Wasps in front garden last year, this year Bumble Bees in back garden. (1 Viewer)

Noticed a couple of weeks ago that we have a species of Bumble Bee nesting in our Blue Tit nestbox. I was going to try and build a proper B Bee nest to encourage them into the garden but no need.
One question, after they have left should I clear everything out of the nestbox, not bothered about getting Blue Tits in it, they've not used it in 6 years !!!, but I'd like the Bees to re-use it.

tufty said:

Noticed a couple of weeks ago that we have a species of Bumble Bee nesting in our Blue Tit nestbox. I was going to try and build a proper B Bee nest to encourage them into the garden but no need.
One question, after they have left should I clear everything out of the nestbox, not bothered about getting Blue Tits in it, they've not used it in 6 years !!!, but I'd like the Bees to re-use it.

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Hello Tufty,

At the end of the breeding season the Bumblebee colony will die out, and the new Queens and males will leave the nest for ever. The old Queen and workers will naturally die off.

Depending on the species, this could be as early as July or as late as October, when they finally go. Bumblebees to not return the following year to the same nest site. It will be quite safe to take it down and clean it out during the late autumn or winter.

It is possible that another queen may colonise it next year, if your lucky, but it may not happen. If you can obtain good photographs of the bees I should be able to ID it for you.

Old bird and mice nests, when they are in a sheltered position, are often used by Bumblebees as a nesting site. The chances are that there is an old Blue Tits nest present in the box which the bees will have adopted. If you remove all the nesting material it is unlikely to be colonised by another Bumblebee queen next year. Enjoy them while you can.

Harry

Thanks again Harry, I knew you'd give me a good description of what would happen as you did with the wasps we had last year.
I'll try and get some photo's, I have just bought the book 'A Field Guide to Bumblebees' so I may be able to ID them myself, I'll let you know either way.
Thanks again.

Harry,
I saw this large Bee on the outside of the box this evening. It looks like there are actually two bees, but I couldn't make out two different bees when I got up close. What do you reckon. It stayed on the outside of the box for ages and was still there as it was going dark.

tufty said:

Harry,
I saw this large Bee on the outside of the box this evening. It looks like there are actually two bees, but I couldn't make out two different bees when I got up close. What do you reckon. It stayed on the outside of the box for ages and was still there as it was going dark.

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Hello Paul,
Your photograph is of a very fresh Queen of Bombus pratorum. This species produces fresh queens from late May onwards, sometimes in the south of England they may go on to mate and produce a second generation. It is likely that it was produced from the colony in your nestbox.

I have cropped and lightened your picture to show the ginger tail of the specimen. In a week or so all the new males and queens will have left the nest for ever. The workers will stay on until they gradually die off, the old queens do not produce any further eggs once the new generation of queens have emerged, and she too will die soon.

It would be worth watching the nest to see if any of the new queens take it over for a second generation, I've not heard of it happening, but it possibly could.

Harry

Hi, Just to let you know that I have got bee,s about 5 bumblebees nesting underground on the edge of our lawn. Its brilliant to watch them come and go. We also have for the 2nd year running, a masonary bee colony nesting underneath the same lawn. They push the soil up, which seems quite sandy, but I think this is partly come from our house, and the soil mixed together.

J Sheridan said:

Hi, Just to let you know that I have got bee,s about 5 bumblebees nesting underground on the edge of our lawn. Its brilliant to watch them come and go. We also have for the 2nd year running, a masonary bee colony nesting underneath the same lawn. They push the soil up, which seems quite sandy, but I think this is partly come from our house, and the soil mixed together.

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Oh lucky you,

If you can take some pictures and post them here, I may be able to identify them for you,

Harry