Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => Pets without Feathers => Topic started by: mrsbean on May 27, 2014, 18:51
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hi, not sure if posted in right place... we have 2 birdboxes on house wall. sparrows did check it out but have,nt used this year. thought we had seen bees going in and out but were,nt sure. confirmed today by a magpie standing on top pecking in box then the bees came flying out. one bee must have been pecked and fell to ground has not moved all day. now ants are trying to take it away. it has white bottom,black body and orange head,just gone and moved it and it has a baby bee under it, have now put them away to safety. does anyone know what they are doing in birdbox or is it normal that they use them. my son says they are bumble bees not honey ones. thanks for reading
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This is classic Bumble Bees nesting in empty bird box, your son was correct these furry bees with white abdomens are a species of Bumbles. Yes, some birds will knock the box when they know the bees will investigate the noise and pick them off one at a time. Bluetits are very naughty in the spring at Honeybee entrances, they knock and when a bee investigates they kill them and eat same, I guess they are hungry, however once they get a taste it is very difficult to stop them. Hope you enjoy watching your Bumble Bee Bird Box. Bay Laurel
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Congrats on your new residents. They'll be fantastic for your garden. Magpies, on the other hand, are a menace and make a right racket. Maybe you could put something on top of the box to deter it from landing on it.