About Bumble Bees

Bumble Bee

Bumble Bee Nest

Bumble Bee

When it comes to bees, not many people know that there are all sorts of different kinds.  This is especially true when it comes to the bumblebee.  Can you tell which bee is the bumble bee?  Well, you have probably seen it buzzing around your picnic basket once in a while; it is the big, hairy black and yellow bee that is dubbed the bumble bee!  Of course, there is not just one type of bumblebee, actually there are over two hundred different types of bumble bees in the world and fifty of these types can be found in North America alone! 

These bees are all but harmless; they absolutely hate to sting and they definitely only look to collect all sorts of nectar.  Most gardeners, instead of shooing away these beautiful bees, actually welcome the sight of them.   

Bumble bees are actually the most harmless of all of the bee family, they rarely get near humans and they only sting when they absolutely feel threatened or feel as though they simply can not escape from a predator.  Most of the time, these bees will just fly away and leave you alone.  It is a known fact that these bees do not have many predators; skunks are really the only animal that really threatens the bumble bee and that is only due to the fact that skunks will hunt out a bumble bee nest and help themselves to all of the bee larvae as well as the bumble bees themselves.   

When it comes to the queen bumblebee, she will come out of hibernation every spring in order to find a new spot to build her nest and start a brand new colony.  The queen bee is always fertilized the previous season and has hibernated away the winter months.  It is a known fact that a queen bee will never use the same nesting spot as it is easier for predators to destroy the colony if it is placed in the same spot every single time.   

When it comes to bumble bees, there are a few ways to stop a bumble bee infestation/ nest in your yard.  First, you need to clean up your yard.  You want to make sure that there is no unwanted mulch or any other organic debris.  You want to make sure to remove any flat items, as this is where a lot of bumble bees like make their nest under.  Boards, plywood or any other building materials make a great place for a bumblebee colony to nest.  Also, flat rocks, stones and bricks should definitely be removed if you can. A disturbed nest could produce a lot of angry bumble bees, they are only harmless when foraging for pollen sources.

• Facts About Bees
• Missing Bees
• Types of Bees
• About Honey Bees
• About Killer Bees
• About Carpenter Bees
• About Mason Bees
• About Ground Bees