[colleensj]

They are getting in through the hole in the side entrance door we cut out for the cat, they have built their nest under the big chest freezer (which I am a little worried about, hope there wont be any damage  ).

We've been watcing them coming and going for about a month. 

Now normally I'd be freaked out because I really don't do winged creatures and I do have a phobia  towards ladybirds  . But after now starting my own veggie plot in my garden and realising how useful they are, I am quite happy for them to stay. It's been quite educational for the kids too...at first they was runny away screaming, but when I explained and got them to stand still long enough, they realised that the bees are not interested in them in any way.... 

So I was wondering what will happen,
a) Will the nest get bigger (I cant actually see it)
b) Will they come back to the same nest next year?
c) If I decide I really dont want them under my freezer and block their way in am I mean?
d) What would you do?

 

[gillie]

Are you sure they are bees and not wasps?

They could be mason bees, or less likely a swarm of honey bees.

Yes the nest will get bigger during the summer.  The 'bees'  will probably die out over the winter, except for the queen.  Wasps will make a new nest somewhere else next year.

Frankly I would get a pest exterminator in to deal with them, someone might get badly stung.

Gillie

[colleensj]

No hun they're defo Bees ( I might be new to this but I know the difference between a bee and a wasp)...they've been pollinating all my flowers/plants.

I dont want to kill them off. I thought there was a lack of bees in this country??

They're not doing any harm...well not to us, might damage my freezer though.
We've been sat on the decking over the summer right next to them and they have never bothered us yet.....in fact they have to pass by the bench we sit on to get into the hole in the door.

I just wondered if it gets bigger it might get a bit out of hand that's all....if not then it can stay!

[Livinhope]

If you could definitely identify them as honey bees a local bee keeper would come and remove the nest.

[colleensj]

Right just been for another look and they're those big old bumble bees, so not honey bees. Really slow flying and gentle.......

[Livinhope]

No problem with them at all and very useful polinators.  That's why they haven't bothered you.

[gillie]

As a child I was once badly stung four or five times on my leg by a bumble bee that got caught under my skirt...

There is plenty of information about them here
http://www.bumblebee.org/

[pairofacres]

Great to hear you're happy to leave them be 

Bumble bees will leave the colony in late Summer/early Autumn. It's unlikely that they'll return, but a new queen might decide to re-use the nest. It's suggested that they can locate old nests by smell.

Your best bet may be to establish a nice warm, dry nesting box somewhere more practical then, once they've left, shift the remains of the nest to the box in the hope the smell attracts a future colony.

More info here if you need it.

[8doubles]

We have a  colony of white tailed bumbles in our shed with no problems at all. They fly in crash into you , fly back out to check they were in the right shed then come back in more carefully.

Don`t go disturbing the nest as they can sting if they need to but are generally good natured.

[colleensj]

Excellent thanx, sorry to hear you had a bad experiance with them though Gille   that's not nice for a young child.

Think we might leave them until they die off then in the frost and block it off after so they dont come back and enlarge the nest next year......

[WirralWally]

. . . .
Frankly I would get a pest exterminator in to deal with them, someone might get badly  stung. . .

Please do not follow that advice. It is not helpful.
A bee nest, if it is not in your way, will do no harm and not be an inconvenience.
Be thankful that the bees think that your territory is a suitable place to live. 

I have a bee nest somewhere every year; either in one of my sheds or somewhere in the garden. We happily co-exist. I don't annoy them and they don't annoy me.
Even when they are nesting in a shed I go in and out carefully, so as not to agitate them, and we (me and the bees) get along fine.
They won't sting anyone without provocation.

Let them stay. Enjoy their company.

[rhysdad]

. . . .
 

Let them stay. Enjoy their company.

Hear Hear, they need all the support we can give them at the moment....

[Babstreefern]

I wish I could have my own swarm.  I've even been thinking about taking up the hobby, buts it way too expensive for me to obtain the tackle that you need, and there are no courses where I live.  So I've gone one better, I planted loads of bumblebee mix - they are seeds of flowers that bees love.  And its like a 5* gormet buffet for them.  Many the time that I've brushed past them, even dislodging them from their feast, and they don't bother, they just fly back into the flowers.  When the bees die off in the winter, see if you can contact a local beekeeper and ask his advice for possibly moving the nest into something that's out of everyone's way, but where you can still watch them, in case they do come back next year.  I too love watching them going from flower to flower.

There's a couple on our allotment that have kept bees, and each Autumn, a new queen takes over the hive.  The Queens take the others with them (a swarm) - this has happened twice to them, and each time, they have to contact the local beekeeper, who brings over a new swarm for them.  Apparently, by the sounds of it, you need to get rid of all but one Queen, and make sure she stays, they you have bees every year.

[Dom2599]

I've been watching some bumbles building a nest near my shed, i think it's a great addition to the allotment, i've been showing my 3 year old them going in and out, they dont bother us and we dont bother them

[colleensj]

Thanx everyone for your input.

I think as they've been there all season and we've come n go every day into our shed for the freezer food/bikes/tools etc...no one has been stung and they have to pass us on the decking (our shed is butt up against our deck) then I reckon they can stay.
I actually enjoy sitting watching them go about their buisiness of decent flower hunting....lol
I spoke with my hubby and the kids about it and we all agree that unless something bad happens then we shall leave them Beeeeeee