The short version
A swarm pickup in Seattle 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 Seattle with a swarm, a wall colony or carpenter bees.
What to look for
Around Seattle, honey bees usually swarm May and June. Spraying alone leaves comb and honey behind. Most bees are helpful pollinators. Trouble starts when they move into a house. A wall colony can reach tens of thousands of bees.
- 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 Seattle
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
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
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
Prices are typical published ranges. Ask what’s included before you compare quotes.
Honey bees rarely settle in a basement, but a window well or a gap around a pipe can be the start of a route into the walls above.What bee removal costs in Seattle.
- Carpenter Bee Gallery Treatment and Wood Repair: $100–$500 - Structural Hive Removal with Comb Extraction: $300–$1,500 or more - Live Swarm Capture and Relocation: $75–$250; beekeepers may charge less - A typical home in Seattle is worth around $850k, and honey leaking into a wall can cost far more than removal. Swarm season around Seattle runs May and June, and spring is the busiest time to book. - Inspection and Species Identification: $75–$200
Local bees conditions in Seattle.
Seattle sits in a marine west coast climate, and that sets the pace for bee activity here: spring and summer (swarming and colony growth). For Seattle homes, 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 Seattle usually starts outside and works inward, checking the foundation, gaps around doors and windows, and any moisture or clutter near the structure first. Knowing Seattle'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 Seattle and Washington 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.
Bees get in through gaps most of us never notice: a loose threshold, a siding seam, a soffit joint. A walk around the house with a flashlight finds most of them.Which bees show up around Seattle.
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 Seattle: swarms in spring, and colonies that move into walls. Western carpenter bees, including the big valley carpenter bee, bore into bare wood around Seattle. Bumble bees nest in the ground or old insulation.
Swarms: what to do.
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. Scouts are hunting for a new home.
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 Seattle have crawl spaces, and colonies sometimes settle there too. Homes from Seattle out to Bellevue and Kirkland see the same entry points: soffits, vents and wall gaps. Steady traffic at one gap means a colony inside.
Carpenter bees.
Carpenter bees look like bumble bees with a shiny, bare abdomen. 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.
A year of bees in Seattle.
- Fall: bumble bee colonies die off. Seal gaps once bees are gone. - Winter: lows near 37°F in Seattle. Honey bees cluster inside. - Spring: swarm season, May and June. - Summer: highs near 76°F in Seattle. Watch for honey stains on walls.
Bee, wasp or hornet?
- Carpenter bee: like a bumble bee, with a shiny bare abdomen. - Wasp: smooth, narrow waist, long legs. - 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.
If you get stung.
Scrape the stinger out quickly with a fingernail or card. Wash the area and use a cold pack. An antihistamine eases itching. 911 for trouble breathing or a swollen face or throat.
Live removal: what it involves.
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. They open the wall and gently vacuum the bees.
What to tell the removal company.
- How long you’ve noticed them. - Any stains, sounds or smells inside. - Whether anyone at home is allergic. - A photo or short video, taken from a safe distance. - Where the bees go in and out. - How high up the spot is.
Ground bees in the lawn.
Small bees over bare spring lawn are usually mining bees. They're gentle and rarely sting. They leave within a few weeks. Thicker grass and regular watering make the lawn less inviting.
Keeping bees from moving back in.
- Screen attic, gable and crawl vents. - Cap open pipes, posts and fence rails. - 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.
Where colonies settle.
- Sheds and garages: gaps under eaves and doors. - Meter and irrigation boxes: small, dark and dry. - Grill covers and unused equipment: check in spring. - 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.
Can I just spray them?
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. Still, spraying a wall colony usually backfires.
Kids, pets and bees.
Teach kids to stay calm and walk away from bees. Keep pets away from swarms and wall entrances. Dogs stung in the mouth or throat need a vet quickly. Cover sweet drinks outside.
When a swarm shows up.
In spring, a swarm may hang from a branch or fence. 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.
Questions to ask before you sign.
- Will you take out all the comb and honey? - Who repairs the wall or soffit? - How will you seal the entry afterward? - What kind of bee is it? - Will you remove the bees alive?
Ways to keep the cost down.
- Paint bare wood to prevent carpenter bees. - Compare what each quote covers. - Call early, before a colony settles in a wall. - Ask a local beekeeper about swarms.
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
right away if anyone in the house is allergic. Call if bees use a gap in your walls or roof. if a swarm hasn't moved on in a few days.
What you can do yourself
Treat, fill and paint. Carpenter bee holes are a fair DIY job. Never seal a hole bees are using. A beekeeper or removal specialist can often save the bees. Swarms and wall colonies are not.
Bees in Seattle
Winter lows near 37°F in Seattle send honey bees into a tight cluster; they don't leave the nest. In denser parts of Seattle, colonies turn up in walls, soffits, signs and utility boxes. With about 38 inches of rain a year and summer highs near 76°F in Seattle, spring bloom is steady and swarms are common.
Local research
Bees in Seattle, WA: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which bees actually live in Washington, when they are busiest around Seattle, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
Honey bee colonies, January 1, 2026 (operations with five or more colonies)
Managed hives are the source of the spring swarms that end up in homes and trees; the state table is on page 7 of the report.
USDA National Agricultural Statistics ServiceBee species recorded in Washington
- 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…
- 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 Seattle
Bumble bee 'Nests are initiated by a single female (queen) in the spring' (WSU); honey bee swarms in spring.
WSU lists 'None recommended' for chemical control of bumble bees and advises avoiding broad-spectrum pesticides.
Rules that apply in Washington
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: Honey Bee Colonies (August 2026); CDC MMWR; 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.
After a removal, the old entrance gets screened and sealed. The smell of comb draws new scouts, so this step is what keeps bees from moving back in.Did you know?
Most native North American bees live alone, nesting in the ground.
A summer honey bee colony can top 30,000 bees.
Questions people ask
Does the price include repairing the wall or soffit?
Often not. Ask whether the quote includes closing the wall.
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.
Why does live relocation cost more than spraying?
For Seattle homes, bees, comb and honey all come out, and the wall gets opened. Spraying leaves comb behind, which causes problems. It takes longer.
Is it cheaper to wait and see if the bees leave?
It often moves on within a day or two. Bees going into a wall won't leave on their own. For a swarm on a branch, yes.
What about bumble bees in the ground or in insulation?
If the nest is beside a door or in crawl space insulation where people work, a pro can move it or treat it. They rarely sting unless the nest is disturbed. Bumble bee colonies are small and end every fall, so the simplest plan in Seattle is to mark the nest and avoid it until then.
Is it illegal to kill honey bees?
A pro working in Seattle can tell you the local rules and what they usually do. Most reputable bee removal companies relocate honey bees by default. Not everywhere, but it is discouraged almost everywhere, and pesticide label restrictions apply in Seattle regardless of local rules.
How do I prevent bees from moving into my house?
For carpenter bees, the answer is finished, painted wood. Plug old galleries so they cannot be reused. Prevention in Seattle is mostly carpentry and caulk. Scout bees look for a quarter-inch opening into a hollow, so seal soffit gaps, vent screens, and rafter tails on your home.
How much does it cost to remove a large bee infestation?
HomeAdvisor's 2026 benchmark tops out at $1,000 for severe bee infestations, before any wall or ceiling repair. Before work starts in Seattle, ask how many visits are included and what happens if the bees come back.
How much does carpenter bee treatment cost?
HomeAdvisor's 2026Seventy-five to $500 is HomeAdvisor's 2026 benchmark for carpenter-bee treatment, and local prices vary.
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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