Firefighter turns avocation into buzzy business

A swarm looking for a new home — perhaps yours. PROVIDED

A Cape Coral firefighter and paramedic is also a beekeeper and bee removal entrepreneur.

Matt Anderson, a Bookelia resident and avid outdoorsman, finds watching the pollinators fascinating.

His interest blossomed with his first hive, and he is now licensed and insured in bee removal as the owner of Anderson Bee Removal.

He conducts his bee removal services during his 48-hours off shift from the fire station.

Anderson said he loves spinning honey and gathering his kids around when he pulls the honey to have a taste.

Matt Anderson, owner of Anderson Bee Removal, helps residents remove and rehome bees that are causing a buzz. PROVIDED

“I try to keep usually around 10 hives,” Anderson said, adding that Hurricane Ian destroyed his hives, and he is still working on rebuilding. “Sometimes I will give bees away. Sometimes I will release them in areas of large acreage where I can rehome them safely.”

Bee keeping takes a lot of time, he said, adding you have to devote your time to keep up on the hives.

Bee keeping led him to start his own business.

“I remember thinking this is something that is mine that nobody can really have input into, except for me,” Anderson said. “Nobody wants to go towards bees. That was something that appealed to me about it. It was a unique thing that not too many people are into, by and large.”

Once he opened his LLC, and earned all the certifications he needed, he hit the ground running.

A Fort Myers native, he really values his name and his history with the community.

“Right now is swarm season,” Anderson said. “Bees are moving all over the place.”

The season in South Florida expands into late fall because the Brazilian pepper causes late honey flow, continuing the moving of bees. Winter is slow, but once spring kicks off, “the game is on, even all through the summer.”

People are now calling Anderson because bees are finding places where they are not wanted. One of those areas are in stilt homes in void spaces, crawl spaces. A recent call had four bee hives under a single home.

“People love bees, but don’t love being attacked by bees,” Anderson said. “Bees like small tight spaces. If they can get in any sort of vulnerable spot on the house, they will. Once they start, they get to work pretty quick. You don’t want your whole wall in your house with a beehive and honey.”

Another reasons bees are removed is because people may be highly allergic. As a firefighter and paramedic, he has seen how quickly a reaction forms from a sting or bite.

“You can see why someone needs to get them removed,” Anderson said. “Sometimes they need to be managed.”

His bee removal service requires time and attention.

“I try to get as much information as I possibly can from the homeowner,” Anderson said, adding that when they start to describe where the bees are, he pretty much knows right away.

He will then provide the homeowner with a quote based on the various factors provided.

The bees are removed and rehomed.

“I have properties that I can take them to, or other beekeepers that will take them from me,” Anderson said.

For more information visit andersonbeeremoval.com, visit their Facebook page, or call 239-322-0881.