I am enjoying mine now that I know they are not dangerous, nor damage the house. They are very busy.
maclad,
Jan 18, 5:11am
Did it work, did you get bumbles. I would love some, apparently they are attracted to lime, yellow, purple colours so add these to the area you are encouraging them to nest in. Eg just over the nest entrance. they also like their nest area to be divided in two, with a front parlour and a living area so take that into account as well. Must stop prostracinating and get on and do it. What is the best time of year to try to start a nest as I understand they will only use it short term. Found Miss 2 in the garden 3 weeks ago picking up bumbles, was lucky she was not stung or her love for them may have altered.
edenrose,
Oct 18, 4:00am
Most bumble bees don't sting, as they don't have stings. The queen can but will only do so to protect the nest.
marte,
Oct 18, 4:00pm
If I find one inside I just talk to it and tell it that I am going to take it outside and then gently catch/cup it in my hand and maybe against my chest and go outside and let it free while still talking to it.
They normally then set on my hand and have a little clean and look around and then turn and buzz off.
Sometimes they come inside because of the CFL lightbulbs. If I turn the lightbulb off, they fall to the floor in the darkness. Maybe they are solar powered? But I turn the light back on before they hit the floor and they land and then I can pick them up.
lythande1,
Oct 18, 6:22pm
Queen and worker bumblebees can sting. Unlike in honeybees, a bumblebee's stinger lacks barbs, so the bee can sting repeatedly without injuring itself.
Male bumblebees cannot sting as they do not have a sting. In males the part of the body that becomes the sting in females becomes the genital capsule in males, so is used in mating.
goodbooks,
Oct 20, 12:05pm
I won a Bumblebee hive last Summer - it was lovely seeing them come and go - the company that make the hives included info that Bumblebee Queen's will sometimes make hives the following season, near where their hive was - I've discovered I have two Bumblebee nests - I'm delighted!
This is the site they came from - though the prize was through the NZ Gardener magazine.
I LOVE bumblebees - but not so sure about having them nest(?) under the house. Saw a heap of them coming and going through one of the vents behind our garden tap. Can they do any harm? Do they up and leave at all? Should I try and get someone to get rid of them or are they safe enough to leave to their own business. I don't want to hurt them if I can avoid it.
poppysinger2,
Jan 11, 4:51am
I think they only last for one season and they are harmless and do so much good pollinating stuff now we are struggling to maintain the honey bee population! leave the wee darlings to do their thing if you can bear to .
devine-spark,
Jan 11, 4:57am
That's cool. They are safely part of our household. I have been enjoying watching them coming and going. Some seem very small though.
annies3,
Jan 11, 5:45am
Yes they nested right near our kitchen conservatory I never realised and dug the garden they were in, they are slowly coming back but not in the numbers they were, also smaller. I posted a picture of a nest which I am ashamed to confess I never knew was a bumblebee nest. Just bumped the thread for you, " Who lives here ? "
nan99,
Jan 11, 6:42am
We had one under the house as well. They came and went through the vent. I left them to it. Some were very small, sort of cute. In time they eventually left.
m.pat,
Jan 11, 7:59pm
they only have small nests and give no trouble. great to watch coming and going .varoa mite doesnt bother them like it wipes out bee hives. so the flowers and trees need all the help they can get to pollinate
mojo49,
Jan 11, 8:08pm
You're lucky. I wish we had bumble nests under our house!
nelliebelle,
Jan 11, 8:09pm
We had a nest under the house. I was sorry that the bees had disappeared when we returned home at the weekend. They had been living there for a couple of months and were no trouble at all.
datoofairy,
Jan 11, 8:26pm
We have one under our house too. I didnt know they were there until I came home the other day and found the lawn mower man about to pour chemicals around the entrance to their nest. Thank god I came home when I did! I love bumble bee's (I even have 2 bumble bee tattoo's) so I had quite the wee meltdown when I saw he was about to kill them. He does not share my love of the bees and has said he wont mow near that corner of the house while they are living there. Thats fine, I'd rather have an overgrown corner than no bee's.
poppy69,
Jan 12, 5:33am
Used some newspaper in the garden once as a weed deterrent and an edge was kept up by a tree root. Bumble Bees nested in there and with falling leaves and a few lawn clippings on top they were quite comfortable and just moved on the next season. Is the grate to under your house big enough for the bigger bees to get through? as maybe people who see only smaller bees are only seeing the ones who can get out? I would be happy if this wasn't correct so if anyone knows please tell me I am wrong.
maclad,
Jan 12, 6:08am
I think these bees are much smarter than us humans and they are fully aware about suitable places to nest, leave them BEE and they should be fine Seems they only use a nest for 6 to 8 weeks then move on. Enjoy them while you can, I think are lucky to have them
devine-spark,
Jan 12, 6:10am
I have watched the bigger bees getting through the grate. Yes, they cope just fine. Some are real stragglers though. About the size of an old 2c piece.
thistle4,
Jan 12, 6:35am
I love watching the tiny baby bees coming and going but they soon grow into adults and the nest is deserted. I have 3 hives in the garden and the honey bees and bumble bees live in the garden quite peacefully.
eurekarika,
Jan 12, 6:40am
Not sure what under your house is like, but I get rid of wasp hives by putting my hose on full and finds that that disintegrates the hive. Plus they can't sting you as they are wet & drop to the ground (to be on the safe side I do it just before dark as that way they can't see either). Sometimes the queen is still in the hive so the next day the wasps come back to rebuild it, so I just resquirt again to wreck the hive more extensively. Much cheaper than hiring someone! Also I found the longer you left the hive by trying to ignore it, the bigger it became with more & more wasps so it will be the same for bees. I would get rid of it for fear you could end up with a massive hive & hundreds of bees!
issymae,
Jan 12, 8:20am
leave honey and Bumble Bees alone, they are the good guys, won't chase you unless you harm them, we need them in gardens; wasps be very careful with
cameron-albany,
Jan 12, 8:52am
Bumbles are lovely and virtually harmless. their nests are so small (maybe less than 50 bees) and they NEVER swarm. They're even less aggressive than honeybees (which aren't that aggressive anyway unless treated badly). They just go about their business helping nature without any drama and their biggest threat is people who don't understand them and who want to pour chemicals on them to kill them. OP - just leave them be and you won't have any trouble. Count yourself privileged to have a bumble community under your house :-)
m.pat,
Jan 12, 9:21am
great message
devine-spark,
Jan 12, 9:24am
Yeah, nice message. I LOVE my bees! They are very safe here and I have been sitting nearby watching them coming and going. I have a big garden and I'm delighted to have them pollinating my plants.
lythande1,
Jan 12, 6:45pm
No. Bumblebees, unlike honey bees, do not make big nests. In fact most die, and the queen is left to start again her self in spring, she does it all until she lays eggs again and new helpers hatch out.
Often she will find a new nest and the old one is sometimes used by a new queen.
Lucky you, I'd love a nest under my house.
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