Nest in Airbrick

[FairyNuf]

Hi, I'm new here and am looking for advice, I hope that I'm not asking in the wrong place, or asking stupid questions.

We've just moved house a couple of weeks ago and have seen some bee activity in the garden, and traced it back to an airbrick near the back door.

Yesterday, however, my wife noticed much more activity and when I returned I found that a during a five minute period I was able to count about a dozen bees coming and going.

Having had a look at them I think that they're Early Bumblebees (bombus pratorum).

I do not want any harm to come to the bees or their nest but I don't want this happening again. If possible, I'd like ensure that there is no queen remains in the nest when the swarm happens, but if not just to be sure that we don't get the same again.

I've read some information but would appreciate advice from genuine enthusiasts.

Thanks,in advance, for any guidance, and sorry for the long first post.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Ideally, if bumbles, they can be left to go about their peaceful ways until the autumn when they will leave. Shouldn't sting and only do nice things for your garden.

 

[oliver90owner]

when the swarm happens

If they are bumbles it will never occur.

 

[FairyNuf]

Thanks for the replies,

That's the plan really, although there's more about than I initially anticipated I certainly don't want them harmed. They're a bit close to the back door and we may need to limit the playing in the garden more than we wanted but it's no harm.

I think my lack of familiarity with the life cycle and processes made me use the term "swarm" when I didn't mean that - I'm learning, slowly. My understanding now is that at a late point in the life of a colony, a new queen queen flies away and is mated then hibernates or starts a new colony, and the old queen dies. This may be in autumn or it may happen mid season. I'd have liked to prevent return if this happened mid season, but I'm now not sure I can.

So, if we can get to the end of the season we can simply put mesh over the airbricks and that should mean we don't get a repeat? If I do this I'm not going to be trapping anything alive in there?

Also, the bees are only using one airbrick, but there are others. Should I mesh these straight away to prevent them being selected by daughter colonies?

 

[oliver90owner]

I think my lack of familiarity with the life cycle and processes made me use the term "swarm" when I didn't mean that

Ahhh, right. So what did you mean?

They are very unlikely to use that site again next year.

Should I mesh these straight away to prevent them being selected by daughter colonies?

Unlikely to be daughter colonies this year. Possible, depending on species, but unlikely. And unlikely to make a home in the next air brick either.

Look, this is not a common happening - like, how many times have you found a bee nest in an airbrick (well, behind it)?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

As I understand it, bumbles don't normally return to their old abandonend haunts

 

[FairyNuf]

Ahhh, right. So what did you mean?

I just meant when a new queen leaves the colony to start a new one. I thought of it in terms of the new queen taking some of the workers with her, which I associate with bees, but apparently not bumbles. Any more.

They are very unlikely to use that site again next year.

I keep reading/ hearing that, I was trying to be sure. If I can reduce the probability from 1 in 100 to 1 in 10000 then I think it's worth doing. I once had an enormous wasp's nest which I was told could have only been 2-3 years old, and this isn't meant to happen either.

Unlikely to be daughter colonies this year. Possible, depending on species, but unlikely. And unlikely to make a home in the next air brick either.

Early Bumblebee apparently might, if the weather is warm enough, which is why I asked the question. I also wondered how territorial they are, and if they're likely to spread out some distance or just nip along the wall.

Look, this is not a common happening - like, how many times have you found a bee nest in an airbrick (well, behind it)?

Every spring since we moved here, which is why it's eliciting some concern. However, as this is also the first/only time, I concede your point.

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Bumble's are almost totally docile. Our garden is full of them and neither of the children have ever been stung.
My advice would be to completely ignore them, they'll go about their business without bothering you.

 

[oliver90owner]

Every spring since we moved here,

That would be precisely correct, I imagine.... as in post #1 you saidL:

We've just moved house a couple of weeks ago

'One swallow does not make a summer' so the saying goes.

RAB

 

[MJBee]

Bumble's are almost totally docile. Our garden is full of them and neither of the children have ever been stung.
My advice would be to completely ignore them, they'll go about their business without bothering you.

The only advice I would add is no bare feet in the garden. The only risk of being stung is if you stand or sit on a Bumble

 

[FairyNuf]

Every spring since we moved here,

That would be precisely correct, I imagine.... as in post #1 you saidL:

We've just moved house a couple of weeks ago

'One swallow does not make a summer' so the saying goes.

RAB

Indeed, that was the intention of that whole paragraph, to mock myself for my level of concern but to put it in context. I apologise for the weak joke, cf:

Every spring since we moved here, which is why it's eliciting some concern. However, as this is also the first/only time, I concede your point.

Overall, can I thank everyone for your help and guidance on this? I'm left a lot more confident that things will be ok if we just leave it.

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Overall, can I thank everyone for your help and guidance on this? I'm left a lot more confident that things will be ok if we just leave it.

Glad we could put your mind at rest