Pest Control
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Plenty of people are glad to have bumblebees in the garden and still do not want a nest beside the back door. The good news is that a bumblebee nest is temporary. The question is usually whether it can be lived with for a few weeks, and if not, what the options are.
How a bumblebee nest works
A bumblebee nest is started in spring by a single queen who has spent the winter hibernating. She finds a dry, sheltered hole, often an old mouse nest, and raises the first workers herself. The colony grows through early summer, usually to somewhere between fifty and a few hundred bees, then produces new queens and males. After that it winds down. The old queen and workers die, the new queens leave to hibernate elsewhere, and the nest is abandoned.
That is why a nest often seems busiest just before it disappears. If you find one in midsummer, it may well have only a few weeks left.
Where bumblebees nest
Common spots include under sheds and decking, in compost heaps, in old rodent burrows in lawns and borders, in bird boxes, and under the eaves or in loft insulation. The tree bumblebee, a ginger-brown bee with a white tail, is especially fond of bird boxes and roof spaces. Its nests can look busy because males gather around the entrance in early summer, but they cannot sting.
Living with a nest
Bumblebees are docile and rarely sting unless the nest is handled, trodden on or knocked. Away from the nest they take no interest in people. If you can keep children and pets back from the entrance and avoid mowing or digging right next to it, most nests can simply be left to run their course. Do not block the hole, which only gives the bees a reason to defend it.
Can it be moved?
Sometimes. A nest that is self-contained and easy to get at, such as one inside a bird box or a compost bin, can occasionally be moved a short way, carefully and at the right time of day. It does not always work: the bees may not settle, and the colony can fail. A nest in a wall cavity, under a floor, beneath a patio or deep in the soil usually cannot be moved without destroying it.
So the real choice is often between waiting a few weeks and, where there is a real risk to someone, treatment as a last resort. We look at every case on its own, and if a nest can be left, we will tell you.
Why not deal with it yourself?
Digging out or spraying a nest is the quickest way to get stung, and shop-bought insecticides put other bees and insects at risk. Without a clear look at the insects, it is also easy to get the species wrong. Plenty of "bee nests" turn out to be wasps, and plenty of "wasp nests" turn out to be bumblebees.
Stopping it happening again
Once the nest has finished, usually by late summer or early autumn, you can make the spot less appealing for next year:
- Clear out old nesting material from bird boxes in autumn, and take down a box the bees keep using if it sits by a door.
- Close off gaps under sheds and decking with mesh or board.
- Fill old rodent holes in lawns and borders.
- Seal gaps in soffits and around pipes where bees have been getting under the eaves.
- Check quiet corners in early spring, when queens are looking for nest sites.
When to call us
If a nest is beside a doorway someone has to use, if someone in the house is allergic to stings, or if you are not sure whether it is bumblebees, send us a photo. Our bumblebee nests article covers the common cases, and our bees page explains how we work. You can also call 01926 632 929.