Bees in the compost heap dilemma

Sue & Mutton

Now I know we should be grateful (and honoured) that these lovely bees have decided to lodge with us but please, not in our compost heap. Would you - not touch it until they leave in a few months (and benefit from their job as pollinators but run the risk of getting stung) or get the bee movers in to relocate them? I know the males don't sting and I'm sure I've read it somewhere that these don't swarm but would like your opinions. The queen is huge!  Thank you muchly :-)

Victoria Sponge

Please check but I don't think there are bee-movers for bumble bees, only pest companies so I would leave them. I've been lucky enough to have two bumble nests in the garden in the last few years and have had honeybees in the chimney for two years now...I haven't been stung since 2008 (by a wasp) but there's always tomorrow

Sponge votes for keep??

Edit, sorry, that's 1998, when I was last stung! Am older than I remember

Last edited: 07 May 2017 17:18:23

Grannybee

Leave them. The local beekeeping association will not move them either. Enjoy watching the next develop. Bumblebees do not sting unless seriously provoked.

Mark56

You're super lucky, I wish I had them here. Leave them, they nest in much smaller numbers than honeybees & will be done in a couple of months, like you say. They very rarely sting also! 

Dovefromabove

I agree - leave them alone and they'll leave you alone ... and you'll have the benefit of them pollinating your plants and having something fascinating to watch.  I wish they'd chosen our compost heap.