Talkback: Bumblebees in the compost bin - Talkback

Gardeners' World Web User

27/05/2009 at 09:49

Hi Richard, I've heard them called the French tree bumblebees, as they're partial to nesting in trees...

Gardeners' World Web User

27/05/2009 at 19:12

hi. av to tell u that we have a gathering of bees in last years blue tit box!!

Gardeners' World Web User

29/05/2009 at 19:32

Hi, We have some bees making a next in a wall cavity outside our kitchen window. They are entering a hole where the waste pipe is. They are fascinating to watch as 1,2 or maybe 3 bees will leave and then they will return one by one. One will wait whilst another is leaving. I have counted about 6-8 at any one time. They ignore us although a large bee, probably the Queen buzzed around me for a few seconds whilst i was photographing them yesterday. I dont think that they will do any harm being in the wall and i am very reluctant to do anything until they have finished nesting and have finally departed.

Gardeners' World Web User

29/05/2009 at 19:34

We have mason bees in various boxes in our yard. The problem is some are coverd in mites.How can we help them? Some are so infested they can hardly fly. Any advise appreciated. We do take the boxes in for the winter to keep them dry and block up any infested holes.

Gardeners' World Web User

29/05/2009 at 20:20

A few years ago I had about a dozen bees visit my cotoneaster, which was about 2mts high by 6 or 7 long, along my garden wall. Within a short time of their visit, somewhere around 1500 -2000 bees just came and lived on the bush for a couple of weeks! It was quite a sight to see them swarm off in groups, only to return en masse. I have since moved but am training a cotoneaster along both garden fences.

Gardeners' World Web User

29/05/2009 at 20:29

I seem to spend most of my time rescuing bees out of my greenhouse. I have had 5 different types in there today. Could watch them for hours...

Gardeners' World Web User

30/05/2009 at 07:40

we seem to have a lot of hornets in the garden this year very large

Gardeners' World Web User

30/05/2009 at 16:10

Hi Les B, I am not an expert but I know that mites on bees is a bad thing as your message suggests. Given that these are wild bees your talking about I am not sure you would be able to do anything to rid the bees of the mites, in managed hives there are various treatments and preventatives for mites which are growing in importance given the huge problems bees are suffering from at the moment, with Colony Collapse Disporder and the Varroa mite. My advice would be to contact you local beekeepers group or biodiversity officer/conservation organisation to see if they can offer some advice. Also perhaps cleaning and sterlising the bee boxes this winter would be a good idea but again I am not sure if thats the best advice.....contact someone in the know. Good Luck Daryl

Gardeners' World Web User

31/05/2009 at 16:24

bees around a pine tree... yes I appear to have a lot of big bees around my pine tree... after close inspection I have found what I beleave is some soft of infestaion of spyder mite on the tree... is it this that the bees are interested in? and how does one remove the pest without harming the bees?

Gardeners' World Web User

03/06/2009 at 12:32

Went out into my little urban garden in East London after reading this article and saw a single Bombus hypnorum with exactly the coloration you describe. The streets may not be paved with gold but we've got quite a few golden flowers for the traveling bee to enjoy.

Gardeners' World Web User

03/06/2009 at 14:42

I don't think mites on bumblebees are harmful. I think they are beneficial to the bees as they help keep the bumblebee nests clean.

Gardeners' World Web User

06/06/2009 at 21:18

I live in North Yorkshire,& so far this year I have only seen 1 ladybird! This is strange,I usually have lots,as I garden organically,anyone else noticed the lack of these pretty insects?

Gardeners' World Web User

10/06/2009 at 20:58

There are hundreds of [bumble?] bees in our garden over the last couple of weeks, mainly around the plum tree. The flowers are long gone and the fruit not yet developed. It has a huge aphid infestation (helped by ants). Are the bees after the honey dew or any chance they're picking off some aphids? BF In Oxted, Surrey

Gardeners' World Web User

16/06/2009 at 13:38

Reply to BF in Oxted, Surrey Bumblebees do lick the spilled honeydew from leaves. They're not interested in aphids though.

Gardeners' World Web User

18/06/2009 at 16:36

We have just found a bumblebee nest in our 'fallow' compost bin. We usually start using this bin again at the end of Autumn. What do we do about the nest?

Gardeners' World Web User

19/06/2009 at 09:10

We have bees going in an out an overflow pipe so we think they are nesting in the wall, they are common bees not honey. We really want to get rid of them and my neighbours keep asking us what we are going to do as they are concerned they may chew their way through. Any ideas on what we can use to flush them out or are we best off waiting I've read they should go by the end of the summer is that right?

Gardeners' World Web User

19/06/2009 at 10:30

Dear Gill The bees won't chew through anything, they don't have teeth! They'll be gone by October at the very latest, some are gone by July. Bumblebees are very endangered so it would be great if you could put up with them until the autumn, when they'll die off. Then you can block the hole to prevent any other bees making a nest next year. They really won't do any harm. If you'd like more information/advice about them you can get in touch with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust: http://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/

Gardeners' World Web User

22/06/2009 at 10:44

Thanks for the advice, they aren't bothering us at all, more my neighbours worrying that if we block up the hole they will find a way into their house. I will reassure them that by autumn they will have gone and we will block the hole up then.

Gardeners' World Web User

15/07/2009 at 01:40

My 3 yr old granddaughter was stung last year by a bee which terrified her now with her sitting with me watching the bees on my alliums and talking to the bees she is fine infact she gets excited when she sees them in the garden I have been surpised at how many differant colouerd bees there is as i have never really paid much atention to bees before. Patsi i to have not seen any lady birds this year.

Gardeners' World Web User

13/08/2009 at 11:08

I have had the good fortune of having a bees nest down the bottom of my garden for nearly 4 months now. On average their are 10 to 20 bees in and out every hour.It is situated in a bank of soil which i have put a wooden supporting barrier ,two foot high, against. The bees took advantage of a knot hole in the wood, and have been going about their business day to day without fail. To my horror , i have not seen hide nor hair of them since last friday. It is very secluded where it is situated, so they would not have been disturbed by any humans, could someone explain the disapperance please.