Bumblebees are undoubtedly one of the most likeable representatives of the stinging suborder. The fluffy, fat and portly fellows are industrious pollinators and quite lazy. They like to build their nests in abandoned mouse burrows or in piles of stones - also in our gardens.

Many bumblebee species nest in the ground

Table of Contents

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  1. the essentials in brief
  2. build a bumblebee nest
  3. Eliminate the bumblebee nest
  4. relocate bumblebee nest
  5. genus bumblebees
  6. Life cycle of bumblebees
  7. Appearance of a bumblebee nest
  8. Bumblebees as sympathizers
  9. frequently asked Questions

    10. the essentials in brief

    • Insect lovers can also make a bumblebee nest out of a flower pot themselves
    • A bumblebee nest should not be removed just like that; in addition, the peaceful bumblebees do not pose any danger to humans
    • If the bumblebee's nest was built in the most unfavorable place, it can be relocated by a specialist

    Build a bumblebee nest yourself

    Of course, you can also build your own nesting site specially designed for bumblebees. A wooden box in the style of a bird's nest box is very easy to make, and you can find numerous building instructions online. Depending on the type of bumblebee, the nesting aid should be designed a little differently. For ground bumblebees, Nabu also recommends burying the nesting box (€49.85) in the ground and connecting it to the surface with a tube.

    A nesting aid for a bumblebee nest from a flower pot is also sometimes recommended. However, according to Nabu, it should be filled with nesting material. If the flowerpot already has filling material, such as dry moss, grass, and soft, insulating dog or sheep wool, the bumblebees are more likely to adopt it as a home.

    However, Nabu advises against burying the flower pot for ground bumblebees. Clay flower pots in particular can draw too much moisture into the soil and make it wet and uncomfortable for the bumblebees inside. It is therefore better to place a flower pot nesting aid in a dry place on a stone wall.

    Eliminate the bumblebee nest

    Basically, if you discover a bumblebee nest in your garden or on the wall of the house, you should be happy. On the one hand, bumblebees are extremely valuable for the garden: they perform an important pollinating task, are far more effective than honey bees and balance the pollination of early and late bloomers. On the other hand, with their plump, funny appearance and their deep growling, they are likeable visitors who spread a summer mood.

    The moderate size of the nests and the low aggressiveness of the animals also makes it easy to get along with them. It is also not the case that a bumblebee nest smells - stinging bee nests that develop an unpleasant smell are usually from hornets.

    Remove yourself?

    The independent removal or destruction of inhabited bumblebee nests is taboo. All species of the genus are under strict protection under the Federal Nature Conservation Act. Anyone who willfully affects, captures or even kills the animals, or destroys a bumblebee nest that is still inhabited, must expect high fines. You should not simply close the entrance for animal welfare reasons, but also because this will encourage the bumblebees to sting.

    If you are concerned that children living in the household may be at risk from the bumblebee colony, you should compromise. There is certainly no harm in introducing children to the usefulness of bumblebees with proper instruction in caution. To prevent inquisitive toddlers who are not yet able to be rationally controlled from coming into contact with a bumblebee nest in the garden ground, you can simply cordon off the relevant area for the season.

    It is usually not necessary to have a bumblebee nest removed. In any case, because of the smaller colony size, lower aggressiveness and less intense stings, they do not pose such an acute danger as large honey bee or wasp colonies.

    If you absolutely want to have a bumblebee nest removed, you must obtain official permission because of the existing protection of species and hire an expert. Someone who can remove a bumblebee nest is a beekeeper or an employee of a local nature conservation association. The costs for this result from the necessary effort, which arises from the accessibility of the nesting site and the colony size. Normally you have to reckon with around 100 euros.

    You can also save yourself the costs and effort because a bumblebee nest is not used for several years. So you don't have to worry that the place will be populated by bumblebees again in the following year. If you want, you can dig up an abandoned bumblebee nest in winter to prevent other insects from nesting there as well.

    A bumblebee nest usually does not pose a threat

    relocate bumblebee nest

    A bumblebee nest should not be relocated on your own initiative, because they are under nature protection. So you have to hire a company to do the job, which consequently costs money. Therefore, you should ask yourself: is it really necessary to relocate the bumblebees? Bumblebees are extremely peaceful animals and often only sting when stepped on. When relocating, the bumblebees are sucked in, transferred to a nest box and then released to another location. The whole thing takes several days to weeks. Sound awkward? It is. So think carefully if it's worth the effort and expense.

    The genus of bumblebees

    Zoologically, bumblebees belong to the real bee family and are summarized under the droll genus name Bombus, which fits their character all too well. Within this genus there are around 70 different species in Europe, 36 of which are native to Germany. t

    Insects perform a very important pollinating task in the garden and are therefore particularly valuable for garden owners who cultivate fruit and vegetables such as courgettes, cucumbers, tomatoes, pumpkins or strawberries.

    digression

    Bumblebees as pollinators

    Their way of pollination even makes bumblebees interesting for commercial fruit and vegetable cultivation. By creating jerky vibrations as they collect nectar to shake the pollen out of the flower, the flowers of tomatoes, strawberries and other economically important plants are pollinated extra evenly and completely, resulting in symmetrical, good-looking fruit. Whole colonies of bumblebees are therefore increasingly being used as pollinators in greenhouses. Their cold resistance, in turn, makes them attractive as helpers in the pollination of early flowering plants.
    kind garden bumblebee bumblebee meadow bumblebee field bumblebee tree bumblebee stone bumblebee
    Look Pale abdomen, black middle segment, a total of three yellow stripes on back and abdomen, workers 11 to 16 mm long Pale yellow bumblebee: Pale abdomen end, black middle segment, one yellow stripe each on the back and abdomen, workers 9 to 21 mm long; Large bumblebee: similarly colored, workers 11 to 17 mm long Rear orange abdomen, black middle segment, two yellow stripes, workers maximum 14 mm long Reddish-yellow middle segment, abdomen with many thin gray and black stripes, workers 9 to 15 mm long Middle segment rust-orange, black-grey abdomen, workers 8 to 18 mm long Very dark appearance: completely black with reddish-orange abdomen, workers 12 to 16 mm
    nesting habits Above or below ground, but usually close to the ground: in abandoned mouse burrows or bird nests, in stables or in attics Underground in the moss and herb layer, like in abandoned mouse burrows Mainly above ground in hedges or stone crevices Above or below ground in very variable habitats: in meadows, forests, close to people, gardens, parks. Nests in abandoned mouse burrows, bird nests or nesting boxes, in attics, in garden sheds, etc. Above ground, e.g. in abandoned bird nests, rodent burrows, crevices in rocks or in roof structures, sheds, stables etc. Rather underground, according to the name like under piles of stones or walls, but occasionally also in abandoned animal buildings and bird nests or in stables in the straw
    frequency Very often Relatively common Moderately common Often Relatively common Very often
    Main identification features Typical bumblebee appearance, three stripes Typical bumblebee appearance, two stripes Comparatively small Softly shaded grey-black striped pattern on abdomen Rust brown fluffy back Overall dark appearance, bright reddish orange rump

    Bumblebees and their life cycle

    Bumblebees go through a similar annual cycle as honey bees or wasps. It can roughly be divided into the following stages:

    1. Queen awakening from hibernation
    2. Nest formation and first laying of eggs
    3. Cultivating a worker stock
    4. Breeding of sex animals and copulation
    5. Withering away of the state

    1. Awakening of the Queen after hibernation

    Bumblebees are early risers in the year. In contrast to honey bees or wasps, only the mated young queens overwinter with them. They wake up from their hibernation as early as February and set out to gather strength and look for a suitable place to found a state. This is possible because they are able to heat up their flight muscles through vibrations. As a result, queens can fly in frosty spring temperatures from 2°C and workers from around 6°C and not like honey bees only from around 12°C.

    2. Nest formation and first laying of eggs

    After waking up from hibernation, the young queen is busy looking for food. She finds them in the blossoms of early bloomers such as willows or alders. The sweet pollen strengthens them and prepares them for their task of nest-making. To do this, bumblebees look for different places, sometimes underground, sometimes above ground, depending on the species. For example, many choose abandoned mouse burrows in the ground, cavities in piles of stones, an old bird's nest or even a bird house.

    Bumblebees work tirelessly

    3. Cultivating a worker stock

    After forming the first brood cells, the queen lays the first eggs. Larvae hatch from this in the form of small maggots, from which the first workers develop after a direct maintenance phase by the queen and pupation. Similar to honey bees and wasps, these then take over the work of foraging for the next clutches, while the queen spends the rest of her life in the nest. There she warms and feeds the growing larvae and keeps laying new eggs until there is a sufficiently large stock of workers.

    4. Breeding of sex animals and copulation

    The first sex animals are then produced from July. To do this, the queen stops the pheromone secretion, which previously ensured that only workers develop from the eggs. Male animals and fertile young queens are now formed for the first time. When these have grown into full insects, they leave the nest to mate.

    5. Withering away of the state

    After mating, the bumblebee colony dies off fairly quickly. Workers and drones are no longer needed and perish while the mated young queens look for a place to overwinter. As a rule, a bumblebee nest is already deserted by September.

    Here is a detailed insight into the year of the bumblebee state:

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    What does a bumblebee nest look like?

    Unlike the nests of other social stinging insects, such as honeybees or wasps, bumblebee nests are not constructs of papier-mâché-like wood pulp material. Anyone who discovers such a typically balloon-like prey in a niche of roof structures or in a shed is more likely to be dealing with wasps, most likely German or common wasps or hornets. It is also these species that like to nest in roller shutter boxes, in window frames, in wood, under house plaster or in compost heaps.

    Places in the apartment and house that are frequented by people - such as areas by the window or the wall of the house, on the balcony or in the garage - are less appealing to the quiet-loving bumblebees. If they choose nesting sites close to people, they are more likely to be in masonry, in sheds that are rarely visited, in haylofts, under the roof or in the aviary in the garden.

    Bumblebees also use largely different materials than wasps to build their brood cells and outer shell. The brood chambers are made of wax that they excrete from their abdomen. The animals put on a protective and insulating outer layer of grass, moss, other plant fibers and hair around the urn-shaped cell conglomerate, which they glue with wax and honey. However, since they are usually located in the ground, bumblebee nests are usually not really recognizable as a complete, closed construct, but rather as a bird's nest-like cavity. The moss and hair material on the round opening adds to this impression. The waxy brood chambers can be seen directly below the mossy mound.

    Bumblebee colonies are also typically smaller than honey bee or social wasp colonies. A bumblebee colony only has up to 50 to 600 individuals - the social wasp species that are frequently represented in this country can count up to 7000 animals per colony at the end of the season.

    Let's summarize the most important identifying features of bumblebee nests:

    • Usually not recognizable as an externally closed construct, rather like a bird's nest
    • Typical places are existing cavities, especially mouse burrows, nesting boxes or niches in sheds or in the attic, in the hay
    • Brood cells made of wax are closed with an outer layer of moss, grass and hair glued with wax or honey
    • Places such as roller shutter boxes, window frames, balconies, compost heaps or house walls are not typical for bumblebees
    • not populated as numerous as, for example, wasp states

    Here you can observe life and activity in a bumblebee nest from the inside:

    Bumblebees as sympathizers

    Bumblebees are not only valuable companions from a gardening point of view. The fluffy, cozily buzzing little animals also have a lot of sympathy potential. This is partly because of their funny, cuddly appearance, but also because of their nesting habits. The rather small size of their colonies and the bird's nest-like, cozy style of their dwellings, in which they scurry about humming, makes the bumblebee's nest the namesake of many day-care centers and after-school care centers. Who hasn't come across a Hummelnest day care center or a Hummelnest after-school care center while driving through the city or looking for a childcare place?

    In addition to bees, bumblebees are always happy to represent the extended family of stinging creatures when it comes to cuddly toys. No wonder, because if they didn't have such a formidable sting on their abdomen, you would just love to cuddle the fluffy, brightly colored little animals in real life…

    In addition, bumblebees are a small physical miracle: for a long time it was a mystery to science how they can fly at all with their body size and relatively short wingspan. Today we know that their wings generate air vortices and the necessary lift through a fast flapping frequency.

    "Just fly like a bumblebee, even if you can't actually fly according to the law of physics." Ebo Rau, German physician

    frequently asked Questions

    Are bumblebees dangerous?

    With their plump stature, fluffy hair and leisurely mode of locomotion, bumblebees generally appear more harmless than the more agile bees or the nimble and aggressive wasps. And that is basically not a deceptive appearance. At least as far as the stitches are concerned. Like all real bees, bumblebees belong to the stingers and have a stinging apparatus with a poison sac. However, they rarely use it, and the effects aren't as devastating as their relatives for a variety of reasons:

    On the one hand, unlike honey bees, the stinger does not get stuck in the puncture site due to the lack of barbs and can therefore not empty the entire contents of the venom sac into it. Accordingly, a bumblebee sting is usually less painful and does not swell as much. It often remains as a small, red area with a white areola, which is only moderately thick and does not particularly hurt or itch.

    However, if the sting goes deeper and the bumblebee is not immediately removed from the sting site, more venom can of course be injected and the pain, redness and itching can be similar to that of a bee or wasp sting.

    People who are allergic to insect venom must, of course, always expect severe reactions to a bumblebee sting and, if necessary, call in an emergency doctor.

    Bumblebees are not aggressive when it comes to stinging.They only use their sting for defense in emergencies, especially when they feel constrained or their nest is under attack. What is special about bumblebees is their extensive advance warning strategy, which gives the attacker the opportunity to retreat in good time: before they really sting, they first lift one middle leg in the direction of the threat. If that doesn't help, the next warning level comes: Here the bumblebee lies on its back, stretches its sting directly towards the attacker and hums loudly. Only if this warning does not go through will the stab be stabbed.

    By the way: The drones, i.e. the male animals, do not have a stinging device in bumblebees.

    How to attract bumblebees

    Bumblebees are extremely valuable pollinators in the garden. Above all, fruit and vegetable crops with courgettes, pumpkins, cucumbers, strawberries, cherries or tomatoes benefit greatly from the hard-working fluffy insects. That and of course their likable character is enough reason to lure bumblebees into the garden.

    The best way to do this is to create beds with decorative flowers, which bumblebees are particularly fond of. What they fly at in the truest sense of the word are corn poppies, phacelia (its common name is significantly bumblebee), clover species (especially white clover, meadow clover or thorn clover), viper's bugloss, knapweed, cornflowers, sunflowers, nasturtium, monkshood, lupins, hollyhocks or knight's psorn.

    Basically, a bumblebee-friendly garden should be as natural as possible and free of insecticides and herbicides. That's the be-all and end-all if you want to welcome bumblebees. As a nesting aid, you can, for example, set up a nesting box or create a decorative pile of stones. In the area of nesting aids, it makes sense to plant plants that bumblebees like to feed on.

Category:

Animals in the garden