[rich24uk]

It looks like bees or wasps are nesting in a potted plant via the drainage holes (they are going in and have made room at the base of the pot).

Any advice on what is best to do? I don't need to move the pot or disrupt them but at the same time I don't want to create a problem as we are in the garden frequently.

Any idea? Are they bees or wasps?

[Aunt Sally]

I have several pots in my garden that bees are living in. 

They are great pollinators of many flowers. They only build very small nests and they don't over winter.  All but the queen dies and she flies away to hibernate.  I would leave them but make sure small children know not to disturb them.

[8doubles]

Looks like bees, i had the same in pots last year !
Mine were not aggressive but a good watering moved them on.

[rich24uk]

Cool thanks. Will leave them to it :-)

[dugless]

I have bees in the soffit and  wasps in the top of the roof space.

I will just leave them alone as they are far enough away.

[mumofstig]

I have Bumbles nesting inside my shed, but they just ignore me when I go in there 

[solway cropper]

I think we all have to accept that we share the planet with everything else that lives on it. Most of the time it works fine so just leave them alone. In my experience things like bees, wasps and ants are only a problem if you disturb them.

[compostqueen]

Leave them be and they'll clear off when they're ready    Bees need our help!      Wasps will help with aphids so I'd leave them be as well 

[8doubles]

   Wasps will help with aphids so I'd leave them be as well 

Wasps also do a great job on cabbage white caterpillars !

[rich24uk]

OK, so they're actually nesting in more than one pot. I've just seen leafcutters flying into 2 or 3 6 inch pots with marigolds in which I really need to pot on or they will die. But I don't want to harm those that are nesting.

Help. Should I just accept that these plants are lost?

[Trillium]

I'd personally leave those pots. What are 3 pots compared to helping helping bees.

[grendel]

ground nesting bees - native bees and very docile (according to our copier engineer who also is a beekeeper) once autumn comes they should abandon the nest when the queen flies.
Grendel

[Rexmundi]

Looks to me like a masonry bee. They are solitary and non-aggressive, looking for nooks and crannies to lay their eggs. I had one as a visitor for a couple of weeks at the underneath of the opening sash of a upvc window where it was nesting in one of the drainage holes. I believe they are good for the garden and should be welcomed. 

[BobE]

OK, so they're actually nesting in more than one pot. I've just seen leafcutters flying into 2 or 3 6 inch pots with marigolds in which I really need to pot on or they will die. But I don't want to harm those that are nesting.

Help. Should I just accept that these plants are lost?

Go and buy some more Marigolds.  Enjoy the visitors.

[Azazello]

OK, so they're actually nesting in more than one pot. I've just seen leafcutters flying into 2 or 3 6 inch pots with marigolds in which I really need to pot on or they will die. But I don't want to harm those that are nesting.

Help. Should I just accept that these plants are lost?

Go and buy some more Marigolds.  Enjoy the visitors.

This.