No-kill bee rescue & live bee removal · Berwick & South East Melbourne
Found a swarm? We’ll save it, not kill it — live bee removal across Melbourne’s south east
BeesFriend is a no-kill bee removal Melbourne service — we relocate honeybees alive from homes and gardens across Berwick and the south-eastern suburbs, so a colony that’s in the way doesn’t have to die.
When bees turn up where they’re not wanted, they’re usually killed. Almost every time, they could have been saved instead.
Found bees? Here’s what to do
First, don’t panic — and please don’t spray them. Bees away from their hive are usually calm, and spraying rarely solves the problem; it just makes them harder to save. Keep children and pets back, give the bees room, and get in touch with a photo and your location. If it’s urgent, calling or texting is the fastest way to reach us.
A swarm
A clump of bees hanging on a branch, fence or wall, sometimes the size of a football — like the photo here. They’ve left an old hive with their queen and are resting while scouts look for a new home. Swarms are usually gentle and the simplest to collect, often within a day. Curious why bees swarm in the first place?
An established colony
Bees coming and going from a wall cavity, roof or tree, often for weeks or months. Removing them alive is more involved — a careful cut-out to reach the comb and the queen — but the colony is relocated, never exterminated.
How a rescue works
- You get in touch with a photo of the bees and where they are.
- We work out what you’ve got — a swarm or an established colony — and what access is needed.
- We collect the bees alive, queen and all, with as little disturbance as possible.
- We relocate them to one of our apiaries around Melbourne.
- They settle, recover, and go back to doing what they do best.
An accessible swarm starts at $250 — a similar price to what a pest controller charges to exterminate them, except here the bees live. Harder-to-reach swarms (high up, awkward access, or bees already building comb) take more time, so I’ll confirm the price with you first, usually from a photo — no surprises either way. Established colonies in walls or roofs (cut-outs) are quoted per job. Every colony we rescue is supported by our raw honey from rescued hives — so buying a jar helps fund the next rescue.
Cut-outs: what to know first
When bees are established inside a wall or roof, reaching them means opening up the structure — so there are a few honest things to know before I come out:
- I remove the bees and comb — not repairs. I don’t reinstate or repair the structure afterwards. You’ll need your own builder or tradesperson to close up and repair the opening once the bees are out.
- Asbestos. Many older homes contain asbestos in walls, eaves and cladding. I can’t and won’t cut into any material that may contain asbestos. If a hive is behind asbestos, it must be made safe by a licensed asbestos removalist (at the property owner’s cost) before I can reach the bees.
- Pipes and wiring. For safety, I won’t cut where there’s a risk to plumbing or electrical conduits without safe, known access. Sometimes a tradesperson is needed to open up safely first.
The most helpful thing you can do is send a photo when you get in touch, along with where the bees are, how long they’ve been there, and how easy they are to reach. That lets me tell you what’s involved and give you an honest quote before anyone commits.
Six years, none killed
170
colonies
16
locations
0
killed, ever
Bee removal Melbourne — from Berwick across the south east
We’re based in Berwick and cover the surrounding South East Melbourne suburbs, usually within about 8 km. That includes Narre Warren, Narre Warren North and South, Beaconsfield and Beaconsfield Upper, Officer, Harkaway, Clyde and Clyde North, Cranbourne and Cranbourne North, Hampton Park, Hallam, Endeavour Hills and Eumemmerring. So if you’ve been searching for live bee removal, swarm removal or a bee rescue near you in Melbourne’s south east, you’re in the right place.
If you’re a little outside this area, get in touch anyway — as local beekeepers we’ll either help or point you to a trusted beekeeper nearby who can. Whether it’s a swarm on the fence, bees in a wall, or a colony in the roof, we treat every call the same way: get the bees out alive and give them a home.
Bee removal questions, answered
Do you kill the bees?
No — every rescue is a live relocation. We collect the colony, queen and all, and move them to one of our apiaries around Melbourne, where they settle and carry on. In six years we’ve rescued 170 colonies and killed none.
How much does live bee removal cost?
An accessible swarm starts at $250 — about what a pest controller charges to exterminate them, except here the bees live. Harder-to-reach swarms and cut-outs (bees inside a wall or roof) take more time and are quoted per job. Send a photo and I’ll give you an honest price first.
Which suburbs do you cover?
Berwick and the South East Melbourne suburbs around it — Narre Warren, Beaconsfield, Officer, Harkaway, Clyde, Cranbourne, Hampton Park, Hallam, Endeavour Hills and nearby. A little further out? Ask anyway and we’ll help or refer you to a trusted local beekeeper.
Can you remove bees from a wall or roof?
Yes — that’s a cut-out. Reaching an established colony means opening up the structure to get to the comb and queen. I remove the bees and comb but don’t repair the opening afterwards, and I won’t cut into anything that may contain asbestos or risk pipes and wiring without safe access. A photo helps me tell you exactly what’s involved.
What should I do while I wait?
Don’t spray them. Keep children and pets back, give the bees space, and send a photo with your location. Swarms are usually calm and can often be collected within a day.
Found bees? Let’s save them.
Live bee removal and swarm rescue around Berwick and South East Melbourne — from $250, none killed.