Beesource Beekeeping Forums banner

Who is going to try Bumbles next year?

10K views 24 replies 16 participants last post by  Walliebee 
#1 ·
If I can store enough pollen I am definitely trying to culture some bumbles next year. Is anyone else?

Keith
 
#9 ·
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
 
#12 ·
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?
 
#13 ·
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.
 
#16 ·
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..?
 
#18 ·
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 ..?
 
#20 ·
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.
 
#21 ·
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...?
 
#22 ·
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.
 
#23 ·
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..
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top