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How to Exterminate Underground Beehives

Bees can be very aggressive and people who are allergic to them can become very ill if stung. Bees will protect their underground hive from perceived threats and will attack humans and domestic animals that approach too close. An underground hive in your garden will therefore create a dangerous situation. Always be cautious around bees, particularly if you are attempting to interfere with their hive. Although many companies offer extermination services, you can exterminate an underground beehive yourself.

Things You'll Need

Face cloth or similar piece of material
Wheelbarrow with soft, fine soil
Spade
Insect proof mesh
A number of large stones
An assistant
Powerful torch
Insecticide spray

Instructions

- 1
  Observe the bees during the daylight hours. Pay particular attention to the number of entrances the hive has. Get an understanding of how large the colony is by watching the number of bees that return and leave the underground hive.
- 2
  Place a wheelbarrow filled with soft, fine soil near the underground hive. Place a spade, an insect proof piece of mesh and a number of large stones next to the wheelbarrow.
- 3
  Wait until after sunset, as bees are not active during the hours of darkness. All bees would have returned to the underground nest after sunset.
- 4
  Request that an assistant shine a powerful torch on the area where you are working.
- 5
  Lay an insect proof piece of mesh over the main entrance and weigh down the sides with large stones.
- 6
  Quickly place an old face cloth or similar piece of material into the second entrance, if two exist. Push the towel down into the entrance and then fill the entrance up with soil. Pack the soil down with the back of the spade.
- 7
  Return to the main entrance and discharge the insecticide spray through the insect proof mesh and into the hive.
- 8
  Cover the mesh with the remainder of the soil. Leave the mesh in place, under the soil.
- 9
  Scrape away the soil over the main entrance the following day. Do not remove the mesh yet, but listen for any activity.
- 10
  If bees can be heard or seen against the mesh, spray into the hive once again and cover the mesh with soil.
- 11
  Examine the hive the following day. If you can neither see nor hear any bees, remove the mesh and fill the entrance with soil. Compact the soil with the back of the spade.

Insects & Science