Kitchen Garden Forum

I was digging my plot on Saturday and stuck my spade right into a bees' nest. Hordes of bees came out and yes, I moved faster than I have in years.

When they'd calmed down a bit, I carefully put some dry soil back over the eggs that I'd exposed and then left them to it.

I was planting leeks within a few feet for the next hour or so and apart from bees persisting in trying to get in the leek holes, they kept themselves to themselves.

My questions are, how big will this nest be? As it's underground and I want to clear weeds in that area, how close can I dig?

When do they move on? Do they move on? Am I stuck with them for all eternity?

I'm happy to live with them, but worry that both Tim and my sister go into anaphylactic shock if they are stung and Tim needs little enough excuse not to visit the plot as it is!

I'm so jealous! I've been trying to persuade our allotment commitee to let us put up a proper beehive on the plot, and you've managed to get yourself a free one!

Any hints on how you managed this, so the rest of us can try it?

Don't worry about the stings (sounds like you acquited yourself very well with the initial discovery). Think of all the pollination they'll get done for you! If not, can you arrange something cunning with your Jerusalem Artichoke forest to act as a screen?


Colin

Hi Colin

The only thing I did to that small patch of land was by omission. It's not been used for the past two years as it's close to a fence and shady.It had previously been rough dug and here was a lot of holes and cracks in the soil; the bees just went in them.

I often have bees around the plot who try to get in holes as I'm digging; I wonder if there's other nests around.

Hi Chantal

Are they relatively small bees? We had a nest in our garage a couple of years ago and a local beekeeper came out to have a look at it for us. He was recommended by the council and here at least they come out for free. He said it was a bumblebee nest, although these bees were much smaller than what I would call bumblebees. If they'd been honeybees he would have taken them away for us.
He said they were very docile and would leave us alone as long as we left them alone, and that the nest would die off over winter. He was right on both counts. When we got to have a proper look at the nest next spring it was about a foot across.
Hope this helps in some way.

Jenny

Thanks Jenny

They look to be red tailed bumble bees
http://www.bumblebeeconservationtrust.c ... ees_id.htm
and are really quite small.

Apart from when I stuck the spade in the nest they did seem very docile and calmed down very quickly. I didn't have any fears about working within a couple of feet of them. I'll leave them a few feet just to be on the safe side and wait for the winter.

Cheers

>Chantal
Great link thanks.. Now to try to identify our which are coming to our blue geraniums after the rain...