A California craftsman-style home at golden hour in a Central California neighborhood — Millbrae, California service area

Stinging Insect Control

Wasp & Bee Removal in Millbrae, CA

Name: 101 Exterminators Inc.
Address: 635 Sanborn Pl Ste 12, Salinas, CA, 93901, US
Telephone: (831) 500-1613
Price range: $$
Rating: 5

101 Exterminators handles wasp and bee removal in Millbrae — yellow jackets, paper wasps, hornets, and live transfer of accessible honey bee swarms to a local beekeeper. SPCB Lic. #9119, licensed since 2005. Millbrae's warmest month is September, which is the same stretch when yellow jacket colonies reach peak size and start ranging hard for protein and sugar.

(831) 500-1613Free limited inspection · no obligation

Local Context

Millbrae Peaks in September — and So Do the Yellow Jackets

Most California cities take their hottest weather in July or August. Millbrae does not. Marine air through the San Bruno Gap holds summer highs to the upper 60s and low 70s, and the warmest stretch of the year arrives in September once the fog pattern relaxes. That timing matters, because yellow jacket colonies hit maximum population in late summer and early fall. Here the warm weather and the peak colony size land in the same month.

Where they nest is a function of the housing. Yellow jackets take ground cavities — abandoned rodent burrows along the banks of Mills and Capuchino Creek, gaps beneath the hillside retaining walls through Mills Estate and Lomita Hills — and they take structural voids: a hole in stucco, a gap at a vent, the space under a course of clay tile. Paper wasps build open combs under the wide eaves and deep overhangs that the mid-century houses in Millbrae Highlands have in quantity, and in pergolas and attic vents.

Public space concentrates the problem in fall. Central Park, Meadows Park, Bayside Manor Park and the Millbrae Spur Trail all carry the food and water that make late-season foragers persistent, and the yards backing them get the traffic. A ground nest beside a walkway or a wall-void colony over a doorway is a safety question rather than a nuisance, especially for anyone in the household with a venom allergy.

How We Work in Millbrae

We identify the species before touching anything, because a paper wasp comb under a Millbrae eave, a ground nest at a retaining wall, and honey bees inside a stucco wall are three different jobs. Ground and void nests get treated at the opening, usually at dusk when the colony is home. For honey bees established in a wall we remove the comb after treatment so the residue does not draw ants and beetles or stain through the drywall. Accessible swarms we arrange to hand off to a local beekeeper instead.

Millbrae Climate

Millbrae has a mild Peninsula climate with some Bay moisture influence from the east. Less fog-affected than Daly City to the north, with summer temperatures in the mid-70s°F. Both drywood and subterranean termites are active across a full season.

Housing Stock

Post-WWII housing stock (1940s–1960s) dominates. Older properties along the El Camino corridor and the hillside neighborhoods date to the 1920s–1930s. The airport corridor has significant commercial real estate alongside residential. Condominiums and townhouse complexes near the BART station represent newer construction.

Why Local Expertise Matters

We serve Millbrae as part of our comprehensive San Mateo County coverage. SPCB License #9119. WDO reports accepted by all Peninsula real estate agents and title companies.

Warning Signs

Signs You Need Wasps & Bees Service in Millbrae

We treat yellow jacket nests (including in-ground and wall-void nests), paper wasp nests under eaves and overhangs, European and bald-faced hornet nests, and mud dauber tubes. For honey bee hives established in walls or structures, we provide complete treatment and nest removal including comb excavation to prevent future odor and secondary pest attraction. For accessible swarms, we can arrange transfer to a local beekeeper.

Visible nest under eaves, in shrubs, attached to window frames, in tree cavities, or in attic vents

Repeated wasp activity near a specific location on the structure — nest is likely nearby

Wasp or bee activity around a specific gap, crack, or vent opening — indicates cavity nest inside

In-ground yellow jacket activity — small hole in soil or mulch bed with wasps entering and exiting

Honey bee swarm visible on a tree, shrub, or structure — usually a temporary cluster

Buzzing sounds within walls, soffits, or chimney area — established honey bee hive

How It Works

Our Wasps & Bees Process in Millbrae

Every job follows the same methodical approach — no shortcuts, no guesswork. Here is what to expect when you work with us in Millbrae.

Species & Nest Location

We identify the species and locate all nesting sites, including in-wall or structural voids that require special access. Species determines the treatment approach.

Treatment in Protective Equipment

Our technicians treat nests in full protective equipment — veil, suit, and gloves. Evening treatment is preferred for ground nests when foragers have returned to the nest.

Nest Removal

After treatment, accessible nests are physically removed. For wall-void nests, we advise on comb removal to prevent secondary pest attraction from wax, honey, and larval material.

Entry Point Sealing

We seal entry points used by cavity-nesting species to prevent re-colonization by a new colony in the same location.

Why 101 Exterminators

Wasps & Bees You Can Count On in Millbrae

Bee Relocation Option

When possible, we work with local beekeepers to relocate honey bee swarms and accessible hives rather than exterminating them. Good for bees, good for local agriculture.

Wall-Void Nest Removal

Nests inside walls require more than just treatment — the comb must be removed to prevent honey seepage, secondary pests, and odor. We handle the complete remediation.

Same-Day Service for Emergencies

A wasp nest near an entry door, child's play area, or pet run is a safety emergency. We prioritize same-day or next-day service for these situations.

Evening Ground Nest Treatment

Yellow jacket ground nests are treated at dusk when the full colony has returned, maximizing effectiveness and minimizing any risk of disrupted forager activity.

Common Questions

Wasp & Bee Removal FAQs for Millbrae

Why do wasps get worse in Millbrae in September and October?

Yellow jacket colonies reach their largest size in late summer and early fall, right as Millbrae hits its warmest month. By September a nest holds hundreds of workers and the queen has stopped producing new ones, so foragers switch from hunting insects to scavenging protein and sugar wherever people are eating. That is why a nest nobody noticed in June turns into a problem at a backyard table in Millbrae Highlands in September.

There are bees inside the stucco wall of my Millbrae home — can they be relocated?

Once honey bees have built comb inside a wall void, live relocation is rarely practical, because the colony is anchored to comb that has to be cut out of the structure. An accessible swarm still clustered on a branch, fence or eave is a different situation, and we can arrange for a local beekeeper to take it. For an established in-wall hive, the comb and honey must come out after treatment — left in place, the residue attracts ants, beetles and rodents and can stain through drywall for years.

Is it safe to mow near a ground nest along a Millbrae creek bank or retaining wall?

No — ground-nesting yellow jackets defend the entrance, and vibration from a mower or string trimmer is exactly the trigger. The old rodent burrows along Mills and Capuchino Creek and the gaps behind hillside retaining walls in Mills Estate are the two places we find these nests most often. Mark the opening from a distance, keep people and pets out of that zone, and stop yard work there until it is treated. Do not try to flood it or burn it out.

Local Pest Pressure

Common Pests We Treat in Millbrae

Every area has its own pest profile shaped by climate, housing, and geography. These are the pests we see and treat most often in Millbrae — tap any one to learn how to identify it and what treatment involves.