Your help identifying this swarm please

[whichwouldyouratherbee]

Hi everyone.
I am posting here in the hope that you can help me.
We've had wasps in a disused chimney pot before and last year the nest was supposedly killed off by the local council.
The guy who did it said wasp nests are not reused, but subsequent seasons could see new nests being created in the same approximate place.
About a month ago, we started seeing a few 'wasps' flying around same chimney pot.
Then one day, my other half (and neighbours) saw a huge swarm of wasps / bees over a nearby garden. I mean probably tens of thousands of them.
We felt like there were more wasps around the chimney, so got the council out again.
They said it was nothing to worry about and said they'd recommend not bothering about it.
But to let them know if it got worse.
Today, we had this happen. See photos.
Are these wasps or bees?
Other half says it looks just like she saw in a neighbours.
Video at this link:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/uNPPvDACBEwWkoSt9
Thank you very much in advance.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Hi everyone.
I am posting here in the hope that you can help me.
We've had wasps in a disused chimney pot before and last year the nest was supposedly killed off by the local council.
The guy who did it said wasp nests are not reused, but subsequent seasons could see new nests being created in the same approximate place.
About a month ago, we started seeing a few 'wasps' flying around same chimney pot.
Then one day, my other half (and neighbours) saw a huge swarm of wasps / bees over a nearby garden. I mean probably tens of thousands of them.
We felt like there were more wasps around the chimney, so got the council out again.
They said it was nothing to worry about and said they'd recommend not bothering about it.
But to let them know if it got worse.
Today, we had this happen. See photos.
Are these wasps or bees?
Other half says it looks just like she saw in a neighbours.
Video at this link:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/uNPPvDACBEwWkoSt9
Thank you very much in advance.

A swarm of bees taking up residence. If the chimney is unused it’s probably cheaper to leave them to it. If they become a problem it could be expensive to get them out!

 

[user 819]

Wasps don't swarm so they are honey bees.

 

[user 819]

Regarding the chimney flue , is it a live flue ?
Wood burner , open fire or gas fire for fumes /co2 ?

 

[madasafish]

Light a fire.. they'll soon leave (done that before)
But do it asap before they become established and block the chimney with highly inflammable wax,

 

[Antipodes]

Light a fire.. they'll soon leave (done that before)
But do it asap before they become established and block the chimney with highly inflammable wax,

It sounds like there has been a nest in this chimney before - perhaps a few times?

 

[warsaw_hive]

Light a fire.. they'll soon leave (done that before)

What a stupid thing to say.

 

[madasafish]

What a stupid thing to say.

It's true. If they have just entered a chimney they will leave.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It's true. If they have just entered a chimney they will leave.

One mid summer I noticed lots of bees dancing around my wood burner chimney....I've never dashed in to light a fire so quickly

 

[warsaw_hive]

Yes but you know what scout bees look like and would have known if you'd previously had a colony in there. Whereas the general public is less observant. They could easily misinterpret orientation flights as a swarm arriving. Or even a swarm leaving as a swarm arriving.

From the opening post it's pretty obvious this (I think sealed up) chimney has had bees in it before.

This thread will no doubt be found by people googling bees and chimney, or even AI scraping answers to the question, but telling people to light fires at the sight of bees around a chimney is dangerous advice.

 

[OldFarm]

If it's scout bees checking the chimney out it might be fair to light a fire to discourage them, the problem is that the bees have often been I residence far longer than the householder realises, and there is already comb. Lighting a fire risks carbon monoxide poisoning, melting the wax and the contents of the comb coming down the chimney (making one heck of a mess as it comes down) and/or starting a chimney fire. You need to be positive it's just scouts before lighting a fire.