Wild bee's nest

mokieful

Howdy!
I was clearing some wood and leaf debris from the end of my garden today when I noticed that I had put the shovel through a wild beehive that I hadn't known was there. I left the bees in the hive along with what looked like honeycomb and a rather large (I assume to be the Queen) bee. I put it in a safe place away from other animals and the elements but still outside. I checked on the bees this evening and they seem to be struggling, the large bee looks like it is trying to leave and the other (very small) bees look like they are getting weak. I am devastated to have done this and would appreicate any advice that could prevent the colony dying off.
Please help!

Chucken

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090628060001AAx0dOF

mokieful

Thanks Chucken!

fryup

bumble bees? mason bees?

don't think honey bees inhabit underneath the ground?

mokieful

@ fryup.
The bees weren't under the ground. The hive was under decomposing wood and leaves on a concrete patio at the end of my garden. I'm not familiar with all the varieties of bees found in Ireland, I just posted what I found. Do you think they're a different type?

swifts need our help!

I dont think you should have moved it. I would have created a new roof using chicken wire and covered the nest again leaving a small entrance. I say they are bumblebees. If it had been honey bees my guess is they would have told you how they felt

mokieful

@swift.
I had to move it because it was sitting broken on the end of a shovel the first time I saw it. I have asked for advice not condescenion. To future posters please advise what I should do now not what you would have done at the time.

LostCovey

mokieful wrote: »

@swift.
I had to move it because it was sitting broken on the end of a shovel the first time I saw it. I have asked for advice not condescenion. To future posters please advise what I should do now not what you would have done at the time.

That's a little harsh. There's no easy way to tell you that you wrecked it.

Accidents happen, but it wasn't the fault of the person trying to offer very sound advice was it? And even if it is broken, I think he is saying that all you can do is put it back as you got it as best as you can to exactly where you found it. That was what I took from his advice.

It was an accident - badgers wreck several of these in a season, so keep a sense of proportion - all you can do is try your best, you can't press rewind, and not everything can be fixed..

Desmo

Mark was not being condescending; you did something that (in hindsight) was the wrong way to do it and he just said that. Having done it, there is probably nothing to do. It is not the end of the world but it does feel sh*te when you do it. I have done it and I felt grim; bumble bees are very gentle beautiful beasts. We get two kinds in our garden. One lot dig holes under rotten logs; another lot nest in long grass (carder bees); I have wrecked both kinds of nests over the years (by accident) and felt really guilty each time. It is good that you like yer bees; most people get freaked out by them.

Des

mokieful

Have any of you actually read my original post? This was the biggest waste of time. The only useful post was by chucken, thanks chucken.

LostCovey

mokieful wrote: »

Have any of you actually read my original post? This was the biggest waste of time. The only useful post was by chucken, thanks chucken.

Yes, we have.

have you read the replies?

mokieful wrote: »

This was the biggest waste of time.

Amen to that.

AngryHippie

whereabouts are you ? might be worth contacting some local beekeepers, they can usually manage to save the swarm if they can get a hold of the queen, bung them into a hive and hope for the best. its their best chance as they'd have wax and could be fed if needed....

LostCovey

AngryHippie wrote: »

whereabouts are you ? might be worth contacting some local beekeepers, they can usually manage to save the swarm if they can get a hold of the queen, bung them into a hive and hope for the best. its their best chance as they'd have wax and could be fed if needed....

I don't think from the sound of this that it is a honeybee swarm/hive. It sounds more like bumble bees.