Spotted bees on a fence, in a tree, or around the house in Nottingham or Derby?
Send a photo on WhatsApp to 07845 755733. I will tell you whether they are honey bees or wasps, and what happens next.
I am Lukasz from Buzzy Honey Bee — a Nottingham beekeeper and a registered swarm collector with the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA). Honey bee swarms are collected free of charge. They go into a spare hive in my apiary. They are not sprayed and they are not destroyed.
Call or send a photo
The fastest way is a photo or a short video.
Tell me:
- where the bees are (tree, fence, hedge, roof, wall)
- roughly how high
- whether they are hanging in a cluster or flying in and out of a hole
If it is a honey bee swarm, the visit stays free.
If it is wasps, I will give you a price before I set off. Details are on my wasp nest removal in Nottingham page.
Swarm or nest — which one do you have?
This is the difference that matters.
A swarm is a hanging cluster of honey bees — often the size of a rugby ball — on a branch, fence, hedge, wall or under the eaves. The bees are looking for a new home. They are usually calm. This is the job I collect for free.
An established nest is a colony already living inside a chimney, roof void, soffit or wall. Bees fly in and out of the same hole all day. That is a bigger job than a swarm. Send photos first. I will tell you honestly whether I can help, what it involves, or what the next step should be. I do not pretend every colony in a building is a five-minute free collection.
If you are not sure, still send the photo. Guessing from the ground is how people call pest control for a harmless swarm — or leave a real nest in a wall.
Free honey bee swarm collection
If the cluster is honey bees and I can reach it safely:
- no call-out fee
- no charge for the collection
- bees relocated live into one of my hives
- you get the garden or driveway back
I cover Nottingham, the suburbs and a sensible radius into Nottinghamshire, with nearby Derbyshire when I can get there in time. A swarm does not wait. The sooner you message, the easier it is to take them before they move into a roof or cavity.
More detail on what a swarm is and how the collection works is here: free bee swarm removal in Nottingham.
Bees in a roof, chimney or wall
If bees have already moved into the building, do not block the hole and do not spray.
Blocking the entrance traps the colony inside. Honey and comb stay in the void, then melt, leak and attract other pests.
Message me with photos of the flight path and the entrance. I will say clearly:
- whether it still looks like honey bees
- whether a live removal is realistic from that spot
- whether this is outside what I do as a local beekeeper
I collect swarms. I do not sell “thermal imaging and building works” as a packaged pest-control job. Honesty first — then a plan.
Honey bees vs wasps
| Honey bees | Wasps | |
|---|---|---|
| Look | Fuzzy, brown-orange and black | Smooth, bright yellow and black |
| Typical sight | Hanging cluster | Paper nest, or traffic in and out of a hole |
| My service | Free swarm collection | Paid nest removal, quoted after photos |
A hanging, rugby-ball cluster is almost always honey bees.
Angry insects around a small grey nest under a soffit are usually wasps.
I still collect honey bee swarms for free. Wasp nests are a separate, paid service. I treat the entrance or remove the nest, quoted after photos. If you want the reason they get worse in late summer: Why wasps sting more in late summer.
Areas covered
Based in Nottingham. Typical calls:
Nottingham city and suburbs — Beeston, Wollaton, West Bridgford, Mapperley, Arnold, Clifton, Long Eaton
Villages I already work around — Woodborough, Bingham, Whatton, Wysall, Strelley, Oakwood
Nearby Derby and the Nottinghamshire / Derbyshire border when the job and the drive make sense
If you are further out, still send the photo. I will say yes or point you to a closer beekeeper rather than waste your time.
How the visit works
- You send photos or a short video.
- I confirm honey bees, wasps or something else.
- For a swarm: I agree a time and come to collect it. No fee.
- For wasps: I give a price, then we book.
- Bees go into a hive. You do not pay to “have them taken away”.
I am insured for this work. I do not ask you to knock the cluster down or cover it with a sheet.
Why a beekeeper, not pest control
Pest control pages often rank first because they are written as emergency services. That does not mean spraying is the right answer for honey bees.
A swarm is not an infestation. It is a colony looking for a home. Killing it is unnecessary. Leaving comb and honey in a wall after a spray creates a second problem a few weeks later.
I am a local beekeeper first. The free swarm service is how those bees stay in Nottinghamshire instead of ending up in a bin.
FAQ
Is honey bee swarm removal in Nottingham really free?
Yes. If it is a reachable honey bee swarm, there is no call-out fee and no collection fee.
What if it turns out to be wasps?
I quote before I travel. If it is honey bees after all, the visit stays free.
Do you remove bees from chimneys and walls?
Not every job. Send photos. I will tell you what is possible instead of promising a full structural cut-out I cannot do.
How fast can you come?
Same day is often possible in season if I am not already on another swarm. Message early. Swarms move.
Are you insured?
Yes. I collect as a BBKA-registered swarm remover.
Do I need to stay at home?
For a swarm in the garden, often no — as long as I can get to it. I will confirm when we speak.
Book honey bee removal in Nottingham
WhatsApp is quickest. A photo answers more than a long description.
07845 755733
Honey bee swarm: free collection.
Wasps: wasp nest removal Nottingham.
Shop and support the apiary: buzzyhoneybee.co.uk.