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Old 04-08-2004, 06:54 PM
Devoto
 
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Default Bees nesting under my house

I hope this is the right group for this question - I've got a colony of
bees nesting somewhere under the floor in my house (they're using an
airbrick as an entrance). I don't want to call in pest controllers, because
they're not doing any harm to me and my wife (although my slightly dumb
cats have both been stung), but I'd rather they didn't come back next year,
as it's right next to our seating area and our back door.

I freely admit I know nothing about bees, other than they sting cats who
try to catch them, but my question is a) does anybody know roughly when the
colony will die off (I'm in Newcastle if that makes a difference), and b)
if I close the airbrick entrance off with some fine mesh, will it come back
next year (does the queen die or hibernate, I suppose).

Thanks for any help.
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Old 04-08-2004, 11:31 PM
Tumbleweed
 
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Default Bees nesting under my house


"Devoto" wrote in message
. 46...
I hope this is the right group for this question - I've got a colony of
bees nesting somewhere under the floor in my house (they're using an
airbrick as an entrance). I don't want to call in pest controllers,

because
they're not doing any harm to me and my wife (although my slightly dumb
cats have both been stung), but I'd rather they didn't come back next

year,
as it's right next to our seating area and our back door.

I freely admit I know nothing about bees, other than they sting cats who
try to catch them, but my question is a) does anybody know roughly when

the
colony will die off (I'm in Newcastle if that makes a difference), and b)
if I close the airbrick entrance off with some fine mesh, will it come

back
next year (does the queen die or hibernate, I suppose).

Thanks for any help.


AFAIK they generally start a new colony each year, so after the autumn when
its cool and no more bees in view, fine mesh should do the trick for next
year. You'd have to do all the air bricks. Just be sure to put the mesh on
before the spring (which in newcastle is July I suppose :-)

--
Tumbleweed

email replies not necessary but to contact use;
tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com


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Old 05-08-2004, 12:24 AM
Sacha
 
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Default Bees nesting under my house

On 4/8/04 17:54, in article ,
"Devoto" wrote:

I hope this is the right group for this question - I've got a colony of
bees nesting somewhere under the floor in my house (they're using an
airbrick as an entrance). I don't want to call in pest controllers, because
they're not doing any harm to me and my wife (although my slightly dumb
cats have both been stung), but I'd rather they didn't come back next year,
as it's right next to our seating area and our back door.

If a bee colony has a good place to be it won't see any reason to move. As
you describe it, it has secure premises, warmth and plenty of home made
food, which it will eat throughout the winter to sustain itself. The queen
will continue to lay and the workers to feed their successors etc. IOW, it
has all the conditions that apiarists try to produce for their colonies -
though the honey we humans take off is the home made food.
From what you say of the location, it seems unlikely that a local apiarist
can rescue the colony for you, so I think you have two options - live with
it, or kill it off. Before doing that, you might like to try your local bee
keeping society because I most certainly wouldn't count on such a cosy
colony leaving or dying off.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

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Old 05-08-2004, 12:24 AM
Sacha
 
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Default Bees nesting under my house

On 4/8/04 17:54, in article ,
"Devoto" wrote:

I hope this is the right group for this question - I've got a colony of
bees nesting somewhere under the floor in my house (they're using an
airbrick as an entrance). I don't want to call in pest controllers, because
they're not doing any harm to me and my wife (although my slightly dumb
cats have both been stung), but I'd rather they didn't come back next year,
as it's right next to our seating area and our back door.

If a bee colony has a good place to be it won't see any reason to move. As
you describe it, it has secure premises, warmth and plenty of home made
food, which it will eat throughout the winter to sustain itself. The queen
will continue to lay and the workers to feed their successors etc. IOW, it
has all the conditions that apiarists try to produce for their colonies -
though the honey we humans take off is the home made food.
From what you say of the location, it seems unlikely that a local apiarist
can rescue the colony for you, so I think you have two options - live with
it, or kill it off. Before doing that, you might like to try your local bee
keeping society because I most certainly wouldn't count on such a cosy
colony leaving or dying off.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

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Old 05-08-2004, 07:08 PM
Chris Hogg
 
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Default Bees nesting under my house

On Wed, 04 Aug 2004 16:54:03 GMT, Devoto
wrote:

I hope this is the right group for this question - I've got a colony of
bees nesting somewhere under the floor in my house (they're using an
airbrick as an entrance). I don't want to call in pest controllers, because
they're not doing any harm to me and my wife (although my slightly dumb
cats have both been stung), but I'd rather they didn't come back next year,
as it's right next to our seating area and our back door.

I freely admit I know nothing about bees, other than they sting cats who
try to catch them, but my question is a) does anybody know roughly when the
colony will die off (I'm in Newcastle if that makes a difference), and b)
if I close the airbrick entrance off with some fine mesh, will it come back
next year (does the queen die or hibernate, I suppose).

Thanks for any help.


They're probably bumble bees (rather plump rounded furry things, often
with a yellow patch), because almost all the wild honey bees have died
out due to a parasitic mite (varroa). If they are bumbles, they won't
trouble you after this year, as the colony will die out and the new
queens are unlikely to set up their nest again in that spot.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net


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Old 05-08-2004, 10:32 PM
Nick Maclaren
 
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Default Bees nesting under my house

In article ,
Devoto wrote:
I hope this is the right group for this question - I've got a colony of
bees nesting somewhere under the floor in my house (they're using an
airbrick as an entrance). I don't want to call in pest controllers, because
they're not doing any harm to me and my wife (although my slightly dumb
cats have both been stung), but I'd rather they didn't come back next year,
as it's right next to our seating area and our back door.

I freely admit I know nothing about bees, other than they sting cats who
try to catch them, but my question is a) does anybody know roughly when the
colony will die off (I'm in Newcastle if that makes a difference), and b)
if I close the airbrick entrance off with some fine mesh, will it come back
next year (does the queen die or hibernate, I suppose).


As other people have pointed out, bumble bees usually produce a new
nest and honey bees have a permanent hive. The latter are typically
blackish, with stripes like a wasp.

But why worry, even if they ARE right next to where you sit and walk?
They are extremely reluctant to sting, and we have had a garden party
with marjoram black with bees - the only person who got stung trod
on a bumble been on the clover in the lawn. I really DO mean that
they are the most harmless of residents.

If either of you is allergic to them, then things are a bit different.
My wife is allergic to bees, so we have to be a BIT careful, but we
had them in a chimney for years without problems, and bumble bees
nest in the garden.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
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Old 06-08-2004, 03:27 AM
Bmitch
 
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Default Bees nesting under my house

Chris Hogg wrote:


They're probably bumble bees (rather plump rounded furry things, often
with a yellow patch), because almost all the wild honey bees have died
out due to a parasitic mite (varroa)...


I seem to have four or five varieties of small bee, in a range of
different colours, shapes and sizes, buzzing round all my flowering
weeds. Could it be that the varroa plague has peaked, leaving survivors?

BM
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Old 06-08-2004, 07:07 PM
Chris Hogg
 
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Default Bees nesting under my house

On Fri, 6 Aug 2004 02:27:06 +0100, Bmitch wrote:

Chris Hogg wrote:


They're probably bumble bees (rather plump rounded furry things, often
with a yellow patch), because almost all the wild honey bees have died
out due to a parasitic mite (varroa)...


I seem to have four or five varieties of small bee, in a range of
different colours, shapes and sizes, buzzing round all my flowering
weeds. Could it be that the varroa plague has peaked, leaving survivors?

Honey bees still survive in hives kept by beekeepers. There may be a
few wild colonies that have escaped varroa in remote parts of the
country, or that swarmed from beekeepers' hives earlier this year, but
AIUI they will be few and far between.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net
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