Around Iowa
Conditions vary across the state. Choose your city below, then describe what’s happening around your home or business.
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Local bee information
Bee control in Iowa
Learn what to look for around your property, explore your city, and ask about an inspection or a quote.
Bees in Iowa: what to know
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 Iowa: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which bees actually live in Iowa, when they are busiest, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
43,000 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 Service4 percent
Colonies lost, January–March 2026
Percent of maximum colonies lost during the first quarter of 2026 in this state.
USDA National Agricultural Statistics ServiceBee species recorded in Iowa
- 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…
When bees are busiest in Iowa
Spring honey bee swarm season.
Managed colony counts published in the USDA NASS Honey Bee Colonies report (August 2026).
Rules that apply in Iowa
For context, nationally
Sources: Honey Bee Colonies (August 2026); CDC MMWR. Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources
Explore Iowa cities
Ames
Humid Continental · suburban setting
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Ankeny
Humid Continental · suburban setting
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Cedar Falls
Humid Continental · suburban setting
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Cedar Rapids
Humid Continental · urban setting
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Council Bluffs
Humid Continental · urban setting
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Davenport
Humid Continental · urban setting
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Des Moines
Humid Continental · urban setting
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Dubuque
Humid Continental · suburban setting
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Iowa City
Humid Continental · urban setting
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Marion
Humid Continental · suburban setting
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Sioux City
Humid Continental · urban setting
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Urbandale
Humid Continental · suburban setting
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Waterloo
Humid Continental · urban setting
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West Des Moines
Humid Continental · suburban setting
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Fort Dodge
Humid Continental · rural setting
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