The short version
Before you sign a bee removal agreement, confirm it names the species, the exact location, the method (live relocation, trap-out or treatment), whether comb removal and sealing are included, who repairs the opening, and what happens if bees return. If any of those six items is missing or vague, ask for it. Use the clause-by-clause checklist below.
- The scope should say live relocation, trap-out or treatment by name, not just 'bee removal'.
- Comb removal, sealing and repair are separate items and each should be marked in or out.
- A return-visit clause should state the period, what triggers it and whether it costs extra.
- Exclusions are as important as inclusions; read the fine print for 'access' and 'damage'.
- For carpenter bees, the job should list which holes are treated, plugged and painted.
- Research: Seventeen point eight percent of 231 Italian eighth-grade students agreed or strongly agreed that honeybees are the most aggressive insects, according to a 2024 study published in the journal Insects.
For homeowners, landlords and property managers holding a bee removal agreement they have not yet signed, or who signed one and want to understand what they are owed. It covers honey bee relocation, trap-outs, carpenter bee treatment and the cleanup and repair that follow.
What to look for
A careful read before signing costs nothing and prevents most of the disputes that follow bee jobs. Each of those can cost as much as the removal itself. The gaps usually show up in three places: what happens to the comb, who closes and repairs the wall, and what the pro does if bees return. Scope lines like 'remove bees from rear wall' leave every important question open. The agreement is where that difference should be written down, and often it is not. To another it means treating the entrance and leaving. To one pro it means a live cutout with comb removal and sealing. The phrase 'bee removal' can mean almost anything.
- 1Scope line reads only 'bee removal' with no method named.
- 2No mention of comb, honey or cleanup for a honey bee job.
- 3Repair of the opening is not assigned to anyone.
- 4Carpenter bee scope lacks a hole count or location list.
- 5Return-visit terms are absent or say 'as needed'.
- 6Access, ladder or lift charges appear only in the fine print.
Why it’s worth acting soon
- Signing a vague scope leaves comb and cleanup as an unexpected extra.
- An unassigned repair leaves an open wall exposed to weather.
- Without return terms, a second colony means paying in full again.
- Missing exclusions become charges on the final invoice.
are key pollinators and swarm when a colony splitsHoney beesUSDA Treatment options and typical costs
Live honey bee relocation (cutout)
$300–$1,500+
The pro opens the cavity, removes bees and comb alive into a hive box and takes the colony to an apiary. The agreement should say the bees are relocated, that comb is removed and where the opening will be.
- Time
- 3–8 hours
- Best for
- Established colonies in walls, soffits or floors
Trap-out
$300–$900
A one-way cone lets bees leave but not return, and they join a bait hive nearby. The agreement should state the number of visits, who monitors, and that comb remains inside unless a cleanup is added.
- Time
- 4–8 weeks with several visits
- Best for
- Colonies in masonry, trees or spaces that cannot be opened
Swarm collection
$0–$250
A clustered swarm is brushed or shaken into a box and taken away. A simple agreement is fine, but it should note whether a return visit is included if the swarm has already moved into a cavity.
- Time
- 30–90 minutes
- Best for
- Exposed clusters on branches, fences or eaves
Carpenter bee treatment and plugging
$100–$500
Galleries are treated, then plugged with dowels or wood filler and sealed. The scope should list hole locations or a count, whether plugging waits until bees have emerged, and whether painting is included.
- Time
- 1–3 hours
- Best for
- Round holes in fascia, decks, rails and siding
Cleanup, sealing and repair
$200–$1,500+
Comb removal, cleaning, closing entrances and restoring the finish. The agreement should mark each as included, excluded or subcontracted, with a price for each.
- Time
- Same day to several days
- Best for
- Any honey bee job where a cavity was opened
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.Clause-by-clause checklist.
Fewer than seven means the agreement needs another draft. Ten or more means you can sign with confidence. Count the items that are clear. Schedule and number of visits, especially for trap-outs. 12. Relocation destination, if live removal matters to you. 11. Read every one and ask what each means in practice. Exclusions. 10. Period, trigger, cost. Return visits. 9. One line per item above, plus any access, disposal or travel charges. Price. 8. Included, subcontracted or excluded, and the condition the site is left in. Repair. 7. Which openings, what material. Sealing. 6. Scraping, washing, deodorizing, insulation replacement. Cleaning. 5. Removed, left in place or excluded. Comb and honey. 4. One of these words should appear. Live cutout, trap-out, swarm collection, treatment, carpenter bee treatment. Method. 3. 'Rear wall' is not enough on a house with two rear walls. Wall, side of house, height and a photo reference. Location. 2. If it says 'bees', ask which. Honey bee, carpenter bee, bumble bee. Species. 1. Print the agreement and check each item.
What a good answer sounds like.
Write each answer beside the clause and ask for it to be added to the agreement before you sign. If you sealed it or they enter a new spot, it is a new job.' Not: 'We stand behind our work.' On carpenter bees: 'We counted 14 holes on the fascia and 6 on the deck rail. We open the soffit, vacuum the bees into a box, cut out the comb and take the colony to our yard.' Not: 'We get rid of them.' On repair: 'We close with primed plywood and leave it weatherproof. On method: 'It is a cutout. When you call about a gap, listen for detail.
Fall is the easiest time to seal gaps along the foundation and siding, once bee traffic has slowed and before next spring's scouts start looking.Exclusions and change orders.
If bees return within the stated period, the return-visit clause is only useful if you can find it. Keep the agreement, change orders, photographs and invoice together. Anything not on the agreement or a change order is a fair question. After the work, compare the invoice to the agreement line by line. Sign or acknowledge it before the extra work begins. Photographs of the reason help. During the job, insist on a written change order for anything outside the job, even a text message with the added item and price. Ask about 'unforeseen conditions' directly. None of these is unreasonable, but each should be priced or explained so you know what triggers it. Common ones in bee agreements include: work above a certain height, roof or chimney access, removal of siding or stucco, replacement of insulation, disposal, painting, and 'unforeseen conditions'. Exclusions are where the surprises live.
What affects the price
- Method chosen: live cutout, trap-out, treatment or swarm collection.
- Whether comb removal and cleaning are included in the base price.
- Repair scope and whether it is subcontracted.
- Number of return visits included and their trigger.
- Access charges for height, roofs, chimneys or lifts.
- Number of carpenter bee holes and linear feet of wood treated.
When to call for help
And if the agreement calls for treatment of honey bees where you expected live relocation, stop and ask, because the two are not interchangeable and some states restrict which products may be used on honey bees. Do this the moment a technician mentions 'that will be extra', not at invoice time. If you have already signed and the work has begun, you can still ask for a written change order for anything not covered. A pro who does this work regularly will not object; the request takes them a few minutes. Ask them to send a revised agreement rather than explaining by phone. Call the pro before signing if any of the six core items is missing: species, location, method, comb handling, repair responsibility and return terms.
What you can do yourself
Reading the agreement is entirely your job and takes twenty minutes. Print it, use the checklist in the deep dive, and mark each clause. You do not need a lawyer for a residential bee job; you need a pen and the willingness to ask for changes. What you cannot do yourself is decide which method is right for your structure. The agreement should explain it in a sentence: 'trap-out recommended because the colony is in a block wall that cannot be opened'. If the agreement gives a method without a reason, ask for one. Comparing two agreements that recommend different methods is normal; the one that explains itself has usually thought about your house.
Simple ways to keep bees away
- Ask for the agreement before the visit is scheduled.
- Keep a signed copy and the company's photographs together.
- Note the return-visit period on your calendar.
- Have sealing done before the repair so the entrance is not forgotten.
- Confirm the relocation destination if live removal matters to you.
- Inspect the sealed site each spring during swarm season.
In an apartment building, one colony in a shared wall can mean bees in several units. Let the manager know where they're coming in, and don't spray or plug the gap yourself.Did you know?
Several states protect honey bees from pesticide use without a license.
A trap-out can take six weeks because brood keeps emerging inside.
Carpenter bees reuse and extend old galleries year after year.
Questions people ask
What should a bee removal service agreement include?
At minimum: the species, the exact location, the method by name, whether comb removal and cleaning are included, who seals the entrance, who repairs the opening, the price for each part, return-visit terms, and any exclusions such as height or access.
Does 'bee removal' mean the bees are relocated alive?
If live relocation matters to you, the agreement should say 'live removal' or 'relocation' and name where the colony goes, usually a hive box and an apiary. Some pros treat the colony and call it removal. Not necessarily.
Is comb removal automatically part of the job?
For any honey bee colony in place more than a couple of weeks, ask that comb removal, cleaning and sealing be added as itemized lines, or that the agreement state clearly that they are excluded. Many agreements cover the bees only. No.
What should the return-visit clause say?
Read that condition carefully. Some pros cover a new colony at the same spot within a season only if they did the sealing. Look for a period, usually 30 to 90 days, a trigger such as 'bees observed entering the treated location', and whether the visit is included.
Who is responsible for repairing the wall?
The agreement should state the condition the site will be left in and whether it will be weatherproof when they leave. Some pros close the opening with plywood or drywall only, some patch and paint, many exclude repair entirely. Whoever the agreement says.
What should a carpenter bee agreement list?
A hole count or location list, the treatment used, whether holes are plugged the same day or after emergence, what they are plugged with, and whether painting or sealing bare wood is included. A scope reading 'treat carpenter bees' with no count is too vague to hold anyone to.
How much does bee removal cost?
Treat it as a rough guide, not a local count. Identify the bee type first, since a swarm on a branch and a colony inside a wall are very different jobs. HomeAdvisor's 2026 pricing benchmarks put a typical bee-removal project at $280, ranging from about $180 for a small infestation to as much as $1,000 for a severe one, with honeybee jobs spanning $75 to $2,000 depending on where the hive is.
How much does live bee relocation cost?
Ask the pro how they handle the comb and honey left behind, which otherwise draws ants and rodents. Live removal takes longer than extermination. HomeAdvisor's 2026 pricing benchmarks estimate paid live bee relocation at $100 to $800, with the top of the range covering colonies that have to be cut out of a wall or roof and moved intact.
Sources (4)
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