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Bumble Bees
Fishy65
Posts: 2,276
Hi folks, Today has seen a gathering of Bumble Bees close to our back door.They are above the kitchen window,probably about 8 or 9ft off the ground and are entering the brickwork through a small hole in the mortar.The mortar is lime mortar so quite soft. I'm pretty sure they'll be fine and certainly don't want the cute fellows wiped out by 'pest' controllers. I know Bumble Bees are peaceful but I don't want them to think I'm too close and a threat...the much-used outside tap is directly below. Any thoughts?
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Are you sure they are bumble bees Fishy, they usually nest underground, although a hole in the wall is as good as anything.
We had a nest near our back door one year. They just went about their business and seemed oblivious to us going in and out. Had to tell the dog not to eat them. Good job he's reasonably clever and knows he's not allowed to snap up any bees.
Some different types of bumble bees nest in different types of places, eg. the tree bumble bee - however it sounds as if yours might be the Hairy footed flower bee, (which isn't a bumble bee) - if often nests in soft mortar.
Lots of info here
http://bumblebeeconservation.org/ and you can contact them for advice if you need to
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Im not sure they would kill them even if you called the council pest control, we had a wasps nest in our roof eaves last year and the pest controller said, they would only kill wasps and not bees. Not sure how correct this is.
They won't they'll leave you alone, I've got lots of nest
What lovely neighbours - and like all good neighbours, if you are nice to them they will be nice to you. When it is very dry it can be a great kindness to bumbles to leave a shallow bowl of water near their home, as they can get very thirsty. It is quite fascinating to see them around an old plant saucer with a few stones in it for settling places, all having a welcome drink - of course you never have a camera at hand when these rare things occur. Maybe they are not rare things? I'd certainly not seen it before.
Hi, last year i'd left a couple of plants near my outdoor water tap for a little while which must have attracted bees, don't know which kind of bee but looked like big bumble bees, they found their way into my kitchen through the gap near the water tap, i'd come downstairs in the morning and there would be loads of them in my kitchen and lounge. I filled the gap in around the water tap but was still getting them in my kitchen, they had found another entrance and exit near the door step through a tiny hole in the mortar, couldn't believe they could get through such a tiny hole, couldn't see the hole. I phoned the council and he said he could use a treatment on them at a cost of about £30 or he advised me to get some ant spray and spray it into the tiny hole and the bees would carry it in with them. I am a keen gardener and know we shouldn't be killing bees but what else could I do? I didn't want to share my house with a load of bees, the ant powder worked. I'm always on the look out now for more than average amount of bees flying around my pots and baskets which are near the house and i'll be ready with some filler for the mortar.
Anyway,whichever species they are I certainly don't have any wish to move them on.In fact I'm quite chuffed to have them make their home in my garden,they sit up on the wall (south-west facing) and mind their own business while I mind mine.And everyone is happy,in fact my Snapdragons are in full bloom right below them so help yourselves guys
It's a wonderful honour to have these nesting so close - do you have a picture? Is it like the one below? Your garden will benefit from all the extra pollination they will provide you with Lucky you !!!!!!!!!
see link below too...
see http://www.bwars.com/index.php?q=content/beginners-bees-and-wasps-anthophora-plumipes