40 replies to this topic

[Crystals]

They don't really make a comb, more like little "pots" of honey. You might get 1-2 spare pots once the bumble bees are done, and you would have to open the nest and steal them.

If you are after honey, look for actual honeybees.

[LAnt]

Id rather buy the honey than stick my hand into a boxfull of bees that got pissed off by a fly.

[dermy]

Yes it's safer haha!

[kellakk]

Haha I don't want to raise bumble bees for honey or wax, it's mostly because the native bees here are being crowded out by the honey bees and weakened by development.

[BugFinder]

Hi everyone, does anyone have experience in rearing bumble bees, or has heard of people rearing them? I was hoping to try my hand at it this spring but I have no idea when or where to find queens here.  My plan is to follow this guide once I figure out whether I can get a queen or not.

 

Just curious, why did you decide on bumble bees instead of honey bees?

[kellakk]

 

Hi everyone, does anyone have experience in rearing bumble bees, or has heard of people rearing them? I was hoping to try my hand at it this spring but I have no idea when or where to find queens here.  My plan is to follow this guide once I figure out whether I can get a queen or not.

 

Just curious, why did you decide on bumble bees instead of honey bees?

 

 

Mostly because bumble bees take less room.  And also because native bees are going into decline at a much greater rate than honey bees.

[Acutus]

I'm going to look into the Bumble bee thing for our Nature Center / Camp property. I did have a Bumble bee nest one year in a Bluebird box was really cool but whatever they build with was really hard to get out of the box when they were gone. Really tough stuff!

[ANTdrew]

This seems like it would be really cool to try. Obviously honey is not the point just observing another type of social insect do their thing. It's kind of refreshing that colonies only last one season, too, so no need to mess with hibernation.

I think it's too late to catch new queens this year in our region; I consistently see them in early March emerging to find nest holes. I'd like to have everything ready by the end of February next year to give this a shot.

[VenomousBeast]

I keep some species of wasps, hornets, and bees as well. Also, ANTdrew, this is the PERFECT time to catch paper wasps as they are just starting their nest building and unlike ants, you want to take them after they've started laying eggs in their nests. Also, bumble bees are just now starting to make nests here in VA so right now would be the best time to start!

[Kaelwizard]

I don't have Polistes, I'm stuck with Vespula and Dolichevespula and all that. I've heard Polistes is easy compared to Yellow Jackets.

Do you have bald faced hornets? (Dolichevespula species right?)

[David19]

We should start a journal on raising Vespula Maculifrons. I would like to see how others do it. I've attempted to do it for several years now but have failed every time.

[Manitobant]

I keep my bumblebee queens in old shoeboxes with materials like straw and leaf litter to replicate a rodent burrow. I hope they lay!

[ANTdrew]

Awesome! Keep us posted. I will try this one day when my life isn't as hectic.

[Nylanderiavividula]

Super interesting stuff!  I'm 100% wild about promoting pollinator growth.  Has anyone tried the little bee boxes that have various sized holed drilled in them or different bamboo sizes for mason bees?

[ANTdrew]

Yes, I put up lots of bamboo stem bundles in my yard and drill holes in wood for cavity nesters. I pretty much only get Osmia cornifrons, a Japanese mason bee, but they are fun to watch in the early spring.

[Acutus]

Super interesting stuff!  I'm 100% wild about promoting pollinator growth.  Has anyone tried the little bee boxes that have various sized holed drilled in them or different bamboo sizes for mason bees?

 

This is a Girl Scout project done here at my Camp last weekend. In the back are the Mason Bee homes.

 

[Nylanderiavividula]

That looks great!

[ponerinecat]

our family has tons of wind chimes and bees nest in the tubes. wild tiphiid wasps and mud daubers also nest in between the gutter and the patio roof.

[paul12000]

Interesting thread. I just recently been observing a mud dauber wasp building her nest inside of our screened in area, just outside of our kitchen door of all places. She's built a good sized nest with several tubes. How long does a nest take to incubate and hatch? I don't want to close the door and fix the screen area as of yet due to her coming and going out the hole in the screen. Lately, I've just kept the door open so she can come and go. Unfortunately, this has invited unwanted insects such as yellow flies and mosquitoes into my screened in area as well. Edit: Now that I think about it, I should've put this question as a new thread question. Sorry folks.

Edited by paul12000, June 22 2020 - 11:34 AM.

[ConcordAntman]

It seems the most simple way to have bumblebees around is to cultivate bee welcoming gardens. For those interested, I found this UK primer for a simple DIY bumblebee nest. If anyone tries it and has success, POST PICTURES!!

 UK DIY Bumblebee Nesting Guide.pdf   725.45KB   190 downloads