A slow drip of honey inside a Tennessee home is causing a disaster that could also be costly for one family.
The bees are gone, but they left behind a sticky situation that will take more than detergent to get rid of.
David Glover is known to many as the "Bartlett Bee Whisperer."
He’s rescued honey bees from Fayette County homes since 2009.
The Master Beekeeper inspected a home in Somerville that has a serious honey bee problem.
“When bees move into homes, there’s a lot of things people can do,” Glover said.
“One, they can coexist as long as the bees are high enough up that they’re not flying into people.”
The family didn’t want to be identified, but told FOX13 Memphis the honey bees started to live inside the living room wall two years ago.
Three months ago, the family noticed honey leaking from the ceiling and the fireplace wall.
“Once the leaking happens and you see it, there is leaking in insulation. There’s leaking in the ceiling. Sheetrock is moist now and wet,” Glover said. “Things are going to start falling.”
Glover said bees no longer lived inside this home, but the honey they left behind can attract unwanted critters.
“Ants, roaches, mice will come in and try to eat as much as they can. Eventually wax moths will come in and chew up everything,” Glover said.
The honey bees could have come inside the home through several cracks, and Glover said the best way to prevent this from happening is to caulk up the gaps. This home had gone long without treatment, Glover said.
“You have to have a contractor, somebody that knows how to do sheet rock to come back and fix it,” Glover said.
Glover said it’s best to get rid of the beehive when the bees are still alive.
Homeowners who experience honey bee problems can reach out to the Tennessee Beekeepers Association to find a beekeeper in their area.
About the Author
