Bumble bee nest in roof.

[Frenchie]

A friend of mine has a friend who is renovating his house and in a bedroom he has removed the plasterboard and in the soft insulation is an active bumble bee nest. He has asked me if I could remove it, otherwise I suspect he will treat them with chemicals. I've never had experience of a bumble bees nest, but would like to save them if possible. So how big will the nest be,what can I remove it in and how and where to place it. Any advise much appreciated.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

It would be a great shame to kill them. Usually the nest is small, able to fit into a bird box. I don't know how the bees will cope with a move. Normally they would be gone by the end of July - can the project wait?

 

[ShinySideUp]

A friend of mine has a friend who is renovating his house and in a bedroom he has removed the plasterboard and in the soft insulation is an active bumble bee nest. He has asked me if I could remove it, otherwise I suspect he will treat them with chemicals. I've never had experience of a bumble bees nest, but would like to save them if possible. So how big will the nest be,what can I remove it in and how and where to place it. Any advise much appreciated.

You can't move them. If you try to move them they will probably get lost and die anyway. As The Poot says, probably by the end of July, or perhaps the end of August more likely in my experience, they will be gone, never to return to that nest. Bumble bees are largely harmless unless seriously provoked and there are only 200-400 of them. Is there nothing else the person can be doing with his renovation until the bumbles have gone?

 

[Frenchie]

As I understand it he has builders coming Monday to work on the roof so have to be gone by then.

 

[Finman]

Renovation time is so expencive, that it is better to spray it.

To work on roof and het there a sting or more. Makes no sense, not even to you.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As I understand it he has builders coming Monday to work on the roof so have to be gone by then.

Chuck them in a medium size flowerpot inside an open nuc, leave them settle down in situ, wait for the evening when they're all inside, close them up and move them to a quiet spot for a new home

 

[ericbeaumont]

https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/bumblebee-nests/

 

[viridens]

These are likely tree bumbles (Bombus hypnorum). Move them at dusk when they are all on the comb, which is fist sized or smaller. A bird box or similar is good for a new home, and I think it's a 1 mile rule for relocation.

 

[MikeWade]

I successfully remove bumbles each year for people. What I do is spray them down with thin sugar and water. Gather them up put them in mini mating nuc and leave them somewhere nice and shady. They usually stay in there till the end of the season then leave.