Bumble bee nest

Tropez

Hello there,

I'm not sure if this is the right section but you seem like gardener folk so you may have some experience with this.

The other day I noticed what I originally thought were wasps going in and out of a hole on the eaves of the house, so I did what anyone would do and immediately ordered some chemical weaponry to deal with them.

However, today I have noticed it isn't wasps at all but bees, bumble bees I believe (furry, white tips) and I'm aware these are a declining species so I'm much less inclined to gas them. I've done some searching on the Internet and the general consensus is to leave them alone because they won't do harm to property, aren't a bunch of overly aggressive jerks (like wasps) and generally live in much smaller colonies (although I can't say the idea of 400 bees sharing my property isn't somewhat disconcerting) than wasps and honey bees.

As much of this information has been derived from bumble bee appreciation sites it could be considered propaganda so firstly I'd like to know if it is true? Secondly, I really don't like where they're entering their new home (it's right above a window in to the house that when it gets hotter I will want open) and thirdly I'm concerned about my idiot dogs bothering them.

Is it possible to block up their current mode of access and drill them a temporary new hole that is in a more convenient place?

I did look on some beekeeper sites about getting the nest moved but it appears everyone is rather against this as there isn't much hope of the nest surviving. However, if anyone knows anyone in the North West who could advise, that'd be appreciated?

Thanks, all advice welcomed.

DaftyDuck

I'd strongly advise you to leave it be. I don't think you can make another access hole.. the nest will be a small ball of grass and stuff about fist-size, and the bees will only use it for this year. Moving a nest is next to impossible, unless you move it slowly, inch by inch for maybe a couple of feet. Thing is, they know where it is/was... they remember!

Bumble bees are much less aggressive than even honey bees, which themselves aren't ferocious... I used to work opposite a group that studied their flight dynamics and energetics, and they were sweet... as were the scientists!

Will they trouble you? No, really not. I had a conservatory put on a couple of years ago, in the spring, and noticed a bumblebee nest on the ground/house wall join. I got the builders to leave a small hole in the flooring (spare tile for later fitting), and left a window open. The bees happily flew in and out, and pollinated my citrus trees in the conservatory. I sat a few inches from their entrance all summer without a glitch. Builders thought them cute,too. Huge lads cooing over bees... aaahhhh!

They really will not sting you unless they are physically trapped by you, say cupping one in your hands. Then shaking. Then waiting. Even then, they may well not sting. They are amazingly intelligent, and highly interesting to observe.

I'm not a bee fanatic, and it's not propaganda, honest. They are really sweet, and they are getting rarer. Leave it until the first frosts of Autumn (and maybe a few weeks longer if you can bare to, then plug the hole up. In the very unlikely event there's still a bee in there, it'll find another way out next Spring and nest elsewhere.

Tropez

Thanks for the reply.

When I was a kid a dog we had died of anaphylaxis due to a sting by either a wasp or bee (probably a wasp since they are jerks) hence I'm rather cautious when it comes to them. I don't mind so much the bees are there, it's just their entrance/exit that is inconvenient as it puts them directly in contact with the dogs, who are inquisitive enough to bother them and one of them who actively tries to attack flies, so I can only assume they will do the same with bees.

This is why I was thinking about providing them with a different entrance. I can appreciate that they may not be aggressive but I know they will react if they feel threatened. I can't feasibly watch all of the dogs all the time over the summer.

DomRavioli

Tropez wrote: »

Hello there,

I'm not sure if this is the right section but you seem like gardener folk so you may have some experience with this.

The other day I noticed what I originally thought were wasps going in and out of a hole on the eaves of the house, so I did what anyone would do and immediately ordered some chemical weaponry to deal with them.

However, today I have noticed it isn't wasps at all but bees, bumble bees I believe (furry, white tips) and I'm aware these are a declining species so I'm much less inclined to gas them. I've done some searching on the Internet and the general consensus is to leave them alone because they won't do harm to property, aren't a bunch of overly aggressive jerks (like wasps) and generally live in much smaller colonies (although I can't say the idea of 400 bees sharing my property isn't somewhat disconcerting) than wasps and honey bees.

As much of this information has been derived from bumble bee appreciation sites it could be considered propaganda so firstly I'd like to know if it is true? Secondly, I really don't like where they're entering their new home (it's right above a window in to the house that when it gets hotter I will want open) and thirdly I'm concerned about my idiot dogs bothering them.

Is it possible to block up their current mode of access and drill them a temporary new hole that is in a more convenient place?

I did look on some beekeeper sites about getting the nest moved but it appears everyone is rather against this as there isn't much hope of the nest surviving. However, if anyone knows anyone in the North West who could advise, that'd be appreciated?

Thanks, all advice welcomed.

Hi OP,

Some species of bees are a protected species, so don't touch it; you can be prosecuted for it if they die.

They don't harm you, as bees die when they sting, and they're not suicidal. Just don't go near them and they will leave you alone.

Also don't drill anything, because again you could kill a protected species (same list as lions and tigers...and bears...oh my?!) and we need them to live.

If you need any more help, your local council will give you advice in their pest control department (they also deal with bees and have great advice)

[Deleted User]

I wish I had a bumble bee nest, they are becoming so scarce. I can also say that they will not sting and in fact can be handled. They are wonderful creatures. Can the dogs reach up to the eaves? It would not harm to drill a hole and then watch to see if they (bees) use it. If they do then you could block up the hole that you don`t want

and yes they are a protected species with a potential £25k fine if killed, however they can be moved by a beekeeper
http://www.kentbee.com/kbka/info/swarms/faq-bees.shtml

Tropez

DomRavioli wrote: »

Hi OP,

Some species of bees are a protected species, so don't touch it; you can be prosecuted for it if they die.

They don't harm you, as bees die when they sting, and they're not suicidal. Just don't go near them and they will leave you alone.

Also don't drill anything, because again you could kill a protected species (same list as lions and tigers...and bears...oh my?!) and we need them to live.

If you need any more help, your local council will give you advice in their pest control department (they also deal with bees and have great advice)

I may try the local council although the last time I contacted them about anything they weren't very useful - apparently the Dog Warden has no intention of doing his job on a Friday. :rotfl:

I do know that bumblebees don't die when they sting you. They can, in fact, sting multiple times. It is a myth that all bees die when they sting, likely brought about by the fact that honey bees do die when they sting you.

The eaves are hollow and go all around the house. It would not be difficult to drill a hole in a more suitable location, nearby but far enough that they no longer present any issue to my household. It's not really feasible to say "don't go near them" - just doing day to day stuff around the house I've run into several of them on their travels.

kittie wrote: »

I wish I had a bumble bee nest, they are becoming so scarce. I can also say that they will not sting and in fact can be handled. They are wonderful creatures. Can the dogs reach up to the eaves? It would not harm to drill a hole and then watch to see if they (bees) use it. If they do then you could block up the hole that you don`t want

and yes they are a protected species with a potential £25k fine if killed, however they can be moved by a beekeeper
http://www.kentbee.com/kbka/info/swarms/faq-bees.shtml

No, the dogs cannot reach that high, however, it isn't stopping the bees coming down to easily within their reach as they make their way up and down.

It's amusing in an ironic way because I purposely have all the flowers and stuff kept behind some decorative gating that the dogs can't get over to keep them away from bees going about their business, and so now the bees have brought their business to the dogs.

Anyway, that's why I thought of just providing them a different entrance. If they exited and entered round the corner (we're talking about 8 inches away), it would be much easier to prevent the dogs from bothering them and reduce my levels of concern significantly.

Tropez

I found a couple of local apiarists so I've sent off emails to ask for their opinion/assistance, though I do imagine the advice will be to leave them alone. I get the feeling I'll be kinda stuck for a bit... :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

I don`t see any harm in adding another hole to see and then at the end of the season you could place eaves vents with fly mesh behind so it doesn`t happen again

sgun

The last few years I have had bumble bees in a bird nest box and I sit underneath it (a small suntrap against a wall, I'm not sitting under it to enjoy the bees!)

Sometimes a bee will fall on me, or on the cat, and neither of us have had any stings from them. The cat ignores them, he knows somehow not to swipe at them. Not all bumble bees sting anyway.

I think you should drill the other hole though, no harm in trying to make life a bit easier, if it was my dogs I would just worry all the time.

Tropez

sgun wrote: »

The last few years I have had bumble bees in a bird nest box and I sit underneath it (a small suntrap against a wall, I'm not sitting under it to enjoy the bees!)

Sometimes a bee will fall on me, or on the cat, and neither of us have had any stings from them. The cat ignores them, he knows somehow not to swipe at them. Not all bumble bees sting anyway.

I think you should drill the other hole though, no harm in trying to make life a bit easier, if it was my dogs I would just worry all the time.

Yeah, I think it's only the queen and worker bees who can sting. To my knowledge, male bees lack a stinger.

Yeah, it's mainly the dogs I'm concerned about - one of them is so damn inquisitive that she wants to stick her nose into everything and she's also the one that tries to catch flies.

I'm going to wait on the advice from the apiarists I contacted just to be safe. Once I realised it was bumblebees I had no intention of killing them. I know they do a lot for the environment and aren't angry, aggressive a-holes like wasps and that they are in decline, so quite happy for them to live in that little corner of the eaves.

doodle-bug_2

I had a nest near the base of our garage a couple of years ago. The bees seemed to have a flight plan to get in/out, and did not want to deviate from this at all. Every time I went in the shed, one or two bounced off my head like fuzzy ping pong balls (I was in their way!) and only flew around me if I did not move. Not a sting in sight. I was a bit upset when they did not come back the next year.