To ask WWYD if you had bees in your bird box

[Idontwanttotalk]

My DM is upset that she hasn't see the blue tits going into her bird box for a few weeks. She mentioned she'd seen bees including a huge one (Queen?) so gave it a little shake and soon some bees came out before going back in. We saw the Queen fly off and then come back.

She obviously wants to get rid of them but we aren't sure how to go about it. Do we lean out of the window and put the bird box into a bag and then take it elsewhere and release them? Would we get stung? They're not like homing pigeons are they?

Ideas anyone? (I've googled and they aren't honey bees).

DM lives in a flat on the first floor and it's quite near her lounge window and the perfect place for her to watch the birds nesting. My worries are that if she gets loads she won't be able to open her window. Her worry is that the birds won't come back.

Just wondering how clever bees are and whether it would be okay to move the box onto the side of her block away from Windows. Would they find it? Only about 10 feet to around the corner

If no-one knows I'll telephone a local bee keeper.

Insect netting will stop them getting in the windows. I have bees above my kitchen window and have put netting over the airbrick to keep them from coming in. I keep the window closed anyway as I can't reach it. This is the second year they have been here.

It is nice to see birds, but also nice to see bees while we still have bees to watch.

@ChequersDog

"I think it might be illegal to try and do anything other than move them. You can’t kill them."
Definitely not planning on killing them. That's why I'm asking the question.

@TheTrollFairy*
They're definitely not honey bees.

@DanielRicciardosSmile

"The title sounds like a euphemism"
Oo-er. Not deliberate I assure you.

Thank you, everyone, for your replies. I've already got a spare hardwood bird box DM can have.

They're most likely tree bumble bees who commonly use nestboxes. Good news is they are short-lived so by the end of July she should be able to clean the box out. Also it's very rare they return so she can have blue tits next year. Sad to say bees are more in need than blue tits so I'd leave them. If you have to move them, wait until night time, close the hole with a sponge and move them gently, they do react to vibration and although a calm bee generally being shaken is bound to piss them off!

I have the same issue, only the bees (white-tailed bumble bees I think) have made their nest in one of my compost bins. At the moment I'm stashing compostable materials in a bin bag instead, hopefully the bees will move on before I have a wall of bags filled with grass clippings!

Bees need all the help they can get, so please just leave them be. Buy another bird box for your mum. The birds will use the box again next year, and they won't be bothered by the bees. Ours are constantly popping in and out with drones flying around on guard - the drones are males and cannot sting, so they aren't any risk to anyone.

Bumble bees have taken over my guinea pig hutch - guinea pigs have been kicked out and are now in our kitchen, in favour of the bees. Leave them alone- honestly they'll do no harm, my dog is always peering in at our bees and they've never bothered with her- you have to get really close to piss them off

Bees need homes too. To be honest even if you cleared them out now its probably too late for the blue tits to come in

Bumble bees nests are around 200 and they die off in autumn. Queen will move on.

Honeys nests are 20,000 strong.

Leave the nest alone they'll die off and move on .

I'd get a new bird box! Embrace the bees!

Blue tits have already started nesting so they won't be back this year anyway. Just clean the best box when the bees leave as they look for places already filled with grass, hay, leaves etc.

If you need help with bees Google your town and bees, sometimes you can't live with them and a keeper can harvest the swarm

I'm thinking of filling next year's bird box with dog hair.

Not a euphemism then

Keepers will only take honey bees, they won't touch bumblebees because they are a protected species. If you absolutely MUST move them, wait for it to get dark, then seal the entrance and move them as steadily as possible. However doing this will likely destroy the delicate nest so please please just leave them.

Yep, we had bees in one of our bird boxes a few years ago. We left them to it and also hung a “bee hotel” in the same tree. They didn’t use the bird box the following year.

Last year we had bumble bees living under our decking outside the back door. We were just careful not to tread on any as they went in and out and they were no bother. I love them.

They won’t bother you if you don’t bother them so if you can leave them to it they probably won’t come back next year anyway.

I’d leave them. It’s fascinating to watch them coming and going, and they’re really struggling at present so you’re doing your bit for nature. They’ll leave at the end of the summer and won’t come back. You’ll get blue tits next year.

We've had a box taken over by Tree Bumblebees www.bumblebeeconservation.org/tree-bumblebee-bombus-hypnorum/ Just leaving them alone.

Bumble bee nests don't get that large, you aren't facing some apocalyptic be takeover scenario.

Leave them in peace. They will most likely raise a new queen who will toddle off somewhere else to hibernte for the winter and the colony will die off as job done.

They're there because it's the perfect temperature in that position - if you moved it (which I wouldn't recommend, even at night, as even Bumbles will try to protect their nest), they'd probably get too cold and die. On a daily basis, they won't care in the slightest about humans, as they are too busy going out and foraging for nectar and pollen.

Blue Tits eat bumbles. So you're still helping the birds, just this time by providing food. They'll be gone soon enough, anyway.

I'd put another box up there for second broods for birds, though. Choose a coolish night when the bees are their sleepiest and you'll feel better about it.

Agree Tree bumblebee most likely - you can recognise them by the ginger furry stole around their shoulders and their white bums. Peaceable unless you are noisy very close to the nest. Leave them be.

Buy her a new bird box and leave the bees be. They're important.

Yup, Bombus hypnorum the Tree Bumblebee. Best to leave them where they are for now. Either move or clean the box in the Autumn. They're a relatively new species in the UK.

Don't try moving them, they don't like it. But they're quite harmless if you don't interfere with the nest. A very pretty bee. We have had one or two colonies in the garden the last few year (two this year).

We had this earlier this year. We just opened the roof of the box and left it open for a few days. The bees were a bit confused but then just flew off. Our box now has a family of blue tits!

I've told my DM the gist of the responses on here and at first she said we'll leave them and wait and see if the birds come back later in the year. She then phoned in an anxious state and has asked us to go around this evening and take the box away.

So, I really do have to move it and away from her home completely. So, I will try and do it very gently and will put box into a big paper bag but where the heck do I move it to?

If I pick somewhere facing the sun In the same direction as her property will that help?

Btw, there is nothing white on these bees.

Is she freaking out about the drones around the outside of the nest? They don't have a sting. The females in the nest, however, do. And they won't take kindly to their lives being threatened (which is how they'd interpret it).

She is asking something ridiculous of you. If you were to drop the thing, you'll get angry, frightened bees in the flat.

Just like she would have done when you were little and being unreasonable, you really need to tell her it's not happening.

www.bumblebeeconservation.org/bumblebee-nests/

Does she have a red filter torch? A bicycle rear light? Normal lights will alert them, especially with your movements and breath (of a predator) near the box and a faintly hysterical pensioner squawking 'BE CAREFUL!' behind you won't help their state of mind

Moving nests in bird boxes

Some bumblebees, especially the Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum), nest in bird boxes and lofts. To move a colony in a bird nest box, follow these instructions:

Wear protective clothing, especially gloves.
Take a note of where the nest is and how you will reach it when it is dark.
Wait until all or most of the workers have returned – this is often well after dusk.
When activity quietens down, block up the entrance hole with flexible foam (e.g. from a sponge or scouring pad).
Seal up any holes you find around the box using tape, as bumblebees can easily use these to escape from the box when it is being moved.
Take the box down, without tipping it over, and keep it on a flat surface until you are ready to move it.
Carefully move the box to its new location which should ideally be within a few feet of the old site or over 1km away – see our nest FAQ for more info. It should be at least 5 ft. off the ground and attached to a surface that is not liable to vibration, as this can disturb the bees.
Remove the bung the next day, and the bees will leave to explore their new area. It is best to leave it until after midday to remove the bung.