My house has a small section of flat roof at the front and it seems some bees have decided to set up shop in a gap somewhere. I noticed it today while doing a bit of gardening, and although they're not posing a massive risk, I am looking at getting the flat roof replaced in the near future as it's old and leaking.
So was just wondering how long they might be there? I'd rather not get rid unless I really have to. I'm not sure the roofing folk would thank me for asking them to replace a roof with some not so happy bees living within!
The roof can wait until late autumn but will the bees be gone by then?
Thanks in advance,
GQ
Find a local beekeeper
+1 to finding a local beekeeper. There should a local group near you. They will want them. The local ones near me have said they are down a bit on capacity due to weather and some other factors.
May, June, July is swarm season so sounds like you got a swarm making a new home. If so, they won't swarm again this year, unless the Queen decides she doesn't like the new home.
They won't damage anything and might even seal some of the leaks in that part of the roof for you.
But as above, best call a local beekeeper.
You anywhere near Edinburgh/Borders?
I have contact details for local beekeepers
Depends what type of bee. We have a couple of smallish colonies around most years and just leave them alone but they aren't honey bees (red tailed bumble bee I think). Honey bees would be more problematic. BBKA website might be helpful.
+1 on a local keeper can advise on which exact model of bee you have, possibly move them.
We've a colony of Carder bees in our garden. They live in burrows and are a delight to have around.
Crows were making a mess of my parents grass turns out they were digging for bees.
I've discovered a bumble bee nest in my cellar this week. Not ideal but they aren't aggressive and mostly stay in their corner. Local bee man seemed to suggest just leaving them but would remove them if they become a problem.
Most bumblebee nests will be finished by August
The advice is to leave bumblebee nests, we have had two in our loft in recent years. I have left them alone and sealed the holes they were using in January.
Thanks all, I'll try and dig out details for local beekeepers. There's a chance the roof work may start before autumn so will need to see what's best.
You anywhere near Edinburgh/Borders?
No, I'm in North Yorkshire but thanks anyway.
We had bumblebees that came back 3 years in a row (even though everyone says they never return to the same place).
Always gone by late summer but noisy buggers if they are the other side of bedroom ceiling like ours were.
Properly cleared out the empty nest and they never came back.
+1 on a local keeper can advise on which exact model of bee you have, possibly move them.
This, we had bees and a friend of a friend was a bee keeper, he came round didn't want them but just said to leave them be. Don't know what sort of bees they were but they didn't cause problems and disappeared eventually
We had a swarm of bees set up home in a part of our roof that is inaccessible to us 10 years ago, and they are still there! they swarm most years, but have caused no harm, one hot summer though we had honey dripping through the ceiling!
Can I join in and ask please (funnily enough, I am in North Yorks too) - we appear to have quite a few bees coming and going into a compost maker (through the holes in the side) - there are usually 2 - 6 flying around outside but there is no way I am going to take the lid off it to look inside. I'd leave them bee (see what I did there) but for the fact the compost maker is right next to our shed that we need daily access to and also one of my daughters is very scared of bees/wasps etc.
Is it time to find someone local to come and take a look?
Bumble or honey makes all the difference.
Last year had a honey nest come move into my chimney, they ended up being ended as without removing the briscks there was no access to them/the queen.
This year our bird box (next to the bedroom window) has a bumble bee nest in it, will just leave that there till the end of summer.
Honestly though, I thought bumbles would sleep more over night, but the buzzing almost never ends!
And yes I am cursed!
Don't keep them in the same room as the tigers.
If there are any bee experts here, something strange was happening in our garden. We did some major landscaping and ended up with a vertical dirt wall for a few weeks before we built a retaining wall. Ground is glacial till so rock, sand and clay. Bees, presumably the solitary ground bee type have been very interested in it. I'm assuming it's because they're looking for somewhere nice to hide out. However when we we were working on it in the last few days they were VERY interested in it, as in they were in the way when we were banging things and pouring concrete and could not be deterred. If they'd have been looking for a home one would assume they'd be dissuaded, but it was almost as if there was some sort of food in there.
@johndoh and @glennquagmire if you're where I think you are
https://hrbka.org.uk/
From my limited experience if yours are in the compost bin they'll sort you out I expect John. In the roof I suspect it'll be less good Glen.
OP, what sort of bee?
We had tree bumbles in the porch roof (noisy but caused no real problems though) and they were gone by late summer, just upped and went one day.
Thanks for the link, just had a look and I think the bees in my roof are bumblebees rather than honeybees. In which case they won't be able to help 🙁
I don't want to get rid but I may have no choice...
As above if they're bumble bees they'll be gone in a month or three any how, so with luck it'll solve its self. Alternatively a few more downpours like last night and your roof will be a raft anyhow.
I don’t want to get rid but I may have no choice…
If they are not the kind that readily sting if you look at them sideways, and they are not causing any structural damage, I would urge you to think twice, bees are a good sign of a good environment. Only the correct type of bee, mind, non of them dirty foreign bees.
Have the same. Bees going in and out of a pencil size hole in the mortar near my front door.
Turns out Mason bees are a thing.
https://g.co/kgs/oG1Yf E" rel="noopener" target="_blank">All about Mason bees
Apparently not able to sting (much) and don't cause too much damage to start with, but as the nest (?) Develops and hollows out the masonary, things can get troublesome.
The number of bees going in and out makes me think that they've hollowed out the entire front of the house, so considering taking some action.
OP, what sort of bee?
Bumblebees I think.
We had tree bumbles in the porch roof (noisy but caused no real problems though) and they were gone by late summer, just upped and went one day.
If they are not the kind that readily sting if you look at them sideways, and they are not causing any structural damage, I would urge you to think twice, bees are a good sign of a good environment. Only the correct type of bee, mind, non of them dirty foreign bees.
I'm going to try and leave them. But I'm having some roofing work done very near to where they are currently residing so might have no choice. Otherwise, I'd be happy just to let them live there until autumn as they're not being a nuisance.
I’m going to try and leave them. But I’m having some roofing work done very near to where they are currently residing so might have no choice. Otherwise, I’d be happy just to let them live there until autumn as they’re not being a nuisance.
Oh, about that. Be warned if it is bumble bees they very much like to nest in old rodent nests so there's a chance you may find you've got other stuff needs attention when the area is exposed (even if you have fad furry visitors prior to the fluffy ones it might be nothing more than a clean of course).
Our bumbles were perfectly happy nesting under loft insulation. Quite a hike for them under the fascia, up the wall, across the top, down the wall, under the insulation. No damage when they left, just a very small amount of nest, few dead bees etc. But God the constant faint background drone then having a noisy "bbzzzzz wwzzz bzz!" chat every time one them came home.
Unlike wasps where Ive watched them shaving off strips of shed timber to make the nest with.