From February
the very large furry bees appear, you might notice the various
colours and be amazed or you might well be alarmed by such animals
which for a few people are scary. This is probably a reaction to a
childhood encounter, threats by a cajoling mother, actually being
stung or bitten by insects. Such phobias exist, often for the wrong
reason, researching and finding out facts about the lifestyle and
ecological importance of the insect that scares you will likely overcome
your fear and indeed encourage you to see these insects in a different
light.
I am plagued
by telephone enquiries every Summer from well intentioned people
asking the same or similar questions. Many questions can be answered
by reference to a book, many can not, the following FAQ's
are to assist you to understand, then make the appropriate enquiry
to a beekeeper or entomologist without wasting yours or their time
on lengthy explanations. I make reference to wasps as well.
Bees and
Wasps are divided into three recognisable types;
1.
Honeybees
A permanent highly organised and communicating social insect having
a fertile egg laying queen, between 10k & 90k infertile but
highly skilled & organised female workers and some rather
lazy males called drones per colony. A great deal of information
is readily available from the Internet, libraries, bee research
Institutes and Universities in the UK and world wide with an
International library in Wales http://www.ibra.org.uk/
 |
A
Foraging
Worker Honeybee
|
2.
Bumble bees
Firstly there are some three or four books published in the UK
and a website link via http://www.bumblebee.org/ Bumble bee queens, (Bombus sp) live just about twelve months, they
emerge as virgin queens from nests underground and above ground
between the end of July to the middle of August, it may now be
earlier due to climate change, they build up body fat ready for
five months of hibernation, the queens vary a little in size dependant
on breed and the quantity of larval food consumed. The largest
are equivalent to the size of your thumb from it's tip to the first
joint, colours vary from all black, black with white or orange
abdominal tip to brilliant rusty or yellow bands and multi coloured
dull rusty to primrose yellow bands. Finding good illustrated coloured
plates is, I must say difficult, so why not take a photograph of
some bumble bees and submit them to the webmaster!
The queens emerge in Spring from hibernation, they first search
out nectar bearing flowers from which they feed on nectar and pollen
at the same time pollinating those flowers causing seed to be set.
When nice and plump and feeling the time is right they search out
a suitable nest site, a disused mouse nest underground, thick grass
tufts over ground and warm roofs above ground, commonly they are
to be found in compost heaps which provide moist warm environment
suitable to their needs.
The queen builds a saucepan like cell of wax and lays several eggs
in it, she feeds and cares for the larvae. As these worker bees
emerge they take over nursing and feeding, foraging for pollen and
nectar amongst the flowers in your garden.
 |
A
Bumble Bee collecting Pollen and Nectar
|
Bumble bees are no threat whatsoever, if you have young children
then they are an ideal social insect to watch and learn about. Peg
out four sticks around the nest area to indicate the nest position,
say two foot by two foot or for the children 60cm by 60cm, now look
through your natural history books with the children to identify
which specie you have. Take the children to the library to search
through more books if yours do not have sufficient information.
See what colour pollen the bees carry on their legs, ask the children
if they can see the same colour pollen on the flowers in your garden.
Use a clock or stop watch so the children can count how many bees
leave the nest in a minute, how many return in a minute repeat this
three times during the day, aggregate the sums and divide up to
find the average. Bumble bees leave the nest for thirty to sixty
minutes; see if you can calculate how many bees might be in the
nest. Bumble bees never swarm like honeybees and rarely reach more
than seventy bees in a colony, that said I found three nests in
2001 with over 500 bees and four pounds of honey.
If you need to remove the bumble bees from your house, compost
heap or garden for some compelling reason and remember they die
out in August / September, providing it can be accessed it is a
simple matter to collect up the nest by a honeybee keeper. The nest
must be carefully exposed all round until it is above it's surroundings,
a small shovel, spade or adequately thin strong tool is needed to
slide below the nest lifting it as a whole, a cardboard box laid
on it's side with flaps open ready to receive the nest, slide the
nest carefully into the box, stand the box where the nest was until
dark when it can be closed up with all the bees inside, tape the
box shut, punch small ventilation holes through the box. Take the
box over two miles away and lodge in a sheltered place under a shed
or some sort of protective cover. Bumble bees are endangered, it
is illegal to kill the bees, anyone found to have poisoned them
risks prosecution, the maximum fine in the Magistrates Court is
£25k, unlimited in Crown Court, average fine imposed at present
is £1,5k. You can purchase a proper bumble bee home for £25.
Bee keepers will charge to remove these nests when absolutely necessary,
average cost £45.
3.
Solitary bees
There are over two hundred different types in the UK most
do not sting, any that could do not because their stings are too
weak to penetrate us. If your garden, house or outbuildings present
the right accommodation requirements then you may be blessed with
solitary bees, which come in all sizes and shapes and colours. The
adult bees are visible only for 6-8 weeks during their breeding
cycle which coincides with the flowering period of those flowers
that produce pollen and nectar suitable for their particular needs.
This flowering period often coincides with the honeybee swarming
period thus causing confusion as to what bees they are. Although
no danger exists it is a fact that some people are terrified because
they do not understand the bees. To remove solitary bees to a different
location is impossible and it is illegal to poison them just as
with bumble bees. There is a method to relocate them if done at
the right time, that is to deny them access to the nest site they
emerged from with the use of a screen, use one of the artificial
nest blocks that you can purchase or make, site this in front of
the screen. When the bees have disappeared after a few weeks remove
the nest block to a new location in the garden in a sunny South
facing area. You may have to erect the screen in successive years
as well as providing artificial nest sites. It would be easier to
learn exactly which specie of bee you have, study its lifestyle
in depth then ignore the problem you currently perceive.
| Q |
I
have bees coming in my house, what shall I do? |
| A |
First
identify them, consult natural history books, if necessary consult
a bee keeper or entomologist. |
| Q |
They
are not wasps I know what wasps look like, and bumble bees are
large, these are honeybees. |
| A |
If
they are in the ground or a compost heap and there are a number
coming and going on a regular basis they are probably worker
bumble bees which are a smaller version of the queen bumble
bee. Bumble bees vary in size quite remarkably. To distinguish
between a bee and a wasp look for the pollen baskets on their
legs or for some solitary bees a big patch of pollen under their
belly. |
| Q |
I have honeybees in my compost bin what shall I do? |
| A |
Honeybees
are often found hanging their comb under the lids of compost
bins provided the compost does not smell, a beekeeper should
be called and can easily remove the bees together with the comb.
If they are in the compost then they are bumble bees and should
be left to the end of their days in September. Do not kill them,
they are an endangered species, if necessary they can be relocated
over three miles away, this could cost you between £45
and £75 pounds. |
| Q |
I am a keen gardener, I need bees to pollinate my fruit,
there is swarm of bees hanging in my apple tree, are they dangerous? |
| A |
No
they are not at all dangerous, swarming bees rarely sting as
there are so many immature juveniles in a swarm, bees rarely
sting without provocation anyway. Keep about a yard away from
the swarm and inform a beekeeper who will collect them. |
| Q |
I
have just bought an old period house, I am horrified, I have
just come home from work to find bees in the bedrooms and dining
room. They are crawling all over the floor, up the curtains
and at the windows please help me. |
| A |
It
sounds as if a swarm has gone into the chimney to form it's
nest (Combs) as the flues are dusty and there is no comb to
hold onto a lot of young bees have fallen down both the flue
to be occupied and the adjacent flues. (Flues are the voids
from fireplace to the top of the chimneystack.) They cannot
take off vertically like a helicopter although they seem to
hover like a jump jet. The flue is 9" square (225mm) once
at the bottom they are like trapped potholes and must either
climb back or feel air coming in from the fireplace or ventilator,
they do the latter and emerge into the room. You have a simple
solution, either open the windows and let them out or vacuum
them up. Lay in a fire as soon as and fuel with as much grass
cuttings as possible to create smoke this will drive the bees
out. Where no fireplace exists remove the ventilator and pump
in smoke with a beekeepers smoker to drive out the bees, this
can take up to three hours and is best done on the day the bees
go in, after the third day of occupation it is almost impossible
to get the bees out, they have to be lifted out together with
their comb from the chimney top thereafter. |
| Q |
I
have bees behind the tile hanging of my house, I had them poisoned
last year but they have come back, what can I do to stop them. |
| A |
Yes
and so they will for ever, firstly the pest man did not do his
job properly, he killed the bees OK but he left poisoned honey
for other bees to steal, that caused the local bee keepers bees
to die and poisoned the honey in his hive so he could not sell
it. Perhaps he did not know his bees had been poisoned and sold
the honey quite innocently. The solution is simple and does
not require the bees to be killed. If the tiles are in sound
order then remove the plaster from inside the wall, take out
the honeycomb and stored in closed buckets, take out the bees
on the brood combs and put in a hive which can be kept in your
garden, this will deter other bees from living in your wall,
more importantly, deny bees access to your walls by filling
the voids with rockwool or fibreglass and seal up the access
points used by the bees. An alternative is to cover the wall
temporarily with a tarpaulin and hanging a bait hive in front
of it into which the swarm will go, this needs to be in place
from the beginning of April till the end of August. There will
be a hire charge and a charge for taking away each swarm. |
| Q |
Can
I stop bees and wasps from occupying my roof. |
| A |
No,
not with any certainty, current building regulations require
roofs to be ventilated and yet insulated, water tanks in your
roof have to be covered and overflow pipes must have insect
proof screens in them. Clearly contamination prevention was
in the minds of the legislators, but not wasps or bees both
of which need only a quarter inch (6mm) access hole to your
roof. The builders would have obliged with this hole had not
the legislators. 3mm 1/8 " mesh is required to prevent
bees and wasps, flies as well entering your roof space. Beyond
this there is little you can do other that becoming a beekeeper
and having a hive in the garden. If builders need to repair
your house the bees can be removed first. |
| Q |
I
have some bees in the eaves of my house, what should I do? |
| A |
Identify exactly what they are, some bumble bees nest in the
eaves, in 2001 three house in the same road had bumble bees
in the eaves also there were over 800 bees present in each,
they do no harm are very docile and come to an end about September
time, leave them alone. Honeybees are different, they will store
up to 150lbs of honey, if your house is a bungalow then certainly
have them taken out and put in a hive, if a two storey or more
high house then leave them unless you need building work done,
this is the time to remove the bees at a sensible cost, scaffolding
will be needed and so that cost is defrayed. If a chimney is
to be rebuilt or demolished then that is the time to remove
bees. |
| Q |
I
have some insects flying from my eaves, they must be bees because
I have not seen them before. |
| A |
You
could be right, you could be wrong especially if it is June,
wasps will have been there since May but so few you would have
to be lucky to notice them, in June they build up numbers dramatically
so you see them. You know they are bright yellow and black but
honestly can you see the colours against the skyline when you
are on the ground? I can see which they are as they fly differently
to each other especially on landing. Bees have hind legs that
hang down like the undercarriage of an aircraft, wasps do not,
bees slow up and move side to side if there is congestion at
the entrance, wasps do not they either plough straight in or
go round for another try. Wasps are also slightly but discernibly
smaller than bees. |
| Q |
I have a swarm of bees in my hedge. Can you take them away? |
| A |
Yes,
but are they bees? Can you see the insects if not then they
are probably European wasps. This applies in houses to wasps
and bees as well. If the insects are visible but not the combs
then they are likely to be bees, if the nest is seen with the
insects coming out then suspect wasps. |
| Q |
I have a swarm of bees gone into my chimney, if I leave them
will they go away? |
| A |
Unlikely, it is very rare for the bees to go unless they find
they have made a serious mistake, such as moving into a roof
space where the temperature rises too high for them to control,
or a chimney where the reaction between lime and sulphuric acid
from old soot is so active as to cause them to leave. |
| Q |
What
can I do, bees come every year into my house, I have them killed
and in some years it happens three or four times, each time
the pest man comes it costs £90. |
| A |
Very
simply deny the bees access by filling the voids with rockwool
or fibreglass in the case of external walls and seal the entrances
with a proprietary building mastic. In the case of chimneys
insert stainless steel woven mesh of 3mm squares maximum size,
no greater, no smaller, bed it into mortar under the pots, ventilation
will continue but no insects will get through. Put a bird cage
over the pots to prevent nests being built, ensure following
owners are made aware as monoxide poisoning will result if a
gas fire were fitted subsequently. This answer presumes honeybee
occupation. |
| Q |
There
are bees going into the wall of my house, I have young children
for whose safety I am concerned, I need to get rid of them but
do not want them killed. The bees go into different holes along
the South facing wall. |
| A |
First
it would be illegal to kill these bees, secondly totally unnecessary
as they do not sting and are no danger whatsoever nor do they
damage your house. They are one of some fifty specie of solitary
bee that construct cells within holes in brickwork, locks, hard
sunny earth or sandstone banks. They provision the cells with
nectar and pollen, lay an egg, seal the cell and depart. They
may construct the cells in a tunnel one in front of the next,
side by side or whatever. Despite being described as solitary
many are gregarious reaching the high fifties or in the right
spot the low hundreds. They are only around for a few weeks
after which they depart.
You say
you have children, here is a splendid opportunity both for
you and the children, do make the most of it!
Learning
Look through your natural history books with your children,
find as many pictures of bees as possible for the youngest,
help the older to read the descriptions, ask them if any are
the same as those in your wall. Take them to the public library,
show them where to find the natural history section even the
museum as well can help. Use the computer via the Internet to
look up information. This applies to bumble bee nests as well.
Mark out an area with sticks or chalk around the nest. Tell
the children, "that is their space" have a time piece
with a minute sweep hand, teach them to count how many bees
"in" in a minute and "out" in a minute,
do this at different times of the day, add up and subtract the
differences. For the older children make a chart, work out averages
and such like. Not the different pollen colours, observe flowers
in your garden, in the park, what colour pollen do flowers have,
the same or different? Can you see your bees working there,
if not then where? There is so much for you and your children
to learn TOGETHER.
This will overcome any phobias you might have. NEVER THREATEN
YOUR CHILDREN BY SCARING THEM ABOUT BITING AND STINGING INSECTS
AND ANIMALS or they will grow with unreal phobias, TEACH
THEM WHICH INSECTS BITE AND STING, WHICH ANIMALS KICK AND BITE
AND WHY THAT IS SO. If you don't know why because you were
never taught then it is generally a defensive action or an action
needed in their feeding or reproduction regime. |
Remember,
killing bees is selfish, unnecessary and ultimately will contribute
to the general destruction of the planet and the future generations
of yours and my offspring. Help the planet produce food for us all,
keep the bees, turn your engines off when sitting waiting in traffic
jams and at traffic lights, it will save you money and harm the
planet ozone less.
 |
Author
Peter Hutton
|
FAQ Article by Peter Hutton.
Published
with permission on Kentbee.com.
Copyright © 2002. All rights reserved.
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