Bumble Bee Removal & Relocation
Bumble Bee Removal in Portland, Oregon, and When You're Better Off Leaving the Nest Alone
Bumble Bee colonies are small, native, and gone on their own by fall. I'll tell you straight whether yours needs dealing with, and where the spot allows it I'll move the colony rather than treat it. Anywhere in the Portland metro.
- Same-day service available
- Licensed Commercial Pesticide Operator
- Quoted before any work begins
Does a bumble bee nest actually need removing, or will it clear out on its own?
Often it clears out on its own. A bumble bee colony is small, a few dozen to a few hundred bees, and it lives one season. The whole nest dies off in fall and nothing reuses it. If it sits somewhere you don't walk, mow, or reach into, leave it alone, and I'll tell you so on the phone. Removal is for nests by a door, a play area, a mower path, or a household with a sting allergy.
- A bumble bee colony lasts one season. Only the new queens survive winter, and they hibernate somewhere else.
- Bumble bees are calm while foraging, but they defend the nest entrance, and they can sting more than once.
- Bees pouring out of a hole in the ground are more often yellow jackets. Different insect, more urgent problem.
- Where the spot makes it practical, I move the colony instead of treating it. Every job is quoted up front.
A bumble bee nest in Portland, Oregon follows the same calendar every year
Where you are in the season changes the answer more than anything else does.
- Late Feb to April
A single queen goes house hunting
Big, slow bumble bees fly low over the lawn in tight patterns. That's a queen out of hibernation looking for a cavity. Nothing to do yet, and most queens never nest in your yard.
- May to June
The colony gets going and you start noticing traffic
The queen has raised her first workers and they're out foraging, a few bees a minute. Easiest window to relocate a nest in a bad spot, because the colony is small and moves in one piece.
- July to August
Peak activity, and peak confusion with yellow jackets
The colony is as big as it gets. Yellow Jacket colonies are at their strongest too, and most of my ground nest calls this time of year turn out to be yellow jackets.
- September
New queens and males leave, and the nest winds down
The colony raises next year's queens, they mate and leave to hibernate, and the old nest comes apart. Call me in September about a nest that isn't in your way and I'll say wait three weeks.
- October onward
The nest is finished and that colony won't restart
The workers and the old queen are gone, and there's nothing left to treat. A different queen could like the same cavity next spring, so fall is the time to screen it off.
Timing shifts a couple of weeks with the weather. Text me a photo and when you first noticed the nest.
Bees coming out of a hole in the ground are usually yellow jackets, not bumble bees
This is the call I get misidentified more than any other. Someone runs a mower over a hole in the lawn, gets chased, and calls me about ground bees. More often than not, what's in that hole is a yellow jacket colony. Yellow Jackets commonly nest in underground cavities, which is why they get mistaken for bumble bees.
The difference matters on the day. A bumble bee nest holds a few dozen to a few hundred bees that want to be left alone. A yellow jacket nest in the ground can hold thousands by late summer, and they defend the entrance fast and in numbers. That's a same-day problem, not a wait-and-see one. It gets handled as yellow jacket removal, not relocation.
Telling them apart from a distance is easy once you know what to look at. A bumble bee is big, round, furry, and flies slow and loud. A yellow jacket is slim, glossy, and darts. Get a photo from ten feet back and send it over, and I'll tell you which one you have.
When a bumble bee nest is worth relocating, and when I'd leave it
Same nest, different spot, different answer. This is how I sort it.
A few feet from a door, deck stair, or play area
A nest that close to daily foot traffic gets bumped sooner or later, and bumble bees defend the entrance when it is. This one I move.
Twenty feet back in a hedge or along a fence line
If nobody has a reason to stand there, put a chair in front of it and let the colony finish its season. It'll be gone by October.
In a bird house, a shed wall, or an old rodent burrow
All normal bumble bee nest sites, and I've pulled colonies out of every one. Whether it needs to move depends on how close it is to you, not on the fact that it's there.
Right in the mower path
Running a mower over a nest entrance is how most people around here get stung. Either the nest moves, or that patch of grass waits until fall.
Someone in the household reacts badly to stings
With a real sting allergy in the house, I'm not going to ask you to wait it out. That nest comes out wherever it sits.
You found it in September
The colony is already breaking up. Unless it's directly in the way, waiting a few weeks costs you nothing and the problem finishes itself.
Bumble Bees under the deck plus ants in the kitchen? Booking several insect control services together brings the rate down.
Bumble Bee, honey bee, or yellow jacket: telling the three apart in a Portland, Oregon yard
Nearly every identification call I take comes down to one of these three. A honey bee colony is honey bee removal and relocation, a different job.
| What to look at | Bumble Bee | Honey Bee | Yellow Jacket |
|---|---|---|---|
| The body | Big, round, thickly furred, black and yellow bands, sometimes an orange tail | Half an inch, golden brown, lightly fuzzy, pollen on the back legs | Slim, smooth, glossy, sharp yellow and black, no fur |
| Where the nest is | Old rodent burrow, under a deck or shed, thick grass, compost, bird house | Wall void, chimney, attic, or a hanging cluster on a branch | Underground cavity, wall void, or a gray paper ball under an eave |
| Colony size | A few dozen to a few hundred, one season only | Tens of thousands, going year after year | Thousands by late summer, one season only |
| Flight in and out | Slow, heavy and loud, a few bees a minute | A steady stream at one spot on the house | Fast and darting, heavier every week through August |
| Interest in your lunch | None | None | Lands on soda cans, meat, and garbage bins in late summer |
Yellow Jacket colonies run on an annual cycle and peak in late summer, which is why August is when people get hit by a nest they'd walked past all year.
What to do when you find a bumble bee nest in your yard
None of this needs special gear. It's about giving the nest room and not turning a quiet colony defensive.
Do this
- Mark the entrance with a stake or a chair so nobody walks into it.
- Give it ten feet of clearance and carry on. Foraging bumble bees have no interest in you.
- Keep the mower off that patch until you know what's living in it.
- Watch for two minutes. Slow, heavy fliers point to bumble bees. Fast, darting ones point to yellow jackets.
- Take a photo from a safe distance and text it to me. I'll identify it before I get in the truck.
Please don't
- Don't pour gasoline, boiling water, or bleach down a nest hole. It's dangerous and it stays in your soil.
- Don't plug the entrance. Trapped bees look for another way out, and sometimes that way is into the house.
- Don't swat or spray near the entrance. That's what brings the rest of the colony out.
- Don't dig it open to see what's in there. That's how a nest you'd been ignoring becomes an emergency.
- Don't assume it's bumble bees because someone said ground bees. The two jobs are nothing alike.
What bumble bee removal costs around Portland, Oregon, and how the number gets set
Bumble Bee jobs are quoted one at a time, and there is a real spread between them. What decides it is the nest, the access, and whether moving the colony turns out to be realistic. You get the number before I touch anything, and often before I drive out at all.
Pricing
You get a quote before any work begins
Call or message me for a quote. Send a photo to (206) 817-7782 and I can usually price it without a visit.
Call or text (206) 817-7782Whether it needs doing at all
The first thing I check, and it's free to ask. If waiting out the season is right for your nest, I'll say so before you book.
How hard the nest is to reach
A colony in an open bird house is a short job. One eight feet back under a low deck takes longer.
Relocation or treatment
Moving a colony intact means working at dusk, opening the cavity, and boxing the queen and brood together. More work than treating a nest in place.
How many things you need handled
Booking several jobs together brings the rate down. Ants, spiders and carpenter bee control can ride along on the same visit.
Call or text (206) 817-7782 with a photo and your part of town. I'll tell you what it is, whether it needs to move, and what it'll cost. Same-day service is available across the Portland metro when my schedule allows.
How I actually move a bumble bee colony, and why I'd rather talk you out of it
Relocation happens at dusk, when the foragers are home and the whole colony is in one place, so nobody gets left circling an empty hole. I open enough of the cavity to reach the nest, move the queen, workers and brood into a container, seal it, and take them somewhere well away from people.
It doesn't suit every nest. A colony packed deep into a wall void or under a slab can't come out in one piece, and forcing it does the bees no favors. When relocation isn't practical, I say so up front instead of promising a rescue I can't deliver.
I'm a licensed Commercial Pesticide Operator based in West Linn, and I run this business on my own. I'd rather spend two minutes on a texted photo than sell you a visit you don't need. Bumble bees are native pollinators, the colony is already on a clock, and a lot of these calls have a better ending than my truck pulling up. The same thinking runs through my bee and beehive control work.
If it does need to move, call or text (206) 817-7782. One-time visits cover the full Portland metro. Complete Insect Protection is offered to West Linn, Lake Oswego and Oregon City clients only, with quarterly visits, preventative interior and exterior treatment, and free priority emergency visits between quarters.
Google reviews
What Portland, Oregon homeowners say after the job
5.0 from 25 Google reviews
Read them on GoogleSam came out the day after I called and had predicted the situation correctly when we chatted on the phone. He was able to get rid of the yellow jackets and even helped with an ant issue we had. Super nice and knowledgeable!
Erin Dhruva Great service, fast response!
Alex Ramberg Sam was great. He was able to come out same day and take care of the yellow jackets living in our siding. He's efficient and professional. Highly recommend!
Susan Thomsen Before calling Sam, I was told by a “professional” Pest service that the infiltrators getting through my siding were honeybees. The bees were quite visible through my window, but we’re misidentified. Fortunately, I called Sam and he corr...
Patty Rissberger I called Sam to help with a yellow jacket hive in an exterior wall of my house. He communicated quickly over text, made an appointment for the same day, arrived when he said he would, and answered all of the questions I had. He treated t...
Sarah H Sam was great. He ended up coming the same day and removing a yellow jacket nest for us. I would highly recommend him to anyone!!
Tori Phillps From start to finish Sam was professional and easy to work with, he was knowledgeable and friendly and well prepared! It was a much more enjoyable experience to work with Sam than calling a big named exterminator. Sam was honest and fair...
Tamsyn Cox Sam was great! Successful wasp removal, easy communication, quick work. Would call again if needed.
Jen P Sam was outstanding to work with! We had a huge hive return to a spot in our attic that had been previously cleared a year earlier. I called Sam on a Tuesday and he came out the next morning! He worked quickly and efficiently to remove t...
Brian Odell I called Sam and was on a job and about done for the day and I explained my situation and he went out of his way and gave me a time he would be here and he was right on time. Did a Sunday removal of a wasps nest on my front porch and onc...
Michael puderbaugh Called Sam and he answered right away. He was able to come out within a few hours and took care of a large yellow jacket nest that had been built in a fern bush next to my driveway where we walk to get into the back gate and garage. He w...
Diana Lu Sam arrived quickly, day of, to save us from an aggressive hornets nest. Sam knew exactly the hornet before even having eyes on it and was communicative and helpful. The experience was much easier than trying to deal with some others in...
Katheryn Hayward We discovered a wasp nest in a planter in our back yard yesterday (and got stung 3 times, ouch!) and called Sam this morning. He was able to come out a few hours later and eradicate the nest. He was thoughtful, knowledgeable, and just a...
Hans Nolf Sam was awesome! Our Tennant texted us late Sunday night stating her heard buzzing in the walls, and Sam was able to come take a look the next day! He is clearly very knowledgeable and gave us quite a bit of information. Extremely kind a...
Megan Delmore Sam was super friendly and worked very efficiently to remove a huge colony of yellow jackets from our soffit…..which was 16 feet off the ground! Recommend very highly, worth every penny!
Laurie Kunert Fantastic service, Timely, Professional, Friendly, Easy to work with, Great value for the price, Good communication. Bye bye yellow jackets!
Scott Klees I had an urgent need at my work location. I texted Sam at 3:30pm. He replied within the hour. We made a plan for meeting to survey and treat the situation. He was on site by 6:15 and done working by 7:00pm. 5 stars for communication, for...
Patrick Clark A+++++! We were so relieved to find Sam the Bee Man! After an unsuccessful removal by a different bee pro, we were feeling helpless until I found Sam. Not all bee experts have the skill to cut into a structure, but Sam does. He used a he...
Jennifer Stafford Professional and friendly to work with. Great communicator and very knowledgeable. Would strongly recommend for any pest control or be removal services. If you have a wasp, they also specialize in that.
Detail Maestro Sam came out the same day I contacted him, and was able to quickly find and remove a yellow jacket nest. He also was able to talk to me about options for treating ants in my backyard, offering varying levels of treatment that felt most...
Ali C I had a bee problem. I messaged Sam this morning at 8:30am. He responded by 8:46am and was at my building by 1pm. Sam is highly knowledgeable and extremely thoughtful. His approach to bee management is taking into account the safety of t...
Nadine Stanton Sam is so knowledgable and is a godsend to us for keeping the ants and spiders away in our home. His membership model is super valuable and reasonably priced and perfect for our needs. He's also just super friendly and takes his time to...
Veronica McOmie Sam's my new pest control go to man. I had a HUGE ant issue in the primary bathroom. Sam came out the same day I called. He assessed the situation, determined the entry point and provided options for getting rid of them. I have signed...
M R Sam was great. When I had a bumble bee hive in my garage, he came out the same day and was able to relocate the hive to a safer location.
ryan spooner Great experience with Sam the Bee Man! Professional and thorough. Highly recommend!
Jessica Reed
Call or Text (206) 817-7782
For the quickest response to your bee, wasp, or pest concern.
Common questions
Bumble Bee removal questions I get asked most around Portland, Oregon
Do bumble bee nests go away on their own?
Yes. A bumble bee colony lives one season. It starts with a single queen in spring, builds through summer, raises new queens, and dies off in fall. That nest doesn't get reused. If yours isn't in anybody's way, waiting is a real option, and by October there's nothing left.
What are the bees flying in and out of a hole in my lawn?
Often yellow jackets rather than bumble bees, which is a bigger deal. Bumble Bees fly slow and heavy, a few a minute. Yellow Jackets are slim, glossy and fast, and traffic gets heavier all summer. Take a photo from ten feet back and text it to (206) 817-7782 before you go near that hole.
How do I get rid of a bumble bee nest under my deck?
If it's under a deck you use, it should move. Dusk is best, when the whole colony is home. I open enough of the space to reach the nest, box the queen, workers and brood together, and relocate them away from people. Don't plug the gap in the meantime.
Do bumble bees sting?
They do, and unlike a honey bee, a bumble bee can sting more than once. Away from the nest they're about as mellow as an insect gets, and you can garden next to one all afternoon. The nest entrance is different. Crowd it or mow over it and they'll defend it.
How much does bumble bee removal cost in Portland?
Call or message me for a quote. The price depends on where the nest is and whether moving the colony turns out to be realistic. A nest in an open bird house is quick. One deep under a low deck takes longer. Text a photo to (206) 817-7782 for a quote.
Will the bumble bees come back to the same nest next year?
Not that colony. The workers and the old queen die off in fall, and only the new queens survive, hibernating somewhere else. A different queen could take the same cavity next spring, so if the spot was a problem, fall is the time to screen it off.
Can a bumble bee nest be relocated instead of killed?
Sometimes, and it depends almost entirely on where the nest is. Bumble bees are native pollinators and I'd much rather move a colony than end it, so I look at that first on every call. A nest in an open birdhouse or a shallow accessible spot is a good candidate. One packed deep into a wall void or under a slab can't come out intact, and in that case a treatment is what actually happens. I'll tell you which yours is rather than promise a rescue that won't work.
When are bumble bees most active in Oregon?
May through August. Queens emerge in late winter and spend weeks looking for a nest site, the colony builds through spring, and activity peaks in mid to late summer. September is the wind-down. Heavy traffic in July is normal, and it's also when yellow jackets get mistaken for bumble bees.
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