bombus hypnorum

Thehedgehog · #1 (**permalink**) 11-06-2010, 08:53 AM

We have 5 bumblebee nests in our garden.
One of which is B.hypnorum in a tit box on the wall about 5ft high from the ground. They are very agressive ( compared to normal bumblebees). You can't go anywhere near the nest at all

Does anyone know if they are a short lived colony like B.pratorum, which dies off by July or is it a long lasting one and we will have to be extra careful near them till late autumn

Next year I will move the box higher up to prevent problems

eucera · #2 (**permalink**) 11-06-2010, 10:46 AM

B. hypnorum is a short-cycle species like B. pratorum. They can be a bit feisty too!

Could you pm me the details (who, when and where) so I can add the info to the national database?

Best wishes, Stuart

Thehedgehog · #3 (**permalink**) 11-06-2010, 11:26 AM

Hi Stuart

we are in Loughton Essex, IG10 3QE, it appears to be quite a large nest with up to 50 or so bees seen going in & out.

Thehedgehog · #4 (**permalink**) 11-06-2010, 12:44 PM

These are a few pictures we took in May, when the colony was much smaller & caused no problems. I can't get anywhere near the nest now to take any new pictures. The workers are huge in size and lots of them and very agressive if you try to get near it

In the middle picture you can see the guards around the entrance

I am very pleased that this spring, I had 13 bumblebee queens feeding in my small 70 sq metre garden, which indicates how desperate they are for feeding & nesting sites

they were

B. terrestis 3
B.lapidarius 3
B. pratorum 4
B. hortorum 1
B. lucorum 1
B. hypnorum 1

I have pictures of most of them, including my wife hand feeding some weak queens

paulinemiller10 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-06-2010, 11:58 PM

You are so lucky to have so many queens feeding in your garden, Ive had a few this year, and looked after a few queens that needed some help, my garden is buzzing with worker bumbles, loads feeding in my bumble feeder everyday now.
Your bumbles seem to like the nest boxes, I must put some more up, did you put bedding in for them or are they using the birds bedding?, I must check my boxes, I have one in a bird box, one in the lagging around the outside pipes, and one under the paving stones in the old bunny den.
Pauline.