do bees nest in bird boxes

I have a webcam on a bird box on the side of our house. Last year we had blue tits nesting in it and five chicks fledged successfully. Initially the blue tit had a problem with evicting a resident bee!

This year, although the blue tits were initially prospecting the box, we have had no interest. I switched on the camera last night to see if there had been any activity to discover the box seemed full of moss. After watching it for some time, it seems that it is now occupied with quite a few bees. I managed to count five, but given the movement of the moss, there is a great deal more in there.

I am not too worried about them being there, as I am aware of the decline of bees. However, do we leave them alone? Will there be an increase in bees? I have also read that if I contact a local beekeeper they may take them away. However, I wouldnt want them taking the whole nestbox away as there is a camera in there!

It’s crucial to keep in mind that bumblebees don’t harm houses in these situations. They don’t make a lot of mess or consume wood. The nest should naturally collapse in a few months if you can tolerate having it close by, at which point the bees will either depart or perish. Block off the entrance to the nest and any other nearby suitable nest spaces if you don’t want bees to build there the next year. If the bees’ frequent visits to and departures from the nest are irritating you, g. porches, where they typically fly at head height), you can attempt to reroute the nest’s entrance by following the instructions below.

Rerouting bumblebee nest entrances to cause the bees to enter and exit at a different location is far simpler than moving the nest completely. This is particularly helpful if the entrance hole puts people in close proximity to the bees. To accomplish this, obtain a length of flexible tubing with a minimum diameter of 2 cm. The kind of tubing that’s used in sink waste pipes functions flawlessly. Then, attach the tubing to the nest entrance. Tighten the junction between these as much as you can to prevent bees from emerging in the incorrect location. Gaps can be plugged with soil. After that, position the tube’s other end where you want the new entrance to be. As much as possible, secure it, and mark the area with some “landmarks.” The bees fly around the hole every time they leave the nest to become familiar with the features surrounding it because they use landmarks to guide them. Although anything can serve as a landmark, stones, planters, etc. all work well.

Some nest underground, in places such as abandoned rodent holes, under sheds and in compost heaps. Of those that nest above ground, some make nests in thick grass, while others make nests in bird boxes, lofts and in trees. One of the species which nests in bird boxes and lofts is the Tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum). With this species you may often see swarms of bees flying around the nest (visit our YouTube channel to watch some videos). This is perfectly normal, and these are male bees, which often fly around nests, waiting for queens to come out so that they can mate. Male bumblebees cannot sting, so please dont be alarmed if you see this.

The queen will begin searching for a nest site as soon as she is ready to lay. She makes zig-zag movements at low altitude, pausing to look into leaf piles or holes in the ground. Bumblebees are notoriously hard to persuade to build their nests in particular locations; success rates are low even with specially made nest boxes.

Perhaps the following year, a different bumblebee queen will discover and utilize the same hole. But in the fall, the old nest will die, and every bumblebee will have either departed or perished. After the nest dies down, you can block the entrance to stop a new queen from discovering the nest site in the future if you don’t want bumblebees in the same location.

On our house’s side, there is a bird box with a webcam that I own. Five of the blue tits that were nesting there last year successfully fledged. The blue tit initially struggled to drive out a resident bee!

We have not been interested in the blue tits this year, even though they were initially prospecting the box. When I turned on the camera last night to check for any activity, I noticed that the box appeared to be filled with moss. After observing it for a while, it appears that a sizable number of bees are currently occupying it. I counted five, but there must be a lot more in there considering how the moss moves.

Since I am aware of the decline in bee populations, I am not overly concerned about their presence. But should we leave them alone? Will the number of bees increase? I’ve read that if I call a nearby beekeeper, they might remove the bees. There is a camera inside the nestbox, so I wouldn’t want them to take it all away!

FAQ

What kind of bees nest in bird houses?

Orange-rumped bumblebees will sometimes nest in a birdhouse. Consider yourself lucky, and contributing positively to the environment, if you play host to them this year! We need all the pollinators we can get! Some people are surprised to discover bees taking up residence in a birdhouse.

How do I keep bees out of my birdhouse?

You can prevent wasps and bees from establishing themselves by applying a thin layer of soap (use bar soap) onto the inside surface of the roof. This will create a slippery surface between the insects and the roof of the box. For more information about maintaining nest boxes, visit Nestwatch.

Why are bees in my bird house?

Bees In Your Birdhouse They want a warm location that’s dry and has small entry points so they can better defend themselves against invaders. So a birdhouse is perfect Bee Busters can come out and remove the bees in a birdhouse.

Do bees take over bird nests?

Bees are important pollinators of the wild foods that birds need to survive. However, they do sometimes take over nest boxes.