Bumble bees?

[picklefactory]

Apologies folks if I'm being cheeky and registering here when I'm not a bee keeper, but thought this the best place to go for advice.
I have a colony of bees moved into my house, well under it more specifically. They are accessing through an air brick next to my front door. They are not causing any harm as such, but my partner is allergic to stings and they are somehow getting inside the house in small numbers, so I'm a bit concerned long term.
I think they are bumble bees rather than honey bees, but not sure. They are smallish, mostly black with a yellow tail end only (Not striped) and yellow wellies on their back legs, if you know what I mean.
I really don't want to harm them, and I can keep evicting the few that are getting in the house if it doesn't get any worse, I get maybe 3 or so somedays getting in. I read elsewhere that bumble bees do not always nest in the same place every year, so my thought is that if I can suffer them without incident this year, I can block their access in the autumn or winter to stop them returning next year.
Is that feasible or correct? Where do they go for the winter?
Thanks all

 

[jackbee]

afaik workers die and Queen hibernates - whether that is in same place or new I am unsure, but others more knowledgable will surely be along in due course to elaborate

 

[beesleybees]

from what I know, workers die when the cold weather starts setting in. Unsure again if queen hibernates in the same nest or moves on.

however I was told that next year she wont be there. She setups a new nest somewhere else

so question is - can you live with them for the next 5 to 6 months. If so, leave them be

 

[YorkshireBees]

As far as I know, Bumble bees do not nest in the same location twice. Near the end of the season the Queen will produce new queens that will mate and then fly off to find somewhere to hibernate for the winter.

 

[Davelin]

The good news is that bumble bees rarely sting. You are correct that the workers die in autumn and the Queen hibernates. I believe this is not normally in the original nest, but not certain on this. I would have thought your planned course of action sounds sensible.

 

[Davelin]

Correction, the old queen dies at the end of the year and newly emerged queens fly off and hibernate, so you will not do any harm by blocking up the hole.

 

[picklefactory]

Thanks folks. As long as the numbers entering the house don't get any worse, I'm happy to keep letting out the 2 or 3 a day I seem to be getting inside. It'll be a bit irritating I expect, after a while, but I like bees and really don't want to harm them unless I have to.
My aunt was a bee keeper in Ireland, and my cousin still has bees too, so I can tell them I have my own hive now

I'll try and be a good landlord as long as I have well behaved tenants

 

[Luminos]

I had a nest of small black bumble-type bees nesting in a blue tit nestbox one summer, but they were gone in autumn, and sadly did not return.

 

[picklefactory]

Oh, nearly forgot, does my description match that of bumble bees? I have a photo if required?
Just thought I'd check i'm talking about the right sort of bees.

 

[Luminos]

Oh, nearly forgot, does my description match that of bumble bees? I have a photo if required?
Just thought I'd check i'm talking about the right sort of bees.

Honeybees don't wear wellies

 

[jackbee]

Honeybees don't wear wellies

unlike beeks

i'm sure read somewhere that bees are more your alternative sandal wearing hippy types

 

[picklefactory]

Well... they look like yellow wellies, but they'd have to walk upright on their hind legs to be of use, I suppose.
I've just been mooching on the net, and the closest match I can find is a bombus lapidarius. That looks like the fellas I have, 'cept mine have wellies, or I think it's wellies, unless it's pollen.

 

[Lead-Legs]

Try ispot, great site for identification. Also BWARS a good site for information about bees.