Colony? DCA? Bumbles?!?

[malawi2854]

Hello,
I work in a school, and was called on Friday to investigate a "gathering of bees" in the corner of a building.

I went and had a look, saw all of about 30 bees, and thought they looked like bumbles - but a bit odd they were flying around the guttering 2 floors up...

Various thoughts went through my head about what they could be - especially as they don't appear to be going in/out of anything.

I left, thinking it was either a drone congregation area, especially as they looked quite large, or it was a small swarm, in which case, it would be gone by this week.

No such luck - they're still there - still flying exactly the same - I took a little video - anyone got any ideas?
I'd quite like some clue of what I might find up there, before I'm shoved up a ladder to find out!

My main queries are around what they actually are? They look too big to be honey bees, but equally, don't really look like bumbles either!
That said - we do get quite a few bumble nests around the school...

Also - why aren't they seeming to fly in or out of anything?

Anyway - on with the video! Click the picture to play!

 

[jimmybee]

Scout bee's Or a swarm that has just moved in put a bait hive down see what happens or get a ladder check for drones but most likely its scouts.

 

[nonstandard]

My guess would be Bombus hypnorum (The Tree Bee), are there any dead bodies below to identify them?

 

[jimmybee]

could be? best to get a ladder and check, I would say.

 

[malawi2854]

I did find one bumble on the floor below - but that could have been coincidence...

Would scout bees still be... "scouting" after 6 days?

I might see if I can get into the flat they're buzzing around, and peer through their skylight... that may help, without me having to scale a ladder, and don full armour!

Thanks!

 

[oliver90owner]

Bumbles, under the tiles.

RAB

 

[Rich0909]

I agree, probably Bombus Hypnorum - watched a colony in a nest box the other day and the drones fly madly round and round the front of the entrance as in your video, presumably waiting for virgin queens to emerge. Although some reports say they are more aggressive than other bumbles I found they ignored me completely even when taking photographs from a few inches.

Rich

 

[itma]

I agree, probably Bombus Hypnorum - watched a colony in a nest box the other day and the drones fly madly round and round the front of the entrance as in your video, presumably waiting for virgin queens to emerge. ...

I've got some, only about 10 ft up, decidedly ginger with a white tip to the tail. And yes, its like a never-ending orientation flight - rather faster than most bumbles.
They seem to have a nest under a garage roof that is tatty and due for replacement in the immediate future ... unfortunately.


/ADDED - I gather that this species is a newcomer to the UK and much more prevalent in our corner of England than further North.