Local bee information

Bee control in Florida

Learn what to look for around your property, explore your city, and ask about an inspection or a quote.

Bees in Florida: what to know

Around Florida

Conditions vary across the state. Choose your city below, then describe what’s happening around your home or business.

What to note

Where you see bees, how long it has been going on, and anything you’ve already tried are the most useful details to mention.

A useful next step

Ask about an inspection, what treatment would involve, and whether follow-up visits are included. You don’t need to identify the problem yourself before getting in touch.

Local research

Bees in Florida: what the public record shows

Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which bees actually live in Florida, when they are busiest, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.

290,000 colonies

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 Service

15 percent

Colonies lost, January–March 2026

Percent of maximum colonies lost during the first quarter of 2026 in this state.

USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service

African colonies may swarm more than 10 times per year

African honey bee swarming

Compared with European colonies that 'commonly swarm one to three times per year', so infestations of walls and meter boxes recur.

UF/IFAS Extension

Bee species recorded in Florida

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…
Africanized honey bee (Apis mellifera scutellata hybrids) — Visually indistinguishable from European honey bees; far more defensive and swarm more often. 'They entered Texas in 1990, Arizona and New Mexico in 1993, and California in 1994…
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…
Southern carpenter bee (Xylocopa micans) — 'In southern Georgia, their range overlaps with the southern carpenter bee, Xylocopa micans' (UGA IPM). Similar wood-boring habit to the eastern carpenter bee.

When bees are busiest in Florida

Warm-climate honey bees swarm from late winter through early summer and can swarm repeatedly; carpenter bees are active from late winter. The Florida subspecies Xylocopa virginica krombeini occurs from Sumter and Lake Counties south.

Florida splits the trade: 'Beekeepers hired to conduct live removal of honey bees are required to be registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture' under Rule 5E-14.151, while 'Only a licensed pest control company can provide the service of eradication' under Chapter 482, Florida Statutes. 'Genetic testing is required to determine if honey bees are African or European.' FDACS says not to attempt removal yourself and to bee-proof after removal.

Rules that apply in Florida

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); African Honey Bee, Africanized Honey Bee, Killer Bee (EENY-429 / IN790); CDC MMWR; Carpenter Bees; Eastern carpenter bee. Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources

Explore Florida cities

Boca Raton

Tropical · suburban setting

Bee control in Florida

Bees in Florida: what to know

Around Florida

What to note

A useful next step

Bees in Florida: what the public record shows

Bee species recorded in Florida

When bees are busiest in Florida

Rules that apply in Florida

For context, nationally

Explore Florida cities

Boca Raton

Cape Coral

Clearwater

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Davie

Fort Lauderdale

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Hollywood

Jacksonville

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Orlando

Palm Bay

Pembroke Pines

Pompano Beach

Port St. Lucie

St. Petersburg

Tallahassee

Tampa

West Palm Beach

Ocala

Sarasota

Ask about bee control in Florida