Who is going to try Bumbles next year?

[Keith Benson]

If I can store enough pollen I am definitely trying to culture some bumbles next year. Is anyone else?

Keith

[MichaelW]

Pollen! Thanks for the reminder, I need to get my pollen traps on. Yes I want to give it a try next year. Just a few hives.

[Dan Williamson]

Where can I find info on getting a hive set up and buying the bees?

[Keith Benson]

Where can I find info on getting a hive set up and buying the bees?

http://befriendingbumblebees.com/

I have it, it is an easy read, clear and concise.

Keith

[dcross]

Seems all I have to do is leave some fiberglass insulation lay on the floor of my garage. Also had a colony in a winterkilled nuc this year until the ants overran it.

[JohnK and Sheri]

>>>If I can store enough pollen I am definitely trying to culture some bumbles next year<<<
So....am I to take it that they aren't self sufficient?
Sheri

[NW IN Beekeeper]

I don't need anything else to compete with my bees for nectar sources.

I've already got some really great hummingbird recipes - Honey Barbaque - Yum!!

-Jeff

[Keith Benson]

>>>If I can store enough pollen I am definitely trying to culture some bumbles next year<<<
So....am I to take it that they aren't self sufficient?
Sheri


Only because you have caught and confined the queens in early spring and you don't let them forage until they start brooding or there are workers.

Keith

[Keith Benson]

I don't need anything else to compete with my bees for nectar sources.

The competition from a few dozen to hundred bumbles wouldn't be a blip on your honeybees radar.

I've already got some really great hummingbird recipes - Honey Barbaque - Yum!!

Mmmmmmm, sounds like something that would be served at some swanky New=York eatery, and served on a huge expansive plate.

Keith

[dragonfly]

I wouldn't try to *keep* bumblebees, but I can recommend a great flower that they will visit readily and often for pollen. I planted an old variety of morning glory this year known as Grandpa Ott. Every morning, they are all over it.

[margot]

The bee balm and veronica that are normally covered with honeybees at this time of year have only bumble bee visitors--and lots of them. Do bumbles compete with honeybees?

[BerkeyDavid]

There are lots of nectar sources around me that are only visited by the bumbles. For example, the red clover and the teaseall.

I accidentally found a bumble bee nest tonight, I was checking the white sweet clover bloom and heard a real roar. I had stepped on the nest and about 10 bumbles came out to check things out.

I didn't explore it further cause I didn't have my suit on. But I wonder if it would be worthwhile to hive them and try to rent them out to some of the greenhouses around here?

[MichaelW]

Some bees do compete, however bee balm is known for being excellent for bumble bees and not so excellent for honey bees. You probably just didn't have many bumblebees around before and now its just not worth it to the honey bees. If you're just talking about a few plants, you'll probably get a tablespoon or two less honey this year! I wanted to get some bee balm going this year for the bumble bees, but didn't get around to it. I remember one year when I grew it they loved it.

As for moving bumblebees, I don't know and will leave that one for someone else.

[kensfarm]

I found a bumblebee's nest this weekend.. looks like they made a home w/in the stone foundation of my old farm house. I just watched the activity for a while.. the bumble's were busy and bringing in stores.

[Troy]

I'm going to give it a try. I ordered the book that was mentioned on here a while back.

I'm really curious though about when and where to find the queen bumble bees too.

How do you get started?

[Kevin M]

I hit a triple today..! I found a paper hornet nest, beelined my third yellowjacket nest in two week, and some nice bumblebees...!
I'm was wondering if i can somehow get the bumbles boxed up...I checked them out a bit online. It appears one would have to attract a searching queen in the spring with a nestbox...
Would pollen substiute work for spring feeding, until newly raised workers are providing pollen...? Does the queen need to be fed nector/honey , until new coloney is establishd..?

[George Fergusson]

Here's a good bumble bee rearing book- I've heard good things about it anyways. Haven't read it myself:

http://shop.extension.umn.edu/PublicationDetail.aspx?ID=1902

[Kevin M]

Thanks George,I tried ordering that book from there University online store...There seems to be some problem on the website, concerning an " error ", that they say they are working on correcting..I wonder if Amazon.com would have this book..."Befriending Bumble Bees"...
Anyone know if theres another seller of this book, other than U of M ..?

[Soilman]

I hit a triple today..! I found a paper hornet nest, beelined my third yellowjacket nest in two week, and some nice bumblebees...!


just wondering what your doing w/ the yellowjacket nests when you find them?

[Cyndi]

This year all my little bird houses are filled with these huge gigantic bumble bees. They are soo beautiful. I hope they stay around. They are NOT those huge gigantic yellow jacket japanese thingy's either (they weren't around this year like they were last year...I heard the cold spells we had in spring killed them off - horray!!!)...they are the true blue Bumble Bee. They are soo cool and sooo gentle.

[Kevin M]

Soilman....some folks burn yellowjackets nest out with gas and a match, some use chems. I'm a organic gardener and prefer not to posion the land. What i do is suit up, turn on the water hose, stick it down the entrance (almost always in the ground) and drown what down there.
I usaully wait until almost dark, when there all in the nest. Some folks don't like this method because it may take two days or so to wipe them out. They don't like to let there water pump run that long...
Cyndi....thats so cool with the bumbles in your birdhouses, what size is the entrance hole to those birdhouse that the bumbles moved into...?

[Cyndi]

Kudos to you Kevin. I like your method the best!! I hate using gasoline and chemicals. Although.....I can deal with the alcohol method. I have this guy wanting me to move a hornets nests at a campground. He was very nice about it and didn't want to destroy it, just move it. I'm still thinking about how I want to handle that. He's suppose to be finding me a spot to move it to.

The hole for my birdhouses are 1-3/4" in diameter. The Chickadees are the only birds that have ever taken up residence in them. I originally planned to attract Blue Birds...which I haven't seen in a couple of years now. I think they are vanished...even from the mountains. Anyway, they are huge bees. I've never seen anything quite like them. Are there different types of BB's?? What makes them soo huge compared to the wild BB's that are much smaller? These huge ones are wild too. They all have the same markings pretty much. The larger ones are more definitive in their markings.

Last week we were camping at this campground where the hornets nest is. It's surrounded by national forest land. On several hikes I couldn't help notice all the bumble bees and yellow jackets. There were soooo many wild ones. Of course the BB's were much smaller, but the amount of bees in general this year in the wild is incredible. Alot of people have noticed the same thing here in our area. I have no idea what is up with that.

[Kevin M]

Thanks Cyndi...what is the alochol method you mentioned all about..? I've never heard of that one. I've noticed what bluebirds i had around my house haven't been around for about 3 yrs now...They use to love my heated birdbath and the holly tree berries in the late winter. Sad, their gone...
I have tons of bumbles in my garden, all sizes...i'm sure there are more nest near by, other than the one i found this past week. I haven't found any nesting in my birdhouses, as of yet...I wonder if using a 1" hole would work better, to keep bigger birds out and increase chances of bumbles taking up residence..
I also have noticed many more yellowjackets this yr., must be good conditions for them..

[Keith Benson]

This year all my little bird houses are filled with these huge gigantic bumble bees.

Pics, pics, we want pics!

Keith

[Walliebee]

This year all my little bird houses are filled with these huge gigantic bumble bees. They are soo beautiful. I hope they stay around. They are NOT those huge gigantic yellow jacket japanese thingy's either (they weren't around this year like they were last year...I heard the cold spells we had in spring killed them off - horray!!!)...they are the true blue Bumble Bee. They are soo cool and sooo gentle.

I have them in a bird house too. It's a standard bluebird house. I think the hole is 1.5 inches. A flying tree squirrel wintered over in the house. She brought cedar bark and moss in the house for bedding. When I went to clean it out last spring for the birds to use, the bumbles had moved in.

By the way, we have lots of bluebirds here. They like to catch honeybees in mid flight to feed to their young. It very cool to watch.