Bees in nest box

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MadCow

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Jul 1, 2010
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Hi there.

I'm not a beekeeper (though would like to be at some point) but have recently noticed quite a few bees entering and leaving a tit box which has been sited in our garden for quite a few years, although not inhabited recently. Obviously the presence of bees is brilliant for our (small) veggie patch, but I'm not sure what, if anything, I need to do about them.

I daren't lift the lid of the nest box to see how many bees are in there and what they're up to. Any ideas/suggestions??

Mad Cow:confused:
 
9 times out of ten it is bumbles that nest in birdbox's.
The queen when looking for a new home smells old urine from Tits or Mice(hence why they are often found in holes in the ground).

I would try and leave them well alone as they dont do to well if the nest is disturbed.

If they do have to be removed then move them box and all to a local nature reserve and place the box in the fork of a tree at head hight or above,dont place them to close to the original site or the foragers will return and could become a nuisance.
 
bumblebees. the inside of
your nestbox shold look like this

es2pef.jpg
 
Suggest she does not look in the box due to the risk of upsetting them. Bumbles can be cute and fluffy until you start messing around with their nests then they can become little WWII bombers. Speaking from experience here.

Suggest leave them well alone and they will be gone by winter and you can claim the nest box back.

Dont hurt them and they wont hurt you :hurray:
 
Hello Mad Cow,

Do they look a bit like these? If so they are Tree Bee Bumble Bees. I've been out to two local gardens that had the usual "swarm of bees in my bird box". Very cute, but not honey bees. Leave them be (so to speak) and they will have happy little lives for the rest of the summer.
 

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