The Queen will usually lay another batch of eggs while the first batch are still in the larval stage.Īfter the emergence of the first or second group of bees the workers take over the task of foraging and the queen spends most of her time laying eggs and caring for larvae. After about two weeks when the larvae have grown they spin a cocoon and gradually develop into adult bees over the following 2 weeks. After about 4 days the eggs hatch into tiny larvae that require feeding with pollen and nectar that the Queen must keep fetching from flowers keeping flights as short as possible as the nest temperature must be maintained. This enables her to sip from the nectar pot whilst keeping the initial eggs / larvae warm which she does by twitching or trembling her muscles maintaining a temperature close to 30☌.

She then builds a wax honey pot and fills it with regurgitated nectar and at the same time constructs a ball made from pollen and nectar within reach where she lays a batch of eggs and covers them with wax. Having found a suitable location the Queen will forage for pollen and nectar to supply both herself and the initial brood she is about to raise. Providing sufficient appropriate flowers for forage close by isĪlso extremely important as we shall see.

Up their entrances creating more pressure on populations combined with expanding arable agriculture. That roadside verge cutting is destroying a large number of nests by covering Just leaving a small area, say about 30cm all round, would be great as it’s now thought Space such as a vole hole then if you could avoid interfering with the entrance by not moving objects or mowing. Unlikely to sting unless seriously provoked. If it is in your outside wall, your roof orĪn old rodent hole in an outbuilding they will do no harm and are extremely People will already have a place or places for some species to nest all that is Some make nests in thick grass, while others make nests in hollow trees, birdīoxes, roof spaces and cavities in stone walls. Holes, under sheds and even in compost heaps. Some nest underground, in places such as abandoned rodent Not all, prefer dry, dark cavities to make their nests in which can turn up in a variety of What they look for in a nest site and what they require in their immediate surroundings. Most, but All we really need to know if we are to help Bumble bees is

Bumble bee nest