Discovered an underground Beehive in my garden.. advice?

zuroph

Hi,
Got the grass cut in the back garden after letting it get terribly overgrown recently. Guy who cut the grass has pointed out the entrance to an underground beehive in my garden. Now i'm worried about cutting the grass again in case I disturb them, I've a horrible phobia of stings.
Few questions, will the bees just abandon the hive in autumn/winter? should I be able to pass a lawnmower over the top? Do I need to get rid of it? It's in an area I'm hoping to put a patio down on at some stage, but thats on the long finger for now

deelite

I have a feeling that it's illegal to get rid of bees - I think you'd want to contact Derek Mooney RTE 1 radio at three in the afternoons.

Corsendonk

http://www.irishbeekeeping.ie/

Check out the above. The guy who does the citizen advice on the Mooney show is a member of the above. I think they get one of there members to collect them from your garden. So contact them and they can advise you.

Mothman

What kind of bees?
Honeybees or Bumble Bees...

bbam

Contact your local bee keeping association, they will know what is best...
they will probably take them away and put them to good use

zuroph

Mothman wrote: »

What kind of bees?
Honeybees or Bumble Bees...

how can I tell?

Corsendonk

As in other posts contact the experts. There happy to take both. Your only going to get yourself stung having a closer look. The local expert should be able to give you guidance.

zuroph

do the local beekeepers charge to take it or are they glad of the bees?

Corsendonk

Usually its free, if there honey bees they get a free colony for there hives, if there bumble bees they can still use them as pollinators. Call them.

Mothman

zuroph wrote: »

how can I tell?

Have a look at this page. Best I could find with a quick google

From a distance and out of flight path (stay to side) observe what is coming and going.
Bumble Bee usually big and hairy.
Wasps and Honey Bees are small and don't look hairy.

My feeling is these are most likely to be Bumble Bees and Honey Bee least likely. They could also be wasps.
Once we are sure of what they are then we can advise.

zuroph

bumbles so, 100%

Mothman

Now i'm worried about cutting the grass again in case I disturb them, I've a horrible phobia of stings.

Thanks for establishing that they are Bumble Bees.
They are extremely docile and need a strong provoking before they sting. After all, once they sting, they die. I got a sting once after I accidently stood on one while I was barefoot. Couple week ago, I sat on a root stump. It was only after I got up that I realised that there was a Bumble Bee nest under the roots and I had my foot over the entrance and the poor bees could neither get in or out. They showed no aggression.

Few questions, will the bees just abandon the hive in autumn/winter?

Yes, unlike honeybees. Only the Queen Bumble Bee hibernates and the nest is abandoned usually in early Autumn.

should I be able to pass a lawnmower over the top?

I advise to avoid going over it and leave some uncut grass around the hole.

Do I need to get rid of it?

No. They have nearly finished for season.

It's in an area I'm hoping to put a patio down on at some stage, but thats on the long finger for now

That will be no problem though perhaps block hole during winter. It may prevent occupation next year by wasps or bees again.

This may have originally been a mouse hole. These are favoured homes for Bumble Bees