Bees - Ask Extension
We have an old gas fireplace vent space on the back of our house. There seems to be a beehive in it based on all of the activity. What is the best way...
Knowledgebase
Bees #939536
Asked July 16, 2026, 8:01 PM EDT
We have an old gas fireplace vent space on the back of our house. There seems to be a beehive in it based on all of the activity. What is the best way to handle it? Are the beekeepers who maybe able to get in and move it, which may mean dismantling the old structure?
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Expert Response
Feral honey bees may be one possibility, as can some types of social wasps (certain yellowjackets or possibly European hornets, as both nest in tree cavities or occasionally wall voids). Some members of the Maryland State Beekeepers Association can remove unwanted honey bee (and more rarely, wasp) nests, but they generally do not do any structural dismantling to access them, as that adds liability and requires another skill set. You can view the linked list and ask around, though, in case they have a suggestion aside from a professional pest control company. If they are wasps, the nest will empty by winter and not be re-used. Honey bees, however, do continue to use a nest for multiple years.
Miri
Miri
