Tree bumble bees

[jonnybeegood]

I had to remove a nest box of tree bees recently for someone who was scared of bees. I took it one night & put it in my garden, next day no bees flying from it, though she said there were lots of bees flying from it.
When i moved it i drove 4.8 miles, a fairly straight road but i allowed the .8 for bends so thought 4 miles as the bee flies was easy enough. She rang me 2 days later to say there were lots of bees flying around where the nest box had been. It appears they flew 4 miles home the first morning, is this usual? Do they remember better than honey bees?

 

[jonnybeegood]

anyone know the distances they will fly?

 

[boca]

It is unlikely that they flew back from 4 miles.
I would open the bird box you have taken. Maybe it was the wrong one.

As a general rule bumblebees forage closer to their nest than honeybees.

 

[jonnybeegood]

It is unlikely that they flew back from 4 miles.
I would open the bird box you have taken. Maybe it was the wrong one.

As a general rule bumblebees forage closer to their nest than honeybees.

Maybe it was the wrong one?
These flew home at least 4 miles, ive looked in the box & theres a ball of dry moss which buzzed when i poked it so there may be young bees in there, the rest were flying around the bare fence where the box had been, the right one, after flying over 4 miles!

 

[alanf]

...She rang me 2 days later to say there were lots of bees flying around where the nest box had been...

One of the features with tree bumbles is the drones from elsewhere fly around outside an established nest waiting for virgin queens to emerge. Could it be the drones are still waiting where the box was? Maybe they learnt the location, there's still pheromone at the old location or there's another nest close by. Just running the possibilities.

 

[Ely]

Bumbles fly a lot later than honey bees. It is likely they were out still foraging when you took away the birdbox.

 

[MikeT]

Bumbles fly a lot later than honey bees. It is likely they were out still foraging when you took away the birdbox.

I agree with Ely. I have to move a bumble bee colony in a nest box within the next week. When I went to look at them at about 9pm they were still flying. Also BBs fly at much cooler temps than honey bees. So I propose to move them after 10pm probably tomorrow night when the temp is around 12 oC.

I will take them home which is about 10 miles away so will be interesting to know if any are left in the original position.

 

[JWF]

I moved a tree bumblebee colony a few weeks ago. I had to wait until it was nearly completely dark before they went to bed.

they were very feisty when you touched the box, and it took me ages to tape the box up as it had loads of gaps in it.

They're on my garage now, and its quite interesting watching them pootle about, especially the dancing drones looking for a hot date

 

[jonnybeegood]

Bumbles fly a lot later than honey bees. It is likely they were out still foraging when you took away the birdbox.

Nope, it was 10.30 at night when i took it, there was nothing flying & it made a mighty buzz when i took it off the fence.

 

[jonnybeegood]

One of the features with tree bumbles is the drones from elsewhere fly around outside an established nest waiting for virgin queens to emerge. Could it be the drones are still waiting where the box was? Maybe they learnt the location, there's still pheromone at the old location or there's another nest close by. Just running the possibilities.

A possibility, the lady said there were lots of bees flying around the nest box, maybe they were drones & they were there again the next day. Maybe the bees inside just arent flying yet? I know theyre in there so maybe its a nest just getting going then?

 

[madasafish]

I have moved lots of tree bumbles in bird boxes. The last one I did coincided with bad weather - and nothing moved for two days. They are now flying strongly as the sun has appeared.

I tend to move them about 7pm - preferably on a cloudy wet day as fewer fliers.. I always leave a few behind -they disperse after 2-3 days..

 

[YorkshireBees]

A possibility, the lady said there were lots of bees flying around the nest box, maybe they were drones & they were there again the next day. Maybe the bees inside just arent flying yet? I know theyre in there so maybe its a nest just getting going then?

More likely is that the nest is just about finished.

What the woman saw was the males dancing waiting for the new queens and this is one of the last things that happens before the nest dies off.

I have rescued 2 that are in my back garden and one is now empty (except for the old dead queen).