Bees - in my new veggie patch?? help

[biddyofsuburbia]

Finally got round to doing veggie patch this weekend, planted potatoes. Just been outside to check it (bare earth!!) to find a load of bees buzzing around in the dirt, disturbed one and then a load more appeared. They were buzzing around each other - swear they were 'talking' about the appearance of my hoe in their 'new home'?!! No sign of them on Saturday - what is going on? Have they moved in to build a nest or something? What do I do??? Please help I'm new to all this gardening stuff and thought bees were helpful but I'm not sure a nest/hive whatever they do in mud is a good idea

[alypaly]

they will probably be wild bees. Best to get the council in to destroy the nest as it is dangerous to do it yourself

[GrendelsMum]

I'd ask on a specialist bee keeping forum - there's one called something like Bee Keepers UK who have a public section for asking this kind of question. They might be solitary ground nesting bees, in which case I don't think they're at all dangerous.

[biddyofsuburbia]

Thanks aly and GrendelsMum - will have a look at the bee keepers web page (will google) - I did have a bit of a search about bees and maybe they are solitary bees who won't build a full on nest - but then there were a few of them??! will look up but thanks so much for replying! Had to get wasps nest in my door frame (of all places) destroyed last year but hoping I don't have to use insecticide on the bees as for one thing they are rooting about where I've just planted my potatoes and I'm not sure they will be very organic after that!

[Whoamireally]

Oh god please don't have them destroyed, they are critically endangered.......alypaly really that you have suggested that on a gardening board of all places.

Solitary bees are so called because they don't work together in a colony like honey bees do, but they do like to dig little holes in groups in which they lay their eggs, then they put a bit of food in and seal up the hole until the new bee emerges.

Some places you will see entire peat banks full of them all buzzing about their business!

They really are harmless - I appreciate it's a bit annoying in the middle of your spuds, but you won't really need to disturb the ground again until your spuds are ready - but think of all the extra veggies you'll get this year from having them around to pollinate, and then go get a bee nesting box from the garden centre to put up for next year

[ShellingPeas]

What Whoamireally says.

We have solitary bees in our lawn and they are harmless. They have no sting and will not bother you. The adult bees only live for a month or two so will be gone by the end of May/early June. They are useful early pollinators so please do not destroy them.

[biddyofsuburbia]

Hello - don't worry Whoamireally, i've left well alone and I think you are right they've are solitary bees who have done what they were doing and gone away...I hope you are right about the sting as the cats got very insistent about trying to catch them and in the process jumped all over my seedlings which was far more annoying that the bees themselves! Potato leaves emerging. Bees left alone. All is good!!