Tree-Bound Beehive Removal

Specialist Service

Old Trees, Hidden Hives — We Handle Both

Mature trees with hollows, splits or structural decay are exactly where European honeybees love to nest. So when you find a colony in a tree that needs work — pruning, removal or storm clean-up — most arborists hit a wall. Work stops, you get quoted twice (a pest controller plus the arborist), and the bees usually end up sprayed and killed.

We do it differently. Henry founded Backyard Honey, one of Melbourne's most established beekeeping operations, and brings over a decade of hive management expertise to every job. One team, one quote, one visit — bees safely relocated to a registered apiary, tree work completed properly.

Why It Matters

Why Bees Love Old Trees

European honeybees evolved to nest in tree cavities — hollows in mature elms, oaks, gums and other established species are their natural home. In Melbourne's leafy east, with its dense canopy of century-old trees, finding a colony inside an old tree is far more common than people realise.

Common warning signs that bees have moved into your tree:

• Steady stream of bees flying in and out of a single hole or split in the trunk
• Audible buzzing from inside the tree, particularly in the warmer months
• Honey or wax dripping from a cavity or visible at the base
• Significantly more bees in your garden than usual, particularly clustered around one tree

How We Handle a Combined Tree + Hive Job

Every job is different, but the typical workflow looks like this:

1. Site Visit and Assessment

Henry attends in person to assess both the tree and the colony. We identify the entrance points, estimate colony size, and discuss your options for the tree itself — whether that's pruning, removal, or simply living with the colony in place.

2. Hive Relocation

If the colony needs to be moved, we use one of two techniques depending on the situation. Live trapping is non-invasive and works well for established colonies in accessible cavities — the bees walk into a one-way door over several weeks, ending up in a new hive box ready for relocation. For urgent jobs we use cut-out techniques, carefully opening the tree cavity and physically transferring the brood comb and queen to a new hive.

3. Tree Work

Once the colony is safely relocated to a registered apiary, we complete the planned tree work — whether that's careful pruning around the cavity, full removal, or structural support if you want to preserve the tree.

4. Aftercare

Sometimes a few "scout bees" return looking for the colony. We provide a follow-up if needed to make sure the situation is fully resolved.

Areas We Service

We provide tree-bound beehive removal across Melbourne's leafy east, including Hawthorn, Kew, Camberwell, Canterbury, Balwyn, Malvern, Toorak, Doncaster and Templestowe. The older the suburb's tree stock, the more frequently we're called — Boroondara and Stonnington heritage areas in particular.