Bumble Bees - waht advice are you giving?

[jackstraw]

I've taken three phone calls in the last 18 hours about bumble bees swarms
I spend time talking with the caller and generally they are keen to help the bees just 'not in their back yard'
I try to explain that bumble bees are much less likely to sting than a honey bee or wasp and try to encourage them to live together until the autumn when the bees will naturally die off.
On all three occasions they ended the call asking if I knew someone who would come and terminate them
Maybe if my advice was better or was reinforced by a print out from a bumble bee friendly web site then I might save more of them
Without doubt other beekeepers are having bumble bee calls. What advice are you giving to the caller?

 

[oliver90owner]

You sure they were bumble bees? Bumble bees do not swarm.

 

[lievanation]

Bumble bees calls

I have received 64 phone calls and 12 emails regarding bees in the past 8 days. all but 4 turn out to be bumbles. I advise people to look at BBKA website, hit the link to" do you think you have a swarm" and ask them to scroll down the pictures of different bees. I advise much like above, but say they are endangered and unless causing a risk, should be left alone. Most people are grateful of the advise and are happy once they realize that bees are necessary for pollonation of their plants. The odd few will then try calling another beekeeper trying to get them to remove them.

 

[YorkshireBees]

I've taken three phone calls in the last 18 hours about bumble bees swarms
I spend time talking with the caller and generally they are keen to help the bees just 'not in their back yard'
I try to explain that bumble bees are much less likely to sting than a honey bee or wasp and try to encourage them to live together until the autumn when the bees will naturally die off.
On all three occasions they ended the call asking if I knew someone who would come and terminate them
Maybe if my advice was better or was reinforced by a print out from a bumble bee friendly web site then I might save more of them
Without doubt other beekeepers are having bumble bee calls. What advice are you giving to the caller?

Only 3 calls!! I have had 3 just this morning!
Generally the same advice you are giving, reassure the person that if the nest is out of the way the bumblebees will not 'attack' the people.

In terms of links this one
http://bumblebeeconservation.org/about-bees/habitats/bumblebee-nests/
is good

I'm in the lucky position in that I met a local pest controller a couple of years ago as he called me to a swarm that had been reported to him as a wasps nest and he will re-house bumblebee nests.
I only use this option when people are adamant that the bumbles have to go.

 

[jackstraw]

Bumble bees don't swarm

You sure they were bumble bees? Bumble bees do not swarm.

I agree, I thought that a new bumble bees queens are hatched in the autumn, sent out to find a suitable nesting site overwinter and then bring on their colony in the spring. However I am taking calls from people who tell me, and I have seen both by my eyes and in photos that they now have colonies of carder, red tailed and white tailed bumble bees who weren't there yesterday. It seemed easiest to describe them as swarming but technically of course this may not be the right terminology

 

[Heather]

I get about 4 calls a day.
Usual opening gambit is "You have 10 flying round? When 10,000 ...that is honey bee swarm. Lucky you with Bumblies"

Reassure re safety and if they still not happy I will go and visit. None have insisted they are moved. One lot, gave the roofer a suit to wear as BB were about 3' away. He accepted.
Usually 6 BB calls to 1 swarm of honeys. That is why I take a BB nest (In an apidea) to 'open days'... education is a wonderful thing!

 

[HM Honey]

I get loads of calls for Bumbles. My general advice is the same as what you are saying by the sound of things, although I am happy to provide a removal service if they REALLY need them moving, for which I charge them £30.

I moved 2 bird boxes last night actually, both of which were in very awkward positions in small gardens.

Most that I speak to though are more than happy to try and live with them if they arent causing problems.

 

[madasafish]

I have removed tree bumbles from gardens where there are children and the TBs were aggressively attacking - and stinging - anyone within 5 meters of the nest - including me.

Given the average size of gardens, that behaviour is unacceptable and I will move them.

But otherwise I stress the "die out in Autumn" line - and most go away happy..

 

[Eyeman]

15+ calls a day. phone has never been so busy
Most bumble bees are in roof gutters.
They usually say they can't open the window and are worried the child will be stung.
Most accept my advice of putting a mesh over the window opening to stop them accidentally coming into the room.

 

[gregior]

I have removed tree bumbles from gardens where there are children and the TBs were aggressively attacking - and stinging - anyone within 5 meters of the nest - including me.

Given the average size of gardens, that behaviour is unacceptable and I will move them.

But otherwise I stress the "die out in Autumn" line - and most go away happy..

Where have all these tree bumbles come from? I saw my first one about 3 years ago and now they're EVERYWHERE! I agree they are very aggressive for bumbles and the habit of the drones buzzing around the entrance makes the nest site very noticeable.It's verging on a tree bumble epedemic round here!

 

[TOBY-3652]

had 9 calls in the last 2 days.. 3 were moved 3 were destroyed and 3 were left alone .. I look at every job on its merits.. just look at the farmer when he sprays rape.. does he think I must save them.. NO he sprays and every one on the rape DIES

 

[Roola]

At the moment I think people are seeing all the drone bumbles flying around the nest sites waiting for virgins to emerge, I had a call about that at the weekend and saw a cloud of them flying around the edge of the roof tiles, went into the loft and could hear the roar from the bumble nest under the tiles. Just told them it won't last long then the colony will be gone by the end of Summer.

 

[madasafish]

At the moment I think people are seeing all the drone bumbles flying around the nest sites waiting for virgins to emerge, I had a call about that at the weekend and saw a cloud of them flying around the edge of the roof tiles, went into the loft and could hear the roar from the bumble nest under the tiles. Just told them it won't last long then the colony will be gone by the end of Summer.

I have just moved a bird house containing tree bumbles which act as you describe. (6.30pm, wet so few bees out).

In a small garden with young children at head height so ideal for stings..

Now sitting in a tree in our garden

 

[Eyeman]

When moving BB in bird boxes will they return to old site like honey bees, so is there a recommended distance

 

[beecology]

Personally I think Beeks, being a point of reference for members of the public should be absolutely spot on in their advice about bumblebees.

The attitude should be that you have to live with them, they are totally docile and pose no threat to people and several species are endangered.

Refer them to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust website and if they persist, ask what problems the bees have caused.....we know the answer is none.

If they persist further still, ask how they could be so ignorant in the 1st place to actually not know what a bumblebee is and the important role they play.

Any beek destroying bumblebee nests for people should be ashamed

 

[Ben90]

I've had a few people asking me from around my neighbourhood about bumblebees. Asked a few questions about their behaviour, eg. has anyone been stung. In all cases the answer was no. I explained that it's likely to remain that way because most species of bumblebee are incredibly gentle and only use their sting as a last resort, and that they're very important to the environment and that they're in decline.

Had someone give me a response similar to someone else I've seen on this thread: "I'm all for helping the bees, but not in my garden". I just replied that if everyone who called out a beekeeper or exterminator to see bumblebees said that, do they think the decline would be slowed or accelerated? They've usually taken my point when I've put it that way.

 

[TOBY-3652]

Any beek destroying bumblebee nests for people should be ashamed[/QUOTE]

rubbish/// im not ashamed when a old man of 80 and his dog got 5 stings from the so called endangered bumble bees. 2 puffs of the powder and job done and I will destroy a lot more before the season finishes.. if any one wants to come and remove them. that's fine. but I aint

 

[Summerslease]

Personally I think Beeks, being a point of reference for members of the public should be absolutely spot on in their advice about bumblebees.

The attitude should be that you have to live with them, they are totally docile and pose no threat to people and several species are endangered.

Refer them to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust website and if they persist, ask what problems the bees have caused.....we know the answer is none.

If they persist further still, ask how they could be so ignorant in the 1st place to actually not know what a bumblebee is and the important role they play.

Any beek destroying bumblebee nests for people should be ashamed

Allelujah brother.

 

[biggles]

Where have all these tree bumbles come from? I saw my first one about 3 years ago and now they're EVERYWHERE! I agree they are very aggressive for bumbles and the habit of the drones buzzing around the entrance makes the nest site very noticeable.It's verging on a tree bumble epedemic round here!

Re introduced into the UK http://www.bumblebeereintroduction.org/the-project/
Last year they also released loads of common bumble bee queens in the south east

"Reintroducing the extinct Short-haired bumblebee back to the UK has a number of merits, not the least being the reintroduction itself which is the first of its kind. The invaluable knowledge that would be gained could ultimately help halt this and other bumblebee species’ decline across Europe.

This project was formed through a partnership of Natural England, Hymettus, the RSPB, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and the Swedish Government. It is also supported by a number of scientific advisors and a dedicated group of volunteers."

 

[oliver90owner]

I don't this is particularly appliccable. In fact my response is 'not at all'.

Firstly, gregior is in the Manchester area, and a few hundred, or even 'loads' of bumbles released in the south east would not make the difference seen.

Purely down to the helpful (for the bees) weather patterns over the last several months. Nothing else, I would suggest.