Bees in my garden!

[Glennis 15]

We've got bees coming and going from an outside airvent, right where we sit outside. My first thoughts were to get rid of them (no idea how!), but a neighbour has told us that when they've finished nesting, they'll go on their own. They're not coming in the house, and aren't particularly bothering my wife and myself, but if the family come round I can see there being a near riot!

Also, if they do go on their own, what's to say they won't come back, and in even great numbers next time? At the moment there are 2 or 3 a minute going in and out of the vent.

Does anybody know anything about bee nests, and have any suggestions?

 

try not to disturb the bees, they do not attack, unlike wasps, as they die when they sting. They usually go about their business without bothering humans. They will probably move on at the end of the season.

Edited June 4, 2015 by Glennis

[loraward 10]

Bunch up news paper doused in petrol and honey. Let them cover it and set it alight.

 

Where would we be without bees? As far as important species go, they are top of the list. They are critical pollinators: they pollinate 70 of the around 100 crop species that feed 90% of the world. Honey bees are responsible for $30 billion a year in crops.

 

That’s only the start. We may lose all the plants that bees pollinate, all of the animals that eat those plants and so on up the food chain. Which means a world without bees could struggle to sustain the global human population of 7 billion. Our supermarkets would have half the amount of fruit and vegetables.

 

It gets worse. We are losing bees at an alarming rate. Possible reasons include the loss of flower meadows, the crab-like varroa mite that feasts on their blood, climate change, and use of pesticides.

 

And people killing them because they fear being stung.

 

 

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140502-what-if-bees-went-extinct

 

---------- Post added 04-06-2015 at 09:08 ----------

 

Children are now being forced to do the job of insects.

 

In recent years, farmers have been forced to hand-pollinate their trees, carrying pots of pollen and paintbrushes with which to individually pollinate every flower, and using their children to climb up to the highest blossoms. This is clearly just possible for this high-value crop, but there are not enough humans in the world to pollinate all of our crops by hand.

 

The full story is worth a read.

 

https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/5193-Decline-of-bees-forces-China-s-apple-farmers-to-pollinate-by-hand

 

Bees and other insects have provided free pollination for our crops for millennia. They will continue to do so if we learn to recognise their importance and return the favour by providing them with what they need to survive.

Edited June 4, 2015 by loraward

[PeteMorris 10]

Where would we be without bees? As far as important species go, they are top of the list. They are critical pollinators: they pollinate 70 of the around 100 crop species that feed 90% of the world. Honey bees are responsible for $30 billion a year in crops.

 

That’s only the start. We may lose all the plants that bees pollinate, all of the animals that eat those plants and so on up the food chain. Which means a world without bees could struggle to sustain the global human population of 7 billion. Our supermarkets would have half the amount of fruit and vegetables.

 

It gets worse. We are losing bees at an alarming rate. Possible reasons include the loss of flower meadows, the crab-like varroa mite that feasts on their blood, climate change, and use of pesticides.

 

And people killing them because they fear being stung.

 

 

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140502-what-if-bees-went-extinct

 

---------- Post added 04-06-2015 at 09:08 ----------

 

Children are now being forced to do the job of insects.

 

In recent years, farmers have been forced to hand-pollinate their trees, carrying pots of pollen and paintbrushes with which to individually pollinate every flower, and using their children to climb up to the highest blossoms. This is clearly just possible for this high-value crop, but there are not enough humans in the world to pollinate all of our crops by hand.

 

The full story is worth a read.

 

https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/5193-Decline-of-bees-forces-China-s-apple-farmers-to-pollinate-by-hand

 

Bees and other insects have provided free pollination for our crops for millennia. They will continue to do so if we learn to recognise their importance and return the favour by providing them with what they need to survive.

 

Did you just watch this movie?

[scoobz 10]

Bunch up news paper doused in petrol and honey. Let them cover it and set it alight.

This is the stupidest thing I've ever read in my life. As well as what the people above have commented, what if I set the house on fire? I bet my insurance company would be dead chuffed not to mention the fire brigade. Oh and I've just decorated!

 

I was sat for an hour yesterday in the middle of the bees and they really didn't bother me. I'm going to do what Feargal suggested and leave them until the end of summer and then put some dust in the vent to stop them coming back.

[Ub40 10]

Bunch up news paper doused in petrol and honey. Let them cover it and set it alight.

 

You horrible person

[hauxwell 243]

An utterly crass and stupid suggestion for a number of reasons -

 

a) Bees are hugely important to the ecosystem

b) Leave them alone and they leave you alone

c) It would be the act of a nasty minded idiot.

 

 

For once Halibut, I agree one hundred percent with you.

[wornout53 10]

These people will advise you and may even collect the bees

http://www.sheffieldbeekeepers.org.uk/contact-us/

[sugartip 10]

I have just noticed a loads of bees going into my guttering and the house next door has got them entering the roof space above the extension (old porch) through a hole, there are absolutely loads of them and they are all over the plants next to the front door, from what I can see these are tree bees, a species of bumble bee.

[teeny 10]

We've got bees coming and going from an outside airvent, right where we sit outside. My first thoughts were to get rid of them (no idea how!), but a neighbour has told us that when they've finished nesting, they'll go on their own. They're not coming in the house, and aren't particularly bothering my wife and myself, but if the family come round I can see there being a near riot!

Also, if they do go on their own, what's to say they won't come back, and in even great numbers next time? At the moment there are 2 or 3 a minute going in and out of the vent.

Does anybody know anything about bee nests, and have any suggestions?

 

or call in a bee keeper who will know how to get them to move house

 

---------- Post added 05-06-2015 at 19:28 ----------

 

Swarms

 

The BBKA is a small charity with limited resources and it relies on a dedicated team of volunteers to collect swarms in public areas. In the office we have just four members of staff, and receive up to 300 phone calls a day asking about swarms. Around 75% of these are about insects other than honey bees, so please go to our Do You Have a Swarm page to check whether the insects you need advice on are actually honey bees.

 

 

http://www.bbka.org.uk/contact/

Edited June 5, 2015 by teeny

[rainbow2411 11]

I've got a nest in my outhouse, I have checked on line and think they are Red Tailed Bumble Bees, they are only 2 feet away from my house and I have grandchildren visiting every week, I am really concerned that they will be here until the autumn. I was hoping that I could get someone to move the nest for me but it seems that the Bee keepers are only willing to move Honey Bees not Bumble Bees and I really don't want to kill them all. This seems to be a common problem so I am hoping that someone has found a solution that doesn't entail extermination.

[citroen999 10]

http://www.bbka.org.uk/help/find_a_swarm_coordinator.php

 

ring a swarm collector

[loraward 10]

I've got a nest in my outhouse, I have checked on line and think they are Red Tailed Bumble Bees, they are only 2 feet away from my house and I have grandchildren visiting every week, I am really concerned that they will be here until the autumn. I was hoping that I could get someone to move the nest for me but it seems that the Bee keepers are only willing to move Honey Bees not Bumble Bees and I really don't want to kill them all. This seems to be a common problem so I am hoping that someone has found a solution that doesn't entail extermination.

 

Its only perceived to be a problem because some people have an irrational fear of bees, the bees aren't the problem, your fear of them is the problem.