A Spanish Colonial Revival home with a red tile roof in California — San Bruno, California service area

Stinging Insect Control

Wasp & Bee Removal in San Bruno, 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 San Bruno — ground yellowjacket nests, paper wasps under eaves, and honey bee colonies established inside walls. California licensed, SPCB Lic. #9119, since 2005. September is the warmest month here at about 71°F, and it is also when yellowjacket colonies are at their largest. A swarm that moves into a 1962 stucco wall leaves comb behind, and the comb is the real job.

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

Local Context

A Swarm in a Stucco Wall Leaves Comb Behind, and the Comb Is What Causes the Second Problem

San Bruno's post-war housing gives honey bees (Apis mellifera) exactly what they look for: a dry, defensible cavity with a small entrance. On a stucco ranch that entrance is usually a gap at the weep screed, an abandoned vent, a crack at a window head, or the space where fascia meets roof sheathing. Once a colony establishes, the wall fills with comb, honey and brood. Treating the bees and leaving that in place is what causes the second call — honey seeps through drywall, wax draws ants and moths, and the scent in the cavity reads as an invitation to the next swarm.

Yellowjackets follow a different calendar and a different geography. Colonies start small in spring and build all summer, and this city peaks late — September averages around 71°F, warmer than July here. That is when nests are biggest and foragers switch toward protein and sugar, so they turn up at a backyard table blocks from where they live. The nests are usually on the slope: the grassland and coastal scrub of San Bruno Mountain State and County Park and Sweeney Ridge, and the retaining walls, old rodent burrows and ivy banks along the Junipero Serra County Park edge.

Paper wasps are the ones people meet most. They build open, umbrella-shaped combs under eaves, inside patio cover framing, in gas meter housings and behind shutters, and the deep eave overhangs on San Bruno's post-war houses suit them well. Knocking one down without treating leaves the wasps present and rebuilding a few feet away.

How We Work in San Bruno

The first thing we do on a San Bruno wasp call is identify the insect and locate the actual nest, because the treatments have nothing in common. Ground yellowjacket nests on the west-side slopes get treated at the entrance, early or late in the day when the colony is home. Paper wasp combs under eaves and patio framing come down after treatment. For honey bees in a wall we open the cavity, remove comb and honey, and advise on sealing the void so the next swarm does not read the same opening as an invitation.

San Bruno Climate

San Bruno has a moderate Peninsula climate — some marine fog influence from its northern exposure, but slightly warmer than Daly City. Both drywood and subterranean termites are active through extended seasons.

Housing Stock

Post-WWII tract development dominates — 1940s–1960s wood-frame homes across the city's residential neighborhoods. The Crestmoor and Portola Highlands areas have this typical mid-century stock. The Village area near downtown has older construction. Properties near the creek corridors have moisture exposure relevant to subterranean termites.

Why Local Expertise Matters

San Bruno's mid-century housing stock is a routine part of our Peninsula service area. We understand the termite risks associated with 1940s–1960s wood-frame construction and provide SPCB-licensed (#9119) inspections with WDO reports accepted for local real estate transactions.

Warning Signs

Signs You Need Wasps & Bees Service in San Bruno

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 San Bruno

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

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 San Bruno

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 San Bruno

Why are yellowjackets worse at a San Bruno barbecue in September than they were in June?

Because the colony is at its largest and its diet has changed. Yellowjacket nests build all summer and peak in late summer and fall, and September is San Bruno's warmest month at around 71°F, so the season here runs later than most people expect. Late in the year foragers shift toward protein and sugar, which puts them on food and drinks rather than out in the shrubs. Covering food and latching trash enclosures helps, but finding the nest is the actual fix.

Bees are going into the wall of our San Bruno house — can you just spray them?

Spraying alone is the wrong approach on an established wall colony. Killing the bees leaves comb, honey and brood inside the cavity, and that residue seeps through drywall, draws ants and other insects, and leaves scent that pulls the next swarm to the same opening. The work has to include opening the wall, removing the comb and sealing the void. If it is a swarm resting in the open on a tree or fence rather than an established colony, we can often arrange transfer to a local beekeeper instead.

How do you find a yellowjacket nest in the ground on a San Bruno hillside lot?

We watch the flight line rather than search the ground, because the entrance is usually smaller than people expect. On the west-side slopes these nests typically occupy an abandoned rodent burrow, a gap behind a retaining wall, or a void under ice plant. Treatment happens at the entrance when the colony is home, at dawn or dusk. Do not pour anything into the hole or plug it — that pushes the colony sideways, and sometimes into a wall.

Local Pest Pressure

Common Pests We Treat in San Bruno

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