What bee's are these

[sax11]

Hi everyone, first post but have been looking for an answer to a problem that a few people have had
unfortnately i can't post any links to the image - but the bees in question are currently residing in a gap in the wall. Started about march when a bee went in, i thought nothing of it and gradually more and more have been coming and going, mostly early evening (6-8pm) them nothing.
However i can now hear them buzzing so i presume they are in the cavity, had taken a pic and there are about 6 or so outside flapping frantically to the entrance.

To guess what they are , they are bumble bee sized, have an orange back to them and the abdomen is black. There aren't loads of them and i probably should have filled the hole but i'm loathed to block them in. I know something might have to be done in the autumn.
Really need to see if they'll get louder as it gets warmer and how long they might stick around

 

[abi-e]

mason bees - they do no harm. They are solitary bees and love a sunny wall.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/Osmia_rufa_couple_(aka).jpg

 

[Moggett]

Bumblebee nests only last until the autumn when new queens leave, mate, then hibernate waiting for Spring to form their own colonies. The old colony dies out after the queens leave.

If left alone they will not harm anyone and are fascinating to watch. They have a tough life so live and let live. They will leave in the autumn.

If you want an identification post a photo and I'm sure someone will post the type of bee they are.

 

[sax11]

i thought they were mason on having a look up at them but there are about half a dozen at the moment flapping away to i presume, keep a nest cool so i don't think it's that solitary

i'll happily leave them alone as i watch them come and go and they'll do wonders for the balcony plants

The odd marking make me think they are relatively young - as soon as i hit 10 posts i'll put an image up

 

[sax11]

looked up on the natural history site and the colouring looked like carder bees

as said though they might be young still, so could be another type, never realised they could be so noisy

 

[oliver90owner]

I suppose you can give a url to a hosting site if you use one. Keying '.' as 'dot' etc can defeat the auto controls.

I expect moggett is spot on. Single entrance, few bees, hairy and probably dark in colour. Harmless unless trapped, when they might sting. Need all the help we can give them.

RAB

 

[sax11]

http ://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/farmageddon/IMAG0723_zps0f95e32c.jpg

thats the image for them - remove the space after http

 

[oliver90owner]

Bumbles.

 

[sax11]

many thanks

i'll house share with them till the autumn - they can help my plants out

will they all eventually leave? looking to get the windows redone so dont really want the installers uncovering a nest

 

[oliver90owner]

Leave and die is usual for all but the last round of offspring - next year's queens.

 

[Moggett]

They look like tree bumblebees to me but they normally nest above head height in bird boxes.

Just leave them alone and give them space to come and go. They don't like vibration so try not to mow or drill near them.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/9303509/Tree-bumblebees-a-growing-buzz-in-our-gardens.html

 

[Illo]

Yep, look like tree bumblebees, (bombus hypnorum). (Do a google search, lots of pix on line) As others say, leave them be and enjoy. They will be gone by late autumn.

L.