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How Honey Bee Swarms Choose a New Home (And Why Your BBQ Grill Could Be "The One")
- Pete Rizzo
- May 9
- 8 min read
Updated: May 13
Why Bees Think Your BBQ Grill, Birdhouse, or Backyard Furniture Is the Perfect New Hive Location (and How to Stop Them)
As an urban beekeeper with years of experience safely relocating honey bee swarms right here in Las Vegas, I'm constantly amazed by the ingenious, sometimes baffling, places these wild colonies decide to settle down.
I've coaxed bees out of everything from block walls and attic vents to pool equipment boxes and, yes, even unused BBQ grills.
It might seem random, but a swarming honey bee colony's choice of a new home is the result of a complex, fascinating process of scouting and democratic decision-making.
They're not looking for the best brisket smell; they're evaluating potential cavities based on very specific criteria. If your backyard happens to offer a space that ticks their boxes, they just might move in.
Below, I'll break down the science behind how honey bees pick a new place to live, share some true stories from my Vegas removals, and most importantly, provide practical tips to help keep your yard and summer gatherings free of unexpected bee tenants.
Swarming: Nature's Way Bees Multiply
First, a quick primer: Swarming is how honey bee colonies reproduce. When a hive gets crowded, typically in spring as populations boom (which happens early here in Vegas!), the bees raise new queens.
Before the first new queen emerges, the old queen leaves the hive with about half the worker bees. This group clusters temporarily nearby – often on a tree branch, fence post, or wall – while scout bees search for a permanent new home.
The Scout's Checklist: What Makes a Perfect Hive Site?
While clustered, dozens, or even hundreds, of experienced scout bees fly out, sometimes traveling miles, to explore potential cavities. These dedicated scouts are evaluating sites like tiny, flying real estate agents, checking for specific features crucial for the colony's survival.
They return to the hanging swarm cluster and "dance" on its surface to communicate the location and quality of promising sites. Through this incredible process of collective intelligence and consensus-building, the swarm eventually agrees on the single best location before flying off to occupy it.
Based on decades of research and my own observations in countless removals, here's what scout bees prioritize in a potential home:
Just the Right Size: Honey bees show a strong preference for cavities with an internal volume of around 40 liters (about 10 gallons). Think of a standard 10-frame Langstroth hive box – that's roughly 40L. This size offers enough space for brood rearing, honey stores for winter, and good insulation, without being so large that it's hard to heat or defend. Too small, and they'll just have to swarm again soon; too large, and they risk not having enough bees to manage the space..
A Defensible Entrance: Bees prefer a single, relatively small entrance, ideally around 10 to 15 square centimeters in area. This is roughly the size of a soda can opening or a slot about 1 cm wide and 10-15 cm long. A small opening can be easily guarded by a few bees against pests and predators, offering security that a large, open crack or gap doesn't provide. Once they move in, bees may even use propolis (plant resin "glue") to shrink or smooth the entrance further.
Elevated and Sheltered: Scout bees favor cavities located several feet or more off the ground. A higher location offers better defense, helps avoid ground-level predators, and provides protection from standing water. Sites with some overhead cover, like under a roof overhang or a thick tree canopy, are also preferred for shelter from rain and direct sun (especially brutal here in the Vegas heat). Hives I've removed from highly exposed locations, like flat, unsheltered roofs, are often smaller or struggle more than those in better-protected spots.
Dry, Dark, and Secure: A good hive site needs to be dry to protect the wax comb and developing brood from mold and collapse. Darkness helps stimulate wax production, as bees build more comb in unlit spaces. A structurally sound cavity provides necessary protection from the elements and predators. Even if a spot isn't perfectly sealed, bees can use propolis to weatherproof and secure it, but they start by looking for a solid home.
The Scent of Home: Scout bees are attracted to the residual scents of beeswax, propolis, or even just the faint odor of past bee presence in a cavity. Finding these scents signals that the site has successfully housed a colony before, suggesting it's a viable and proven location. This is why empty, old hive equipment can attract swarms – it smells like home!
These criteria aren't arbitrary; they are the result of millennia of evolution, guiding bees to choose sites that maximize the colony's chances of survival, especially through winter (even our mild Vegas winters require honey stores!).
Once a quorum of scout bees agree on the same site and the colony reaches a certain level of excitement, the swarm lifts off in a spectacular cloud to occupy their new home.
So, Why the Weird Places? (Grills, Tires, and More!)
Given that sophisticated checklist, why on earth do we find bees in seemingly bizarre places like grills or irrigation boxes? Because many common objects in our urban landscape accidentally mimic several of these key features! They offer a dark, enclosed void, a potential opening, and some degree of shelter.
Here are some of the surprising spots where I've performed bee removals in the Las Vegas Valley, and how they often meet the bees' criteria:
BBQ Grills & Smokers: This classic oddity is surprisingly common. An unused grill provides a large, dark internal cavity (checking the "volume" box). A closed lid offers overhead protection and darkness. Even small gaps or the main opening can serve as a plausible entrance. And while scout bees aren't prioritizing food smells for nesting, any lingering aromas don't seem to be a deterrent if other criteria are met. I've opened numerous grills to find comb already built right under the lid – one time, removing a thriving colony from a charcoal grill, the comb was literally dripping honey!
Water & Irrigation Meter Boxes: These metal or plastic boxes set into the ground are a common spot here. They are enclosed, dark, and offer an entrance hole (often the lid or a side opening). While sometimes damp (contradicting one preference), the security, darkness, and manageable entrance size in a location free from direct disturbance can make them attractive, especially if other ideal sites are scarce. You often see bees entering and exiting through a small opening on the lid.
Yard Bins & Composters: An old trash bin, recycling bin, or compost tumbler, particularly if covered, can provide a dark, enclosed void. If there's a lid slightly ajar or a vent hole, it acts as an entrance. While food smells aren't the primary draw for nesting, they add to the general sensory landscape. I've literally lifted trash bin lids to find a colony clustered inside!
Stored Furniture & Patio Items: Discarded couches, hollow-legged chairs, old cabinets left outside, even rolled-up tarps or grill covers can offer voids. They are often dark, undisturbed, and sheltered from above. I once cut open a weathered outdoor armchair to reveal multiple combs built inside the frame under the cushions – a perfectly dry, dark, and sheltered space from a bee's perspective.
Wall Voids, Sheds, & Outbuildings: Any gap in siding, an open vent, an old shed with a hole – these mimic natural tree cavities. They offer dryness, darkness, protection, and usually an elevated entrance. These are classic hive locations, and I get frequent calls for removals from house walls and backyard sheds.
Birdhouses & Vents: A birdhouse is basically a ready-made small cavity, often elevated, dark, and with a perfect entrance hole size. Roof vents, attic spaces, and chimney caps can also fit the bill, offering high, sheltered, and dark locations.
Essentially, if you have an undisturbed, dark, somewhat enclosed space with an opening roughly the size a few bees can guard, you've inadvertently created something that looks a bit like prime bee real estate.
In an urban environment like Las Vegas, where natural tree cavities might be limited, bees adapt and utilize what's available.
Practical Tips: Keeping Your Yard Bee-Free This Swarm Season
Now for the important part – what can you do? The best approach is prevention. By understanding what bees look for, you can make your yard less attractive as a potential hive site, especially during peak swarm season (typically March through June in Southern Nevada).
Here are some actionable steps:
Seal Entry Points: Walk around your house, sheds, and outbuildings. Look for any gaps, cracks, or holes larger than about half an inch (roughly the size of a large marble or a soda can opening). Pay close attention to soffits, fascia boards, vents, and where pipes or wires enter the building. Seal these potential entry points with caulk, screens, or appropriate building materials. This prevents bees from accessing wall voids or attics.
Cover and Store Items Properly: If you have unused BBQ grills, smokers, furniture, or bins sitting out, cover them tightly or store them in a garage or shed. If they must remain outside, ensure lids are securely closed and any potential openings are blocked or screened off.
Check Irrigation/Meter Boxes: Regularly inspect these boxes for any bee activity, especially in spring. Ensure the lids are properly seated. While you can't easily seal the inside, early detection is key.
Address Voids in Trees: If you have older trees with hollows or large knots, consider filling these voids or covering the openings, particularly if they are elevated and sheltered.
Clean Up Attractants (Minimally Effective for Nesting, but Good Practice): While not the main driver for nesting location, keeping garbage bins clean and securely lidded reduces general interest from foraging bees and other insects.
Be Aware of Scents (Limited Control): While you can't change natural scents, avoid leaving out old hive equipment or materials that might carry strong beeswax or propolis odors unless you intend to attract a swarm (like a bait box).
Know the Signs of Swarming: If you see a large cluster of bees hanging relatively exposed on a branch or structure, it's likely a temporary swarm cluster. They are usually docile at this stage because they have no home or brood to defend. They are actively searching for a permanent home. This is the ideal time to call a local beekeeper for safe removal before they move into a wall or other hard-to-reach spot.
Do NOT Spray Bees: Never spray a swarm or established colony with pesticides or even water. This is harmful to bees, and a cruel and terrible way to treat them. This is often ineffective at eliminating the colony, and can create a toxic mess that attracts pests later. More importantly, it's dangerous if you don't know what you're doing, and it prevents safe relocation.
Finding bees in your yard can be alarming, but understanding their behavior helps. They aren't aggressive when swarming – they are homeless and looking for shelter. By taking simple preventative steps and knowing when to call a professional beekeeper (who can often safely relocate the bees rather than exterminate them), you can enjoy your Las Vegas yard swarm-free!
Betsy and Pete
Las Vegas, Nevada
About Us: The Authors
We're Betsy and Pete, passionate Las Vegas beekeepers trained by a master in the field. With hundreds of successful bee and bee swarm removals under our belts, we're not just experts; we're enthusiasts committed to the well-being of these incredible pollinators.
We manage dozens of beehives, both natural and honey-bearing at our Joshua Tree Preserve.
Our Commitment to Excellence
Education is an ongoing journey, especially in a dynamic field such as beekeeping. That's why we continually update our knowledge base, collaborate with other experts, and stay up to date with the latest advancements in bee control methods and beekeeping practices.
We also provide top-tier beekeeping supplies, offering everything a beekeeper needs, from beginners to experts.
