What bumble bee nest removal costs
The cheapest option is usually to wait: a bumble bee nest dies out by itself. When one is in the way, here is what the published figures show.
Checked
The only published per-nest price for bumble bees we found in New Zealand is from a Wellington and Manawatū pest controller, which lists $140 including GST per bumble bee nest, whether it is relocated or destroyed. No Auckland business we found publishes a bumble bee nest price; they quote on request. Beekeepers generally don't collect bumble bee nests, so free collection is unusual. The free option is time: the NZ Bumblebee Conservation Trust says a nest lasts about two to three months and then dies out.
| Option | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Leave the nest until it dies out | Free | Usually two to three months |
| Relocate the nest | $140 incl. GST (Wellington firm) | Moved nests don't always survive |
| Destroy the nest | $140 incl. GST (same firm) | Done in the evening, as the label directs |
| Bumble bees in a wall void | Quoted on sight | Small, seasonal; may not need opening |
| Honey bees mistaken for bumble bees | From $210 (one Auckland business, wall cavity) | A different job; see walls and roofs |
Prices checked 5 November 2026. A guide only; your own price is set in writing after the nest is seen.
The free option: wait
A bumble bee nest is a one-season home. The bees are gentle, do no damage to buildings and are valuable pollinators. If a nest is away from doors, paths and play areas, waiting costs nothing. See bumble bee nest in the lawn and bumble bees under decks and compost for how to live with one.
When paying makes sense
- The nest is at a door, step or path used every day.
- It is in a children's play area.
- Someone in the household has a serious sting allergy. See stings.
- A dog keeps digging at it.
What changes the price
- Access: a nest in a bin or bird box is quick; one under a deck may need boards lifted.
- Relocate or destroy: relocation takes more care and may not succeed. See moving a bumble bee nest.
- Timing: work is done at dusk, when the bees are home.
- Travel: rural and island addresses.
- Several nests: some firms price per nest.
Check it is bumble bees first
A colony of honey bees in a wall, or a wasp nest in the ground, is a very different job with a different price. Big furry bees coming and going one at a time are bumble bees; a busy stream of small brown bees is honey bees; shiny yellow-and-black insects are wasps. See bee or wasp?.
Before you price a job, the front page on getting bees removed in Auckland helps you name the kind of bees you have.
Quick answers
Will a beekeeper take my bumble bee nest for free?
Most beekeepers keep honey bees and don't collect bumble bees.
Is it cheaper to destroy than relocate?
Often similar in price, as the published Wellington figure shows. Relocation has the better outcome for the bees when it works.
What does it cost if I just wait?
Nothing. The nest will die out by itself, usually within a few months.