Bumble bees under shed problem?

Errm, anybody had any experience of ground nesting bees?

I'm clearing out, and demolishing, an old shed. On the floor was an old door with a little hole in it where the bees live. I shifted the door, and disturbed about 6 or so bees. Could there be a few hundred more further up the shed?

Are they likely to just bugger off shortly or am I going to have to get someone in to clear them out.

Any help appreciated.

Mal.

Reply to
Mal Jackson
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If you can spare the time, leave the rest of the demolishing for a few weeks. When you see no more bees around the annual cycle will be complete and there will be no living bees in the nest. If there are it will be so few that their presence won't help the colony.

It's illegal to kill bumble bees so in theory you won't be able to get anyone 'in' to do the job.

We removed a complete nest recently from underneath a demolished garage. The colony is still in the box we put it in, in our garden, but it's not always successful.

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Mal Jackson saying something like:

Pint of petrol and a match, eh Mary?

Reply to
Grimly Curmudgeon

You know how to poke Mary, eh?

Si

Reply to
Mungo "Two Sheds" Toadfoot

"Mary Fisher" wrote in news:46bdd111$0$30922$ snipped-for-privacy@master.news.zetnet.net:

snip

Hi Mary. Thanks for your reply. I don't really want to leave the demolition too long as I have a lot of work to do, putting down a concrete base and building my concrete garage.

Interesting. I was dead scared of the blighters till you wrote that.

The bees are under the floor of the old shed. I think I'll carry on with the demolition and leave the floor till last and have a look under the floor to see what I'm dealing with.

Many thanks!

Mal.

Reply to
Mal Jackson

In that case you have no option. I'm just pleased that you asked :-)

There's nothing to be frightened of. If they ARE bumble bees (the subject says it) they'll be quite large, up to a centimetre, and fluffy, you'll have to provoke them a LOT to make them sting - and you'll deserve it.

If they are solitary bees (which they might be - small, furry, a bit like honey bees or, if you don't know them, like fattish hairy wasps) they CAN'T sting.

That's probably the best idea under the circumstances. Do it gently though.

If you disturb a bumble bee nest while it's active you'll get dozens of flying teddy bears, which sound as though they're on motor bikes, flying round you and even bumping into you. It's alarming but you must go about your business as calmly as possible. The difficult part is if you find a nest and try to move it without protection, I don't advise that, the bees will sting to defend the brood :-(

Mostly we persuade people to leave the nests until September or so, we show them how safe it is to be near undisturbed bumble bees and tell them the life cycle. We kit up in My God They've Landed bee suits with veils and gloves to move active nests. It might be possible to borrow one from a local beekeeper if you know one. If you don't, mail me and I'll see if I can put you in touch with someone.

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

In message , Mary Fisher writes

Any soft fruit farms (pick your own strawberries) nearby? They'll be delighted to organise the safe removal for you.

No bees, no strawberries.

Reply to
Keith

That might be true but there are plenty of wild bumble bees in the vicinity of anywhere - except (sadly) most farms. Bumble bee populations are decreasing because of damage to habitats - crop farmers want to make use of every square yard/metre :-(

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

You mean The Archers is telling lies when not just Brookfield but also even Home Farm are into field margins and the like? If so then Auntie really has sunk low.

Reply to
Robin

There is a movement to encourage farmers to leave field margins for fodder for wild animals and birds but that's not enough for bumble bee nests, like many animals/insects/birds they need the shelter of stones, hedges and earth banks for their habitats. Wire field boundaries are not good for them.

The idea of field margins is not to use pesticides and herbicides so that insects and weeds aren't going to be killed and insectivores and seed eaters will still have food. It's not just about habitat.

David and Brian aren't the only farmers in Ambridge and if Tiger Matt has his way every last square inch will be utilised.

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

Understood, thanks. (And I can confirm what you said about bumble bees elsewhere: plenty in E5.)

Reply to
Robin

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