Found Bees?

A hanging cluster of bees

This is probably a honey bee swarm. Swarms are usually calm, so call or text us.

A swarm is a colony on the move. The bees gather around their queen on a branch, fence, or wall while scouts search for a new home. They’re full of honey and focused on staying together. Please don’t spray or disturb them; give them space while you get in touch.

We collect honey bee swarms for free in Eugene and Springfield. Text a photo taken from a safe distance and your approximate location.

Call or Text (541) 854-0358

Bees going in and out of a wall, roof, or chimney

This is likely an established honey bee colony, which needs a specialist.

Once a colony has built comb inside a structure, removal usually means opening it up, taking out the bees and comb, and cleaning up the honey and wax so new bees aren’t drawn back later. Plan Bees doesn’t do these removals, but the Lane County Beekeepers Association keeps a list of beekeepers who do.

Yellowjackets nest in walls too. If the insects are smooth, shiny, and bright yellow and black, see papery nests and wasps below.

Fuzzy bees using a hole in the ground or a birdhouse

This is probably a bumblebee nest. It’s temporary, and the bees are usually gentle.

Bumblebees often nest in old rodent burrows, thick grass, or sheltered spots such as bird boxes. Their colonies last a single season: only the new queens survive the winter, and the old nest isn’t reused. When a nest finishes varies with the species and conditions.

Bumblebees rarely sting unless their nest is threatened or they’re handled. Where people can safely give them space, leaving the nest alone is often the best choice. If that isn’t possible, contact us to talk through your options.

Meet our local bumblebees

Many small bees over bare soil or lawn in spring

These are likely mining bees or other ground-nesting bees. They’re gentle, and they’ll be gone within weeks.

Each female digs her own tunnel, so a patch of ground may be dotted with small holes, each in the middle of a little cone of soil. Hundreds of nests can share one sunny patch, but every bee is working on her own. Many of these species fly for only about six to eight weeks in spring.

Ground-nesting bees aren’t aggressive, and the males, often the ones patrolling the nest site, have no stinger at all. They pollinate early flowers and fruit trees, so they’re good neighbors to have. If you see a single hole with a steady stream of wasps instead, read the next section.

Explore native bees

A papery nest, or wasps at your picnic

These are wasps, most likely yellowjackets or paper wasps.

Wasps build their nests from chewed wood fibers, which gives them a papery look. Keep children and pets away from a nest, and don’t approach it just to identify the species. Around food, cover sweet drinks and move calmly; swatting can turn an unwanted visitor into a sting.

Read our yellowjacket guide