Richmond, VA - Rob Wokaty

by Rob Wokaty

(1105 Adkins Road, Richmond, VA)

phone: 804-447-7384
email: rwokaty@gmail.com


see my video at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=275wJgj_rlA


I have been a beekeeper for over 12 years, and have been doing bee extractions from homes for over 5 years.

I am very interested in preserving feral hives - those that have taken up residence in trees or homes. I have removed bees from many homes in the Richmond area, as well as removal of swarms and established hives in downed trees - providing safety for tree removal companies.

The bees are then re-homed in hives under care, and managed and bred to retain these "survivor" genes. I use no pesticides or chemicals in my hives, and prefer to allow the bees to reproduce as naturally as possible.

I also maintain an observation hive which I take to schools to educate students about the importance of bees, and their lifecycle.

Finally, I am an accomplished remodeler and furniture maker, so my clients have been thrilled that I am able to restore their home to original condition, with specific measures taken to prevent a re-infestation of a hive.

The following video was a 2011 hive extraction that I recorded. I am the "star" of the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=275wJgj_rlA

One thing that customers want to know is how much it will cost.

For a swarm capture, it's free. I actually use a special bee vacuum that I built for swarms just to ensure I can capture as much of the hive as possible. For a home extraction, the price can vary anywhere from $250 to $600 depending on the situation and location.

A home extraction can take several hours. I cover everything in plastic, seal off the location from the rest of the home, and remove all bees before cleanup. I also treat the location to prevent a re-infestation. Much of the process can be seen in my video. The cost may seem high, but the alternative can be horrible.

In a recent extraction, someone sprayed insect killer at the outside entrance of the hive, which forced the bees to find another way out. That happened to be through a gap in the baseboard of the second floor, which filled the house with bees.

In another situation, chemicals were used and the bees died, but the honey remained. Beetle larva started eating the hive, rotting the honey, and the house smelled like a brewery, attracting a host of other insects. Live removal is the best way to take care of this situation. You also want a beekeeper to do this work. They know how the bees will behave.

One thing to consider is the person doing the work. There are beekeepers that aren't carpenters, and carpenters that aren't beekeepers. You want someone who can do both to get the job done right.