[feldar]

I have a bee colony that have set up home in my old chicken shed. We were going to pull it down and dispose of it this year but i've noticed bees going in and out of a small hole in the side! and sure enough they've made their home there.
Now they don't bother me and i don't bother them, they do buzz around whilst i hang the washing out which is close to the shed, but we are rubbing along nicely at the mo.
Do i need to do anything for them though? I have a wildlife friendly garden ( WEEDS)    but i'm happy for them to stay there, I just wondered if it's ok to leave them there

[OhLaLa]

To help us advise, what type of bee do you think they are? Honey, Bumble or Masonry? How long have they been there?
 
 

[ZaktheLad]

We had a colony of bumble bees set up home in one of our old sheds last year.  We just left them to it and they came and went happily all summer (or whatever summer we had last year).  It was lovely to watch them and sad at the end of year when the majority had died.   I haven't seen them there this year so far though.

[darkbrowneggs]

If they are Bumble bees (the fluffy type bees - honey bees look a bit more like short fat dark wasps)  then they are pretty harmless and will rarely sting.


They don't live overwinter, but in the late summer when the nest peaks they will hatch as many of the Queen Bumble Bees as they are able and who will hibernate overwinter to wake in the spring and renew the cylce.  All the infertile worker will just die, but most bees only have a short life span in any case.


If you can just leave them they won't do any harm and are excellent workers in the garden for pollination

[feldar]

Sorry ! they are Honey bees i think  small brown types. I had some Mason bees in it last year, but these are a colony all using the same hole and coming and going with what looks like pollen on them. They are very small and brown, and constantly come and go out of the hen house. They don't seem to mind me sitting watching them, but obviously i don't interfere with them.
I have been told they may swarm but i don't know what causes this and what i have to do if they do

[doganjo]

Contact your local bee keepers - they will love to have a new neuc!

[Bionic]

Feldar, if you don't want them then I would agree with Annie, contact your locak bee keeping group.
Neucs are fetching upwards of £150 at the moment because its been a bad year for bees, so someone would love these for free. Perhaps you could barter for some honey later in the year

[feldar]

I absolutely love them! and i feel privilaged they have chosen my shed. but i want what's best for them. I know they are in decline and i guess nature will just keep going regardless of what we humans do. What i don't want to do is cause them to leave by my doing, like hanging out the washing near them or doing a bit of weeding around the chicken house.
I try to grow lots of flowers in the garden but the weeds do take over  
I am hoping they will stay and succeed in rearing the next generation but if any experienced bee keepers on here feel it's best they went to a bee person to care for them, then i'd contact someone to do this

[doganjo]

You could take a crash course on beekeeping, buy a hive and get honey for nought 

[OhLaLa]

Felder, the best thing to do is to contact your local BBKA. Ask their advice and ask if there is a local beekeeper in your locality you could contact. They will very likely be willing to pop round and take a look for you. They may well advise that they are relocated into a  hive. They may want to take them and do that themselves with their own equipment. Or you may decide you'd like to keep them and become a beekeeper yourself.
 
If you do decide to take up beekeeping you are looking at spending a few quid setting up but the assoc will advise you and may well know of a second hand hive (and other equipment) for sale. If you go down this route, join the association and learn how to look after your bees. You will meet like minded people and they will be able to advise you re other queries you will have.
 
 

[feldar]

Ok that sounds like a good idea. I've often thought it would be nice to keep bees but it looked a bit complicated, with all the equipment needed. I will contact the local bee people and see what they advise.
Many thanks

[OhLaLa]

I'd pop round myself if I were closer, but a good local beekeeper should be able to give you sensible advice and help start you off beekeeping.
 
Beekeeping isn't too complicated. Buy a good book, I suggest 'Bees at the Bottom of the Garden' as a first book:
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_32/280-8482521-3815640?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=bees+at+the+bottom+of+the+garden&sprefix=bees+at+the+bottom+of+the+garden%2Caps%2C258
 
and for more detail, 'A Guide to Bees and Honey':
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guide-Bees-Honey-Selling-Beekeeping/dp/1904846513/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370334709&sr=1-1&keywords=a+guide+to+bees+and+honey+%27%27+by+ted+hooper
 
Best wishes, let us know how it goes.
 

[Bramblecot]

Hi feldar ,

Luckyy you re the bees.  I had to give up beekeeping years ago after a bad attack of anaphylactic shock - the A & E consultant was not impressed with me .  It is a great hobby - but time-consuming and expensive to start off.  If your local beekeepers are not helpful, just leave the bees alone and they will be ok for the summer.  Certainly don't pay to have them taken away

[Beewyched]

Shame you are so far away - I've got 2 hives looking for some residents 
 

[Victorian Farmer]

Youv onley got a couple of weeks left then they will go to sleep .You can tell haw big the nest is .The size of a small ball is a good size ,they could of swarmd in June and moved there to make there nest .On the other hand they might not be UK bees they could be newzeland or American bees none aggressive hope all god well forthem looked for you on saterday donjoe I was next to the central smallholders at times catch up soon VF