Bumblebee in ground

[Hector]

We were digging out uncultivted land for plot and have had to stop short of where we wanted to dig to. Thi is because we saw a smallish bumble bee going in and out a small hole/tunnel and we don't want to harm him/deprive him of hishabitat. Has anyone come across this behaviour with what seems to be a solitary bumble bee?
Jackie

[Hector]

[Unwashed]

Yes, I had to avoid an area of the allotment last year for a nest of bumbles.  The small ones live communally - there'll be more soon.  They're friendly enough, but they don't like vibration, so no strimming.

[Hector]

We will look after them and not disturb them if/when others arrive
Jackie

[Toadspawn]

Hector
At the moment all the bumble bees you see are female. The females do all the work looking after the nest and the brood. Males only appear later in the year and their sole function is to mate with virgin queens if they are lucky. They then die. The only bumble bees to survive the winter by hibernating are the mated queens.

[Hector]

 Thank you!.  Never knew that The kids have a large trampoline about 6 foot from it, that shouldnt harm them, should it (vibrations???)

[Eristic]

It could also be a solitary bee. These work alone and dig small tunnels which they line with cut up leaves before laying eggs.

I've noticed a lot more solitary bees on my plot than normal and I think they may be taking over the niche being vacated by the disappearance of the honey bee.

[Columbus]

Hi Hector, Hi all  :)

Every year on one of my plots I get a new bees nest. The hole can be big enough to get your arm into, (Don`t do that) or several small holes. These are small dark bees, someone here will know more about them, but I can recognise three types of bee on my plots. I just leave them to get on with their lives, I`ve never been stung and I`m not hypersensitive if I was ever stung. I make sure plot neighbours know and check that they aren`t going to react badly to a sting.

Last years nest was huge and very busy and right next to my strawberry patch. I enjoy having them on the plot. I guess they are pollinating my crops which is good for me.

Col

[Robert_Brenchley]

There are lots of small dark bees unfortunately, and my identification book is from the 1930's, with bad pics of dried specimens! If you can take a photo I might make some progress.

[Hector]

It looked a lot like this.  Round like a bumblebee usually is, not a huge thing...smallish. Bands browny as opposed to bright yellow. Heaving it down today, so no direct photos
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology/bumblebee_newcastlePA.jpg

[Robert_Brenchley]

My guess is that they're bumblebees. The first generation of brood is raised by the queen alone, and they tend to be very undersized. Later generations have a mix of sizes.

[MrBean]

It looks to be the Early Bumblebee (bombus pratorum). Here is one of the many ident sites http://www.buglife.org.uk/conservation/currentprojects/bigbumblebeehunt/bigbumblebeehunt/BumblebeeID/

For those who like bees, the dead nettle is a useful food source. It flowers very early in the year and keeps going for a long time. Bumble bees are out in all but the coldest weather and can be seen in December and January, so these plants are vital.

[Columbus]

Hi all, :)

There are lots of small dark bees unfortunately

I have bumble bees (round and bright), small dark bees (which might be honey bees going by a pic I saw in the observer online) and long dark bees.

This is as technical as it gets for me. Its all good and they are very welcome.
I think I have now spotted the hole in the ground they are going to use this year.

Col

[Robert_Brenchley]

The non-bumblebees could easily be solitary bees, some of which look similar. You say they're all dark; native honeybees are dark, but with all the hybridisation that's gone on due to imports, you'll see at least some with a yellow stripe in most areas.

[Hector]

I think there's more than one as unless there are two enterances there's two coming out one after the other.

What size is a nest likely to be underground?.....how deep down etc...we are trying to nibble around to stop going near his nest

[Robert_Brenchley]

Not very far. They don't burrow, they use pre-existing holes such as mouse burrows or cavities under paving.

[Hector]

Even if it's a swarm of them rather than one bee? I am petrified of harming them but we have to dig in a trough for oil tank and think we will go within a foot of him/hole where he goes in.?

[Columbus]

Hi all,  :)

The ones that nest on my plots have a dark ginger-brown stripe and they definitely aren`t solitary, it seems like there are hundreds? thousands ?? of them. There is a continuous to-ing and fro-ing from the nest.

Col

[flossy]

   Strange story, OH and I have two wooden garden chairs, side by side under the roof  ' canopy '
    --   they have been there all winter.     On those sunshine warm spells we have had,  we were
   ' harassed ' by two small bees that wouldn't rest because we were sitting there,

    In the end it got so bad we vaccated our seats and let them ' in ',   they  flew between the seats
     and dissapeared into the screw hole recesses  --  hardly any room, but guese they had over
     - wintered there ?

     Dan , my spelling is c..., but I reckon your Spell Check is ditto also ....   sorry !    ::)

     floss xxx
   

[Hector]

well, we have have rerouted oil pipe to save Chez Bumblebee :)
Jackie

[Robert_Brenchley]

Flossy, that sounds typical of some solitary bees. You've got two which are nesting side by side in a nice little cavity.