Cutouts & Swarm Removal
We are only a beekeeping equipment supplier, but we do have the means to quickly notify our customers of any swarms or cutouts that you need taken care of. You just have to send us an email with your contact information and where the bees are located, and we will send out an email alert to our customers located in the area that you provided.
Please make sure that they are honey bees. Some would rather not deal with hornets or wasps, but that doesn't mean that someone might be willing to help you out.
Check out this chart if your not sure and confirm you do have honey bees.
Bees
Beekeepers prefer only honey bees, so please try to identify the bees first before reporting them. Beekeepers want to save the honey bees, but don't care so much for other varieties. Some beekeepers will help out with wasps, hornets, etc but possibly at a price. At times beekeepers will not be interested so you will then have to hire an exterminator, or look after it yourself.
Do Nots
NEVER apply chemicals, or hose honey bees down with water. Honey bees in most cases are naturally calm. This is not saying there can't be aggressive bees, so if this is the case, stay away until a beekeeper can assess the situation. If you do apply anything to bees before the beekeeper arrives, most beekeepers will just leave because you have aggitated the bees, and possibly destroyed the bees for a successful removal.
Cutouts
Note that in some case such as cutouts, beekeepers will charge for their time, travel and/or services depending on the type of recovery required. Don't be surprised if you are quoted anywhere from $150-$750 for a removal depending on the difficulty of the job. Some removals can take a long time to do a proper job. Beekeepers are not carpenters, but they will do their best to do a recovery without causing too much damage, and they do not in most cases make the repairs. This is up to you to do it yourself, or hire a professional.
Swarms
If you have a swarm, there is no need to panic. Swarms are when the bees are at their calmest generally because they have nothing to protect and are in search of a new home. But it is still advised to avoid the swarm and let the beekeeper assess their temperment. Beekeepers may also charge a fee for a removal but generally most beekeepers will do it for free and find the swarm a new home.
Fees
Depending on the beekeeper, prices can vary. And if your lucky, you might get a freebee. You should always sit and talk with the beekeeper before anything is done. Negotiate a fee, be aware of the possible size of the job, and that additional charges might have to be added do to unforseen issues. Beekeepers can't exactly see through walls and tell where the hive starts and stops, so there is always the chance of the job being bigger than expected.
Hazards
Note that there will always be the possibility the someone could be stung during a removal. Beekeepers DO NOT carry epipens to be used on others with allergies. This would possibly run a beekeepers into legal action providing medical treatment improperly. If there is a need for help at any time, always call 911 and let the professionals deal with any medical problems.
Reporting and Notification
If you would like to report a swarm or cutout removal, please send us an email at sales@valleybeekeeping.com or call 613-281-1049 and let us know your contact info, and the location of the bees. We will then do our best to send out a swarm alert to our customers by text, email and Facebook, and once someone replies, we will provide them with your contact info so that they can contact you.