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.

Leave a comment
Time Δ Debug Message - Perch Runway 3.2
1792301426.63120 [907] SELECT p.pagePath, pr.routePattern, pr.routeRegExp, p.pageTemplate, pr.routeOrder, s.settingValue AS siteOffline FROM swt_pages_staging p LEFT JOIN swt_page_routes pr ON p.pageID=pr.pageID LEFT JOIN swt_settings s ON s.settingID='siteOffline' UNION SELECT NULL AS pagePath, pr2.routePattern, pr2.routeRegExp, pr2.templatePath AS pageTemplate, pr2.routeOrder, NULL AS siteOffline FROM swt_page_routes pr2 WHERE templateID!=0 ORDER BY routeOrder ASC, pagePath ASC
1792301426.66930.0381Matched route: news/[slug:s]
1792301426.66940.0001Server address: 216.73.216.236
1792301426.66950Using master page: /templates/pages/blog/post.php
1792301426.66950Page arguments: 
Array
(
    [0] => /news/let-it-bee-this-spring
    [s] => let-it-bee-this-spring
    [1] => let-it-bee-this-spring
)
1792301426.66990.0004 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1792301426.67130.0014 [86] SELECT DISTINCT settingID, settingValue FROM swt_settings WHERE userID=0
1792301426.6740.0027 [1] SELECT locationID FROM swt_shop_tax_locations WHERE locationIsHome=1 LIMIT 1
1792301426.67490.001INSERT INTO swt_shop_cart(memberID,locationID,currencyID,cartPricing,cartProperties) VALUES(NULL,'1',47,'standard','[]')
1792301426.68090.006 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=25089303
1792301426.6820.0011 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=25089303
1792301426.68320.0011 [nil] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_sales WHERE saleFrom<='2026-10-18 05:30:00' AND saleTo>'2026-10-18 05:30:00' AND saleActive=1 AND saleDeleted IS NULL ORDER BY saleOrder ASC
1792301426.68490.0017 [1] SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS DISTINCT tbl.* FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, main.*, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_blog_index idx JOIN swt_blog_posts main ON idx.itemID=main.postID AND idx.itemKey='postID' JOIN swt_blog_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey='postID' AND idx2.indexKey='_id' WHERE 1=1 AND ((idx.indexKey='postSlug' AND idx.indexValue='let-it-bee-this-spring')) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey=idx2.itemKey GROUP BY idx.itemID, idx2.indexValue, postID ) as tbl WHERE (postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-10-18 05:30:00' ) GROUP BY itemID, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC LIMIT 0, 10
1792301426.68950.0046 [1] SELECT FOUND_ROWS() AS `count`
1792301426.69050.001 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_posts WHERE postID=2779 AND postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-10-18 05:30:00'
1792301426.6920.0015 [13] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_sections ORDER BY sectionTitle ASC
1792301426.69310.0011 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blogs ORDER BY blogTitle ASC
1792301426.69420.0011 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories WHERE catID=30 LIMIT 1
1792301426.69510.0009 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories WHERE catID=32 LIMIT 1
1792301426.6960.0008Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1792301426.69620.0003 [162] SELECT catID, catPath FROM swt_categories
1792301426.69760.0014 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_posts WHERE postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-10-18 05:30:00' AND postSlug='let-it-bee-this-spring'
1792301426.73040.0328Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1792301426.73110.0007 [250] SELECT country, countryID FROM swt_shop_countries WHERE countryActive=1 ORDER BY country ASC
1792301426.73360.0025Using template: /templates/pages/attributes/seo.html
1792301426.73390.0004 [1] SELECT regionID, regionTemplate, regionPage, regionRev AS rev FROM swt_content_regions WHERE regionKey='Banner image' AND (regionPage='/news/post' OR regionPage='*')
1792301426.73540.0014 [nil] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, c.regionID, idx.pageID, c.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_content_index idx JOIN swt_content_items c ON idx.itemID=c.itemID AND idx.itemRev=c.itemRev AND idx.regionID=c.regionID JOIN swt_content_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE ((idx.regionID=104 AND idx.itemRev=0)) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, pageID, itemJSON, sortval, regionID ORDER BY sortval ASC
1792301426.73780.0024 [82] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageDepth >=0 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1792301426.74240.0046 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1792301426.74330.0009 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1792301426.74640.0031Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template.html
1792301426.74650.0001 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1792301426.74730.0008 [4] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1792301426.74780.0005 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1792301426.75080.003 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1792301426.7520.0012 [7] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1792301426.75280.0008 [9] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1792301426.75590.0031 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' OR pageSortPath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1792301426.75710.0012 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageHidden=0 AND pageNew=0 AND pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition
1792301426.76040.0033 [1] Using template: /templates/navigation/breadcrumbs.html
1792301426.76090.0005Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1792301426.76120.0003 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_authors WHERE authorID='20' LIMIT 1
1792301426.76220.001Using template: /templates/blog/author.html
1792301426.76260.0004 [1] SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS DISTINCT tbl.* FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, main.*, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_blog_index idx JOIN swt_blog_posts main ON idx.itemID=main.postID AND idx.itemKey='postID' JOIN swt_blog_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey='postID' AND idx2.indexKey='_id' WHERE 1=1 AND ((idx.indexKey='postSlug' AND idx.indexValue='let-it-bee-this-spring')) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey=idx2.itemKey GROUP BY idx.itemID, idx2.indexValue, postID ) as tbl WHERE (postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-10-18 05:30:00' ) GROUP BY itemID, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC LIMIT 0, 1
1792301426.76580.0032 [1] SELECT FOUND_ROWS() AS `count`
1792301426.76650.0007 [1] Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1792301426.76920.0028Using template: /templates/blog/comment_form.html
1792301426.77050.0013 [nil] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_comments WHERE 1=1 AND postID=2779 AND commentStatus='LIVE' ORDER BY FIELD(webmentionType, 'like', 'repost', 'comment', NULL) ASC, commentDateTime ASC
1792301426.85330.0828 [0] Using template: /templates/blog/comment.html
1792301426.85370.0004Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1792301426.8540.0003 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_authors WHERE authorID='20' LIMIT 1
1792301426.8550.0009 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/what-we-do' OR pageSortPath='/what-we-do' LIMIT 1
1792301426.85620.0012 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-002' LIMIT 1
1792301426.8570.0008 [7] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-002%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1792301426.85970.0027 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1792301426.86040.0006 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1792301426.86310.0028 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1792301426.86440.0013 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1792301426.86520.0008 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1792301426.86620.001 [38] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1792301426.870.0039 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1792301426.87070.0007 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1792301426.87360.0028 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1792301426.87860.005 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/visit' OR pageSortPath='/visit' LIMIT 1
1792301426.87930.0007 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-004' LIMIT 1
1792301426.87990.0006 [30] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-004%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1792301426.88380.0039 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1792301426.88450.0006 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1792301426.88660.0022 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1792301426.88970.0031 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1792301426.89040.0007 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1792301426.8910.0006 [11] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1792301426.8940.003 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1792301426.89480.0008 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1792301426.89710.0023 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1792301426.8990.0019Request time: 0.2707
1792301426.8990Process time: 0.2706
1792301426.8990Memory: 1.6229