Bumbles

[Gravy 18]

Hi everyone,

 

Got a bumble bee question.

 

Got called to a bumble bee job yesterday, I explained on the phone before going all about how nice they are, probably won't sting, nice to have wildlife in the garden, they are in short supply etc to hopefully keep the bees.

 

 

 

When I got to the job, I could see why they wanted rid of, they were just above the "al fresco" dining area and about 50 were buzzing about, occasionally one would go into a small hole.

No access to roof, no way of taking nest away.

 

So reluctantly had to destroy using Ficam D (for wild bees) been back today and there are as many as before, does not seem to work?

 

Are bumbles harder than wasps to eradicate or what else should I do other than redust tonight.

 

Look forward to any helpful suggestions

 

ps. they are white tailed bumbles, looked online could be one of 5 species

[ratattack 111]

Bumbles can be a bugger to treat as you often don't hit the nest like a wasp nest. I always make sure I treat left,right, up and down with the dust and treat with some oil based liquid on the wall/ boards around the entry point if I can get to it which seems to help sort them. Had 1 revisit so far this year. Bloody pain in the ass at times.

[budgie123 163]

The situation you describe is a bumble bees nest with new queens emerging.

 

For us it commenced with the first nest last week and now has gone crazy.

 

The new queens emerging are giving of a fermamone or scent which draws male from the area to mate with them as they emerge hence the sudden explosion of activity.

 

You have treated but the feramone will stil be there so further treatment will possibly have no effect.

Until it disperses activity will continue.

 

Yes some times they are problamatic to treat requireing revisits but it could just be the queen feramone.

 

Unless they are posing a health and safety risk such as low level on a school site why treat.

 

The bees have been there since late march/april with no issue. The emergence of the queens sees the increase in activity for 1/3 weeks then reverts back to reverts back to next to nothing.

 

Emergence of the queens is the peak of the colany and from this piont going forward they go into decline and will be gone by late august.

 

Education and reassuring people leads to people accepting the situation we walk away with a call out charge bees left to continue polination everyones happy.

[Outofnowhere 93]

Can you not mask the pheromone in some way? When I collect honey bee swarms I spray air freshener onto the branch, whatever, to stop bee's being attracted to that point and not my box. Just a thought.

[Phil Lloyd 10,736]

Hi everyone,

 

Got a bumble bee question.

 

Got called to a bumble bee job yesterday, I explained on the phone before going all about how nice they are, probably won't sting, nice to have wildlife in the garden, they are in short supply etc to hopefully keep the bees.

 

 

 

When I got to the job, I could see why they wanted rid of, they were just above the "al fresco" dining area and about 50 were buzzing about, occasionally one would go into a small hole.

No access to roof, no way of taking nest away.

 

So reluctantly had to destroy using Ficam D (for wild bees) been back today and there are as many as before, does not seem to work?

 

Are bumbles harder than wasps to eradicate or what else should I do other than redust tonight.

 

Look forward to any helpful suggestions

 

ps. they are white tailed bumbles, looked online could be one of 5 species

 

My suggestion to you,... would be to leave the Bumble Bees alone.....

 

YOU make the decision as to whether or not to eradicate a harmless critter,...not some panic stricken fecker on the phone...

 

Remember the modern pesters code,..The Three B's,...Badgers, Bats and Bees,...

 

Ain't worth the potential hassle,...let em lie...

Edited May 24, 2017 by Phil Lloyd

[cragman 2,635]

Budgie123, that's educated me. What an interesting read that was ??

The three Bs...I'll remember that one?

[Guest vin]

did my quickest call out ever yesterday teatime.

 

few houses down the road from me opposite side of road.. bumblers high up and out of the way.

 

back in the house 5 mins later.. happy chappy.happy neighbor and happy bees.

 

if only it was always as simple.

[stop.end 4,079]

 

 

Hi everyone,

 

Got a bumble bee question.

 

Got called to a bumble bee job yesterday, I explained on the phone before going all about how nice they are, probably won't sting, nice to have wildlife in the garden, they are in short supply etc to hopefully keep the bees.

 

 

 

When I got to the job, I could see why they wanted rid of, they were just above the "al fresco" dining area and about 50 were buzzing about, occasionally one would go into a small hole.

No access to roof, no way of taking nest away.

 

So reluctantly had to destroy using Ficam D (for wild bees) been back today and there are as many as before, does not seem to work?

 

Are bumbles harder than wasps to eradicate or what else should I do other than redust tonight.

 

Look forward to any helpful suggestions

 

ps. they are white tailed bumbles, looked online could be one of 5 species

My suggestion to you,... would be to leave the Bumble Bees alone.....

 

YOU make the decision as to whether or not to eradicate a harmless critter,...not some panic stricken fecker on the phone...

 

Remember the modern pesters code,..The Three B's,...Badgers, Bats and Bees,...

 

Ain't worth the potential hassle,...let em lie...

One of the best posts ive read on this site in a while.

[DIDO.1 20,896]

Today has been mental....60 plus calls. I feel like crying, my head is going to explode. The Mrs is going to take the phone tomorrow to give me some breathing space. I've got to answer all the calls because I have letting agencies, builders, schools, contracts all mixed in. Treated 6 nests today that had to go. I find the Vulcan dust is more effective than ficam

[DIDO.1 20,896]

Just counted my calls today....75! Almost all for bees.

[LuckOrJudgement 437]

I stopped killing bees last year. It was really messing with my head thinking 'here is a species that does nothing but good for human-kind and here I am killing them off by the thousand'.

Yes,I have lost customers because of my stance, but I sleep a lot easier. Now I just try and educate, and on the occasions that a swarm is hanging, I can usually get a keeper in to collect it, which if they succeed in locating it to a hive, makes my fricking day. I personally wish they would outlaw the destruction of bees.

[trappa 517]

Just counted my calls today....75! Almost all for bees.

I got 4 calls for bees. I'll get my coat......

[DIDO.1 20,896]

 

Just counted my calls today....75! Almost all for bees.

I got 4 calls for bees. I'll get my coat......

Over now! Come the wasp season it never really carries on as busy for me and I never seem to do as many as other pest controllers. Maybe my website shows up for bees rather than wasps

 

Edited to say that can't be it as 50% the bee calls claim it's wasps?!?

Edited May 25, 2017 by DIDO.1

[DIDO.1 20,896]

I stopped killing bees last year. It was really messing with my head thinking 'here is a species that does nothing but good for human-kind and here I am killing them off by the thousand'.

Yes,I have lost customers because of my stance, but I sleep a lot easier. Now I just try and educate, and on the occasions that a swarm is hanging, I can usually get a keeper in to collect it, which if they succeed in locating it to a hive, makes my fricking day. I personally wish they would outlaw the destruction of bees.

I don't kill bees unless they are a problem....I do plenty builders, roofers, schools, boarding kennels etc. I also rehome bees in nest boxes. I attend some honeys bees for schools and businesses... destroying where no option excists and calling in bee keepers if possible.

I will also attend oaps who are on their own and worried and educate/treat as I see fit

[Gravy 18]

The situation you describe is a bumble bees nest with new queens emerging.

 

For us it commenced with the first nest last week and now has gone crazy.

 

The new queens emerging are giving of a fermamone or scent which draws male from the area to mate with them as they emerge hence the sudden explosion of activity.

 

You have treated but the feramone will stil be there so further treatment will possibly have no effect.

Until it disperses activity will continue.

 

Yes some times they are problamatic to treat requireing revisits but it could just be the queen feramone.

 

Unless they are posing a health and safety risk such as low level on a school site why treat.

 

The bees have been there since late march/april with no issue. The emergence of the queens sees the increase in activity for 1/3 weeks then reverts back to reverts back to next to nothing.

 

Emergence of the queens is the peak of the colany and from this piont going forward they go into decline and will be gone by late august.

 

Education and reassuring people leads to people accepting the situation we walk away with a call out charge bees left to continue polination everyones happy.

Great having this info to hand, have been telling lots of people the life cycle and why the bumbles are so active. They feel reassured, the bees remain alive and well, but no money for me, oh well