A Bubble Bee's Work

[Louby]

Well I have seen a sight today I have never seen before. We had a Bubble bee come and land on our flower bed and start digging! Head down, bum up, proper digging. Has anyone else ever seen this or know why they do it? Egg laying possibly?

[Cakie]

This might be the answer Louby

Bumblebees form colonies. These colonies are usually much less extensive than those of honey bees. This is due to a number of factors including: the small physical size of the nest cavity; a single female is responsible for the initial construction and reproduction that happens within the nest; the restriction of the colony to a single season (in most species). Often, mature bumblebee nests will hold fewer than 50 individuals. Bumble bee nests may be found within tunnels in the ground made by other animals, or in tussock grass. Bumblebees sometimes construct a wax canopy ("involucrum") over top of their nest for protection and insulation. Bumblebees do not often preserve their nests through the winter, though some tropical species live in their nests for several years (and their colonies can grow quite large, depending on the size of the nest cavity). In temperate species, the last generation of summer includes a number of queens who overwinter separately in protected spots. The queens can live up to one year, possibly longer in tropical species.

[LadyPakal]

Yes, they nest underground, altho' we had one nest in a birdbox we had hung amongst a honeysuckle. You can buy boxes that you 'plant' - they have a wee spout up to the surface - that they will use if you're lucky. They will use stones & sticks close to the entrance as landmarks to find the nest again.

They also hibernate underground. We often find them hibernating in the compost bin.

[Azores Hi]

She's late! Nice shots though..

[Greyowl]

Bumble identification guide.

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/res...umblebeeid.html

[Louby]

Thank you all :o

I might have to investigate the bee nest LP I like the idea B)

Azores when do they normally dig then? I can have a likkle spade ready for next year :o

[Azores Hi]

Thank you all

I might have to investigate the bee nest LP I like the idea

Azores when do they normally dig then? I can have a likkle spade ready for next year

March/April. Plenty of worker bees already out on the flowers, this queen seems to have slept in this year As others have said, they colonise lots of diferent spaces, rabbit burrows, drains, anything really. I suspect this one is digging for victory as all the prime nest sites are taken.