Thread by @the_beeguy

We’ve had a number of enquiries lately from people worried about having a bumblebee ‘hive’ in their garden.
‘Are they dangerous?’
‘Should I have them removed?’
‘Will they be there forever?’
Here’s a quick bumblebee lifecycle thread to explain.
Please #retweet for the #bees.
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Spoiler alert:
Bumblebee nests generally exist for a matter of months.
Maximum number of #bees run to hundreds not thousands.
They don’t swarm.
They are not aggressive.
They don’t need to be - and shouldn’t be - moved.
You’re lucky to have them - enjoy and celebrate them!
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The Bumblebee Lifecyle.
This is the quick version and a generalisation - obviously there may be variance depending on species and geographic location.

#Bumblebee queens emerge from hibernation in early spring - how they got there we’ll get to later just go with it for now!
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These queens feed up (they’re famished) search for a suitable nest location - dry and cosy (but not too cosy) - and established their nest. They lay a few eggs and sit on them to keep them at the ideal temperature until they hatch. This first batch of eggs will be female…
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…workers. These workers will then help the queen (now nest bound) to raise subsequent broods. They’ll forage, nurse and perform other nest duties.
Later in the summer the queen will produce male offspring from unfertilised eggs. These males will disperse in search of a…
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…mate. Most will be unsuccessful in the mating game.
The queen will also produce the next generation of queens late in the summer.
Shortly after this the nest will come to a natural end. The queen dies. The males die as indeed do the female workers. (Males and female…
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…workers live for only a matter of weeks.
The new queens are the only #bumblebees to live through the winter (queens live for about a year) and will feed up, disperse to ensure genetic diversity, and seek a suitable north-facing location to hibernate in until springtime…
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…when they’ll emerge (remember earlier - that’s where these emerging queens come from) and start the whole beautiful process all over again.

So a couple of take aways for you in your garden:

The nest will be gone by late Autumn.
The nest will be home to at most a…
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…couple of hundred #bees at it’s peak and as few as fifty.
Likely nesting sites: in long grass, under or in your shed/porch, in your compost heap, in old rodent holes, in bird boxes, hollows in trees and dry stone walls to name but a few - #bumblebees are opportunistic…
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…when it comes to nesting.
They are not aggressive and not interested in you.
They will not sting (preferring flight over fight) unless you persistently threaten them or accidentally stand on one or squash one.
They do not swarm - you will notice much coming and…
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…going from the nest entrance as the female workers busily and relentlessly leave and return from foraging trips (something that is a joy to observe).
You will also notice males sleeping on your (chemical free) #flowers as once they are mature they leave the nest never…
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…return.
And your flowers and garden are of course now chemical free because you love these bees and understand that chemicals in your garden mess them up big time.
The nest (not a hive!) does not need to be moved and shouldn’t be. It should never NEVER ever be destroyed!
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You’re lucky if you have a #bumblebee nest in your garden/yard.
It is a privilege to be able to provide a space for these wonderful, vital and often endangered creatures.
If they choose your patch it’s your responsibility to choose to protect/watch out for these #bees.
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Enjoy them.
Celebrate them.
(They’ll be gone by winter and you’ll miss them!)

Like eating apples?
You need bees!

Please #retweet/#share for the bees.

The more people learn about #bees the better chance they have of thriving.

Thanks folks.

Go easy in your gardens.
🙏🏼🐝
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