside. - Whether anyone at home is allergic.
Ground bees in the lawn.
They're gentle and rarely sting. They leave within a few weeks. Thicker grass and regular watering make the lawn less inviting. Small bees over bare spring lawn are usually mining bees.
Keeping bees from moving back in.
- Repaint or restain bare wood every few years. - Remove all old comb. Its scent draws new swarms. - Seal the entry gap once the bees are gone. - Screen attic, gable and crawl vents. - Cap open pipes, posts and fence rails.
Where colonies settle.
- Hollow trees and fence posts: often fine to leave. - Chimneys: a cap with screen keeps swarms out. - Attics: gable and soffit vents are common entries. - Sheds and garages: gaps under eaves and doors. - Meter and irrigation boxes: small, dark and dry. - Grill covers and unused equipment: check in spring.
Can I just spray them?
Still, spraying a wall colony usually backfires. Dead bees and comb stay inside, rot, and leak honey. Pesticide labels also limit spraying around bees. Live removal is usually the better choice. Honey bees aren't federally protected.
Kids, pets and bees.
Keep pets away from swarms and wall entrances. Dogs stung in the mouth or throat need a vet quickly. Cover sweet drinks outside. Teach kids to stay calm and walk away from bees.
When a swarm shows up.
Swarming bees are usually calm. They have no hive to defend. Most move on within a day or two. Keep people and pets back. A beekeeper may collect it. In spring, a swarm may hang from a branch or fence.
Questions to ask before you sign.
- How will you seal the entry afterward? - What kind of bee is it? - Will you remove the bees alive? - Will you take out all the comb and honey? - Who repairs the wall or soffit?
Ways to keep the cost down.
- Compare what each quote covers. - Call early, before a colony settles in a wall. - Ask a local beekeeper about swarms. - Paint bare wood to prevent carpenter bees.
What affects the price
- Swarm pickup versus a colony inside a wall.
- How high the bees are, and whether a lift is needed.
- Opening and repairing walls, soffits or ceilings.
- Comb and honey cleanup.
- Number of carpenter bee holes.
- Whether bees can be removed alive.
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What’s your biggest bee concern?
When to call for help
Call if bees use a gap in your walls or roof. if a swarm hasn't moved on in a few days. right away if anyone in the house is allergic.
What you can do yourself
Never seal a hole bees are using. A beekeeper or removal specialist can often save the bees. Swarms and wall colonies are not. Treat, fill and paint. Carpenter bee holes are a fair DIY job.
Bees in Memphis
With about 54 inches of rain a year and summer highs near 91°F in Memphis, spring bloom is steady and swarms are common. Winter lows near 32°F in Memphis send honey bees into a tight cluster; they don't leave the nest. In denser parts of Memphis, colonies turn up in walls, soffits, signs and utility boxes.
Local research
Bees in Memphis, TN: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which bees actually live in Tennessee, when they are busiest around Memphis, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
Bee species recorded in Tennessee
- Western honey bee (European honey bee) (Apis mellifera) — Managed colonies are surveyed by USDA NASS in the listed states; swarms leave hives in spring and move into wall voids, chimneys, and trees. If a colony is killed and not remove…
- Eastern carpenter bee (Xylocopa virginica) — Large black-and-yellow bee with a shiny bare abdomen that bores round, about 1/2-inch tunnels into unpainted softwood trim, decks, fascia and railings. 'There is only one specie…
- Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) — Social native bees; 'Nests are initiated by a single female (queen) in the spring' in 'a small cavity like an abandoned rodent burrow' (WSU). They 'can sting multiple times; sti…
When bees are busiest around Memphis
April–June carpenter bee nesting and spring honey bee swarms.
TDA and UT Extension are preparing 'if Africanized honey bees are found in Tennessee'; 'Wild colonies should be avoided and reported to your county extension agent or the State Apiarist.'
Rules that apply in Tennessee
For context, nationally
- 788 deaths (an average of 72 deaths per year) — Sting deaths, hornets/wasps/bees, 2011–2021. CDC MMWR
- 84% — Share of sting deaths among males, 2011–2021. CDC MMWR
Sources: CDC MMWR; Honey Bee Colonies (August 2026); Carpenter Bees; Apidae: Bumble Bees (Bombus spp.) — Hortsense. Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources
Simple ways to keep bees away
- Seal gaps in soffits, vents and siding before spring.
- Screen attic and crawl vents.
- Paint or stain bare wood to deter carpenter bees.
- Fill old carpenter bee holes after treatment.
- Remove old comb so new swarms aren’t drawn in.
- Keep empty bee boxes and hives closed up.
Treatment is the right call for carpenter bees and for colonies that can't be removed alive. Ask the pro which approach they recommend for your situation and why.Did you know?
Honey bees beat their wings about 200 times a second.
Honey bees communicate the location of flowers with a “waggle dance.”
Questions people ask
What is the typical cost to remove bees from a wall?
Usually several hundred dollars, sometimes more than $1,500 for big colonies. Repairs to the wall may be extra.
What does carpenter bee treatment cost?
Usually $100–$500, depending on the number and height of holes.
Why does live relocation cost more than spraying?
It takes longer. Across Memphis, bees, comb and honey all come out, and the wall gets opened. Spraying leaves comb behind, which causes problems.
How much does a swarm capture cost?
Often $75–$250. Some beekeepers collect swarms for less, or free.
Can I just spray the bees in my wall?
Not for honey bees. The colony in a Memphis wall is not the problem you can see; it is the comb behind it. Insecticide kills some bees, contaminates the honey, and does nothing about the comb, which then melts, stains Memphis drywall, and attracts pests. For carpenter bees, targeted dust in each hole works, then plugging.
How do I tell honey bees from wasps or carpenter bees?
Fuzz is the giveaway. Bees are hairy to carry pollen; wasps are smooth. In Memphis yards, a carpenter bee looks like a bumble bee but with a bare, glossy abdomen instead of a fuzzy one. Honey bees are smaller and slimmer than both. If insects chase your soda can, they are wasps.
How long does bee removal take?
A swarm capture in Memphis often takes an hour or two, plus a wait until dusk for stragglers. Carpenter bee treatment is two hours plus a plugging visit. A structural honey bee removal with comb extraction in Memphis is a half day to a full day, and repairs may follow later.
How much does bee removal cost?
Two hundred eighty dollars is the typical bee-removal project cost in HomeAdvisor's 2026 pricing benchmarks. Local prices will differ. When you get quotes in Memphis, ask each company what they usually see in your neighborhood.
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Sources (9)
The facts in this article come from the public sources listed above. Every home is different, so ask the company you talk to about pricing and what’s included. Published by Beehive Removal · Updated September 11, 2026 · How we write these guides