Last weekend, a friend called and said he had a swarm move into an old log birdhouse on his fence. I went out to collect it, but found that they were bumblebees...long story, but thanks very much to the beek that told me bumblebees have marble shaped pouches in their hives and not comb, because it was very hard for me to tell just by looking at them. They were small and black and orange, not big and black and blue and, well, bumbly like the ones I am used to seeing. I actually thought that they may be Africanized and it freaked me out because they have supposedly not moved this far north yet. Anyway, when I opened it up, I saw marble shaped pouches, so mystery solved. We took the hive home because we live way out in the country and decided that we could at least dispose of it if necessary. Then I read that bumblebees are very docile and good polinators, so I decided that they could live. I took them about two acres over from my bee hive and placed the log on the ground next to our very back corner fence.
When I was out on Friday inspecting my hive, I watched one of the bumblebees fly into my open hive. A few seconds later, I saw her come tumbling out, three of my girls attached to her, fighting mightily. I squished the bumblebee because when they hit the ground they all seperated. After I closed up my hive (could not find the queen or any larvae, but lots of capped brood, so am already worried about my package colony), I watched another bumbler fly in through the entrance. I watched for the violent exit again, but after about two minutes, she came out on her own (about ninety miles an hour, but alone). I stayed and watched for about half an hour, but did not see any more bumblers around the hive.
My husband thinks I need to destroy the bumblebee colony because he is concerned about robbing. I like the idea of a little extra polinators around the place. What do you think? Is my hive in danger from the bumblebee colony? Should I burn it? Thanks for any help offered...
BTW, I do not have any more hives to take brood from...just my one almost one-month-old package. One other time when I opened the hive I was unable to find the queen, but the next time I opened it, I was, so I am not too awfully worried...yet. But those bumblers do have me concerned...
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