Bumble Bees

[Beecharmer]

Does anyone have suggestions on how I can remove a nest of bumble bees?  They are in my flowerbed and I don't really want to kill them.

[Apis629]

Unfortunetly convincing a hive of bummble bees to leave is like convincing a turtle to fly.  However, it can be done.

Is the nest an underground one or the type that the bees build above ground out of grass and twigs?

[Michael Bush]

They are, in many ways, like a honey bee hive.  They have "honey pots" that they build out of wax that have either brood, pollen or honey in them.  They will not abondon the brood to go somewhere else.  About the only way to get them to leave is to remove them all, fill in where the nest was (if below ground) or destroy the nest (if above ground) and they will hopefully settle somewhere else.

IF I were going to attempt this, and I probably wouldn't, I would put on a full bee suit, rubber band the ankles and sleaves, wear gloves and a zip on veil.  Use a water hose to hose down the bees and the nest so they can't fly.  Remove all the nest materials and scatter them and the bees off away from the original site.  A shovel would be a good tool for this, but if you don't want to harm the bees, you'll have to be careful.  When all of the bees and nesting materials are removed, fill in the mouse hole nest (probably the source of the hole in the ground that the bumble bees are living in) and pack it down well.

Be prepared to get stung.  :)  And remember a bumble bee can do this repeatedly.

[Beecharmer]

Yikes!  Now you've got me scared.  Maybe I will just move the flower bed.

[lively Bee's]

There are people out there that keep bumble bees. My father in law had them to build in the shed so I called the state Apiarist and he was able to tell me a man in tennessee that kept them for shows.  Call the local AG collage they will know. I can tell you this bumble bee will pack up and leave if you keep messing with them they like to live in a nice quite home.

[Beecharmer]

How I found the bees is - I was taking piles of leaves out of the bed and putting them in my garden cart.  I grabbed a big handful and felt it vibrating and immediately threw them in the cart and jumped back.  Well, I guess it must have been an "above the ground" hive, cause now they are living in my cart.  I am going to keep moving it a little at a time until I am at the edge of the woods and then dump and run. :shock:

Can it be possible they are eating the hummingbird nectar?  The feeder is right above their nest.  Maybe that is what drew them.

[Michael Bush]

A good place to nest is more important than being right next to food.  Most nest in mouse nests, but I've seen many in piles of old wood etc. in a fluffy pile of nesting material.

[beefree]

I have a nest in my flowerbed, too, but it is in a big hole underground.  They haven't bothered me yet...though i am careful when weeding not to step too near the hole.  If they were yellowjackets i would whack them in a NY minute, but i haven't seen them bothering my honeys.  DO they bother honeybees?  That's the only reason i would want to get rid of them...though if they were living in my wheelbarrow, i suppose i'd have to do something, since i need the barrow regularly...
beefree

[Miss Chick-a-BEE]

Beecharmer-
That's a funny story! Sorry to laugh at you..... but I could picture the scene and it's funny. :) LOL

Beth

[JP]

I heard that bumblebees pollenate eggplants as honeybees can't, & bumblebees pollenate other flowers, besides they are handsome bees to observe. [/url][/list][/list][/code][/quote][/u][/i][/b]

[Jerrymac]

Beth has chickens, she don't need any egg plants.