In article , Chris Bacon
writes
Kay wrote:
Chris Bacon writes
Your best bet is probably to do them in, somehow. Shame,
but probably most practical.

No, I'd prefer to delay the installation.

Great! As in my earlier post, when the frosts come will be OK,
they just may buzz off earlier. FWIW you may have got white-
tailed bumblebees (Bombus lucorum) - a look on Google images
will show you.

It would, but I haven't got that close to mine yet ;-)

But it would appear mine aren't B lucorum since these appear to nest
only underground.

So that might suggest masonry bees. There are various horror stories on
the web of considerable tunnelling damage done by them, so perhaps we
ought not to encourage them back next year. Anyone know what they are
likely to do over winter? Can we re-point and keep them out, or will
they be hibernating inside?
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

In article , Jaques
d'Alltrades writes

You could block the hole in the mortar with something like plasticene
the evening before work is to begin. If they don't emerge from the
chimneypot in the morning, that should fix the problem, and any worries
about the unlikely possibility of igniting the nest.

And then let them out again when the work was over? Do you think they'd
be OK? (Apart from cross, that is)
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

The message
from Kay contains these words:

So that might suggest masonry bees. There are various horror stories on
the web of considerable tunnelling damage done by them, so perhaps we
ought not to encourage them back next year. Anyone know what they are
likely to do over winter? Can we re-point and keep them out, or will
they be hibernating inside?

I think the young queens (Ooooo, ducky!) will fly off and find somewhere
to hibernate, the old queen will die (Oooo, the drama, dear!) and that
will be the end of that nest, but you might hope for Mary Fisher to
happen by, she'd probably know - or have the books to tell you.

--
Rusty
Emus to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from Kay contains these words:
In article , Jaques
d'Alltrades writes

You could block the hole in the mortar with something like plasticene
the evening before work is to begin. If they don't emerge from the
chimneypot in the morning, that should fix the problem, and any worries
about the unlikely possibility of igniting the nest.

And then let them out again when the work was over? Do you think they'd
be OK? (Apart from cross, that is)

They'd probably be OK - depending on how many bees and how much
available air there was. You could find some gauze or net curtain and
stick it over the hole using Blu-Tak or some sort of glue.

Attach firmly a long string, and when the job is done, pull it off from
a distance...

--
Rusty
Emus to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote in message
k...
The message
from Kay contains these words:

We're installing a wood stove this summer, which means we want to line
the chimney first.

But I notice we have a bees nest in the chimney. Is putting a liner in
likely to disturb them?

Does the Pope wear a funny hat?


ho ho :-)

They are going in through a tiny hole next to the mortar in the top
course of stones, about 6 inches below the chimney pots. It seems to be
one arriving or leaving every minute or so, so it doesn't seem like a
large colony. They look to be bumble bee type things, round and fluffy,
with white bums, and rather small for a bumble bee. Any thoughts?

Mason bees perhaps?

I am making a wild guess here but I think mason bees are solitary. That
means they can live in concentrations but each will have its own hole (in
the brickwork I hasten to add).

These sound like bumble bees (white bums and they live in small colonies).
The sizes will vary. There are small species and workers vary a lot in size
within a colony anyway and are quite a lot smaller than the queens that you
seen at the beginning and ends of the season.

Either way, beekeepers will not be able to do anything except as someone
else pointed out, they may know what they are.
As to the liner having an effect, as Rusty said, it depends if the nest is
in a cavity or inside the chimney flue.
I appreciate your concern as bumble bees are georgeous creatures it is nice
to try to accomodate them.


If that's what they are, then putting a liner in might disturb them, but
shouldn't ruin their home.

I thought you were talking of a honey-bee nest actually in the flue. If
these are mason bees, they'll be in a cavity in the brickwork.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/