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Hi
I noticed yesterday that a bees’ nest has appeared in our garden – it’s in the cavity of my wooden home office, just above the door.
While they are not posing a problem at the moment, I’m a bit concerned they might later in the year as the nest grows and becomes more active. I’m also thinking that they might get spooked by the door of my office open and closing, as well as flying in to the office when I’m working with the door open.
I certainly don’t want to kill them, but is there any way a bee keeper could rehouse them? The actual nest is not visible – all I can see is them flying in to a small gap in the wood work
Thanks
They stay very small, I'd just leave it.
Here's one I had to more as it was in the way of the workshop..
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8452/7964525024_499d976e26_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8452/7964525024_499d976e26_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/d8NgNY ]Bees nest I had to move[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
I bought them a new house (but they didn't move in)....
[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7324/9302764120_cd482ef8c9_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7324/9302764120_cd482ef8c9_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/fb46EQ ]Bumble Bee House[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
We've had a bees' nest under the step to our (very regularly used) back door for the last few years. We just leave it bee and it hasn't caused any problems.
Do you mean honey bees rather than bumble bees? Honey bees wouldn't/ shouldn't really be a problem - 'kept' bees create larger colonies because the keeper is creating and managing optimum conditions for them. Unless the cavity they've found their way into is about the size and shape of a beehive then the colony isn't going to thrive or grow significantly and if they do they'll just have to leave. Don't leave any bee-hive sized opportunities lying around for them and they'll just move on elsewhere.
Frankly though even with the care they're given managed colonies are struggling to survive at present.
Keep in mind that bees operate over as huge area - a 3 mile radius from their hive (thats 28 square miles). You won't see more bees around because the hive is close to you (other than those actually arriving and leaving the hive itself) they've got too much shit to do to dilly dally round your gaff - any you do see are more likely from another colony that might be miles away.. Theres 5 large managed hives within 50 yards of my front door - so 10s of 1000s of bees. Never actually seen one of them (as in any honey bees at all) in or around the house in 8 years.
Thanks for the advise - will leave them well alone, and hope they extend the same courtesy to me!