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Gardening

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Original poster

Bees in my birdhouse

42 replies

faeriesnelves · 06/05/2019 17:34

Hi can anybody tell me what type of bees these are? They have taken up residence in a bird house that was occupied by great tits last year.

Bees in my birdhouse
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floraloctopus · 06/05/2019 17:38

It's a white tailed bumblebee from what I can tell from that photo, we get them in our garden at this time of year (though none yet unfortunately).

Usuallyinthemiddle · 06/05/2019 17:43

Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet. Build a little birdhouse in your soul!

Sorry, no idea but you've made me sing! Grin

Siameasy · 06/05/2019 23:15

How lovely. And the great tits too❤️

InterchangeableEmma · 06/05/2019 23:18

Looks like you need a few more birdboxes 🐝

viques · 06/05/2019 23:20

Don't know what your bees are but a friend had a colony of honey bees muscle in on her bird house, it was great seeing them whizz in and out.

floraloctopus · 06/05/2019 23:51

I found a bumblebee nest in our compost bin today, there was one under our lawn last year but it's been abandoned so I'm glad they have set up somewhere else. It had a wasp nest a couple of years ago so I'm glad we've got the bees in there.

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faeriesnelves · 07/05/2019 14:08

usually in the middle, made me smile. Smile

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faeriesnelves · 07/05/2019 14:10

@floral thank you. Started with one or two, quite a few now. Feel quite priviledged. Hope you get some soon.

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faeriesnelves · 07/05/2019 14:11

Siameasy - thanks.

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faeriesnelves · 07/05/2019 14:14

@Viques these are in and out, very busy and don't bother anyone. Don't know where the Great Tits will go. I've put up another three bird houses hoping to get some sparrows, don't see so many in our area recently. Smile

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viques · 07/05/2019 14:29

You want sparrows? I can send you some! Ours disappeared for years until I put out sunflower seeds for the goldfinch. Then the sparrows returned, in huge numbers, all hungry. I counted 60 sitting in a jasmine / honeysuckle bush a couple of years ago.

I am also doing a special offer on fox Cubs, take one get one free. Sadly they are not garden trained, but are very cute, there are just too many of them, two I could cope with, but SIX!!!

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faeriesnelves · 07/05/2019 15:39

@ Viques thanks I'll take two dozen sparrows and two fox cubs. We don't have foxes here. Popping out now to get some sunflower seeds Grin

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Iamnobirdandnonetensnaresme · 07/05/2019 16:03

Have a look at the bumblebee conservation society website. They can help you identify them and they like to track nests

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faeriesnelves · 07/05/2019 17:17

Thanks Iamnobird I'll try that website Smile

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viques · 07/05/2019 18:53

Is that two fox cubs with two free ones or one with one free one?

Grin

Buy sunflower hearts rather than the seeds, the goldfinch can cope with the shelling but the sparrows don't really have the beaks for them.

frippit · 07/05/2019 19:00

I think these are tree bumble bees (bombus hypnorum) they like bird box's. We had them in our garden. They're be comming more common in the UK .

frippit · 07/05/2019 19:02

Tree bumbles have white bums too.

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faeriesnelves · 07/05/2019 20:15

Thanks Viques. As to the foxes its BOGOF one and a freebie Smile. We actually grow sunflowers with our granddaughter and she keeps the heads when they die and collects the seeds - would they do?

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faeriesnelves · 07/05/2019 20:18

Hi Frippit, Ive had a look on the bumblebee conservation site and I think you're right. The bums are definitely white and there are quite a few now. It started with one or two hanging round the bird box and then suddenly there were lots more.
But they're very welcome it's interesting to watch them.

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BooseysMom · 10/05/2019 14:18

We had tree bumble bees take over a nest box one year and a pair of wrens who had been valiantly trying to build a nest had to give up their attempts. We waited until the bees had vacated the box and then took it down to clear it out and it was a perfect nest of chewed up material like wood and leaves.

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faeriesnelves · 10/05/2019 15:25

Hi BooseysMom, did the wrens come back afterwards? Ours had Tits but they haven't been here this year. Theyre in for a shock if they come back this year - squatters!

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BooseysMom · 10/05/2019 19:51

Hi faeriesnelves..No they didn't come back as we moved not long after and had to take the box down. I think if you clean out the box it stands a good chance of being used again but all depends who gets in there first and tree bumblebees are def on the increase. I'm not sure how you stop them from using a box either

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faeriesnelves · 10/05/2019 20:22

@Booseys. Thanks we've got three more bird houses and want to hopefully keep them for sparrows - they've never been inhabited so my husband will tape the entrances off for now to stop them being used. We'll clean out the one that they're in when theyre finished, don't really want to disturb them. If I find a solution I'll let you know. Grin

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BooseysMom · 10/05/2019 20:45

@faeriesnelves.. ok thanks..hope it's successful. We've moved to a new house with a garden with no trees in yet and so we can't have a bird box for a few years. Good luck with your boxes

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faeriesnelves · 10/05/2019 22:02

Thanks @Booseys and good luck in your new homeFlowers

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