Let it Bee this spring

Emma Chaplin
, 16 May 2022
Let it Bee this spring
Bumblebee © Alan Price, Gatehouse Studio
Bumblebee on bluebell
© Alan Price

You may have noticed bees out and about foraging.  A question we are often asked is "I've got bumblebees nesting in my garden, what should I do?" 

Whether the nest is in a bird box, compost bin or simply a pile of grass cuttings, we give the same answer. If you can, do nothing.

Bumblebees are not at all aggressive, they do not swarm and rarely sting. Unfortunately changes in agricultural practices along with urban expansion have not been kind to our bees, and many species are now very vulnerable. This makes it so important for people to help bees when ever they can and we would always recommend that bumblebee nests are left undisturbed.

Bumblebees have an annual life cycle with new nests being started each spring by queens. Colonies only last one summer and queens do not come back to the same location to nest each year. In this country most nests will have died out by September, often much earlier. This means bumblebee nests are only a very temporary issue that should not cause too many problems in gardens.

By letting them finish their life cycle, you can help to ensure there are enough new queens to keep the population going the next year.

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