Newby

[Alan Yates]

Hi Guys and Gals
This is my 1st venture onto your interesting forum.
I do how ever have a question to ask I have noticed that I have bee's coming and going into a hole in the cement between the bricks of my bungalow I have seen two types of bee one doe's look like a bumble bee ( but might be a larger worker bee) and a lot of smaller brownish bee's entering and leaving the hole, the wall of the house does stay warm during the day and keeps the heat for some time (I have had cavity wall insulation put in two years ago just some information.) I have seen pollen on the legs of both type of bee. Could any one advise me what type of bee I may have as a house guest and should I be concerned with there presence also should I be concerned for my dogs and cat, and do they cause any other damage to the interior of the cavity wall.
Should I just watch and enjoy.
Alan

 

[BeeJayBee]

Try checking against pictures on the Bumblebee Conservation Trust http://bumblebeeconservation.org/

 

[Peterxix]

Hi Guys and Gals
This is my 1st venture onto your interesting forum.
I do how ever have a question to ask I have noticed that I have bee's coming and going into a hole in the cement between the bricks of my bungalow I have seen two types of bee one doe's look like a bumble bee ( but might be a larger worker bee) and a lot of smaller brownish bee's entering and leaving the hole, the wall of the house does stay warm during the day and keeps the heat for some time (I have had cavity wall insulation put in two years ago just some information.) I have seen pollen on the legs of both type of bee. Could any one advise me what type of bee I may have as a house guest and should I be concerned with there presence also should I be concerned for my dogs and cat, and do they cause any other damage to the interior of the cavity wall.
Should I just watch and enjoy.
Alan

From your description they sound like Bumble Bees, Leave them alone if they are not bothering you, and when the first frost comes they will all die of,

 

[oliver90owner]

If it looks like a bumble and quacks like bumble it probably is a bumble - oh that's for a duck isn't it!

Can't honestly say from your description. Possibly either. Could you be seeing drones and workers, or even perhaps worker and new queen bumbles? Can't tell from here.

Bumbles will only have a few hundred in the colony, honey bees rather more - right up to about 60 000.

BY has it right. Check out some pics. You could temporarily cover the hole to get a better view of the returning bees in order to make recognition or take pics easier.

If bumbles they will be gone long before any frosts as the colony will break down after the young queens leave and get mated. They hibernate and start new colonies in the following spring, so they luckily don't all die!

As for being a danger to your dogs and cat - I doubt it but could not be 100% sure.

If honey bees, they will not damage the cavity, per se, but would likely be filling part with honeycomb.

Initial gut feeling suggested honey bees to me, but the query of whether they may be a danger to cat and dogs, suggests the entry point is low down, which would favour bumbles as temporary incumbents, as does pollen on both 'types' of bee.

RAB

 

[BeeFarmer]

 

[Alan Yates]

Hi Guys
Many thanks for your replies boy you guys know your stuff Well I have a nest of bumble bee's as house guests. I will wait until autumn to do anything about my non-paying house guests do wish they had sat nav and stay out the conservatory as I am always up and down to open doors & windows to let them out.
As for my pets I don't think they will fall out as the hole in the wall is just under the soffit.
Once again thank you very much for your help (next question how do I get the honey out of the wall with knocking it down LOL)
Alan

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

next question how do I get the honey out of the wall with knocking it down LOL

Bumbles don't make much honey ,hardly any really - just enough to sustain themselves - as they hibernate in the winter there's no need to lay stores in. When they've gone, just block the hole up.