hen it’s well-manicured, landscaping that includes beautiful blossoms and vibrant foliage does wonders for a self-storage facility’s curb appeal. However, lush blooms are guaranteed to attract more than just potential tenants. In fact, sometimes the nectar-rich, pollen-packed plants entice bees to build hives closer to such food sources.

Sue Haviland, founder of Haviland Storage Services, has had plenty of first-hand experience dealing with swarms and hives at the facilities her company manages. This summer alone, one property spent more than $4,000 relocating honeybees—and that sum doesn’t include the costs associated with repairing and replacing the irrigation boxes in which the bees had built their hexagonal hives.

Honeybees are exceptional architects and builders. Honeybees use hexagons to construct their honeycombs because they are the most compact and space-efficient shape. Hexagons use the least amount of wax to construct the comb, have the highest surface-to-perimeter ratio of all polygons, fit together with no gaps, and are one of the strongest shapes.

It was late August when Haviland first noticed that the vegetation within one section of the landscaping was looking particularly parched. Upon closer inspection, it was apparent that bees were behind the blockage within the irrigation boxes. A professional was hired to move the colony and remove their hives.

“We had tons of honey,” she says. “It was dripping from the combs.”

Unfortunately, the bees were back a mere 10 days after their first eviction. Haviland provided two possibilities for their return: the queen bee had not been captured or there were two queens. A second removal was required. Afterward, openings in the irrigation boxes were plugged and some boxes were replaced with a style that couldn’t be used as shelter by any kind of critter.

The good news: Besides a few maintenance men and landscapers being stung, no one was seriously injured by the bees. Nevertheless, her own allergy to bee stings keeps Haviland vigilant about hives of any kind.

“Earlier this year we had a run at one site that kept getting the hornets nests,” she says. “There were five at the same site.”

Haviland has also dealt with swarms “resting” on the keypad at another self-storage facility. In both instances, the swarms moved on within a few days, but with on-site safety a constant concern, tenants were notified to avoid the keypad until the bees had dispersed. Fun fact: Bee swarms rest to conserve energy and protect their queen while the scout bees search for a new home.

Although bees remain in their nests once temperatures drop, which means you may not see them outside in the fall and winter, they do not die nor hibernate. For that reason, and for the safety of your staff, it’s in your best interest to contact an expert (either a beekeeper or a pest control company) to remove a hive, especially if you’re not certain the nest has been abandoned. Removal costs can range from $75 to $1,000, depending on the species, size of the colony, location of the hive, and your geographic location.

To prevent infestations, Haviland trains her managers to conduct routine inspections of the building eves, signage, gutters, doorways, and areas prone to nests. Tenants should also be reminded that living things of any kind, including honeybees, are not permitted in storage. This will hopefully keep apiaries from storing their beehives within units during winter.