Bumble Bee Removal and Control

The Buzzing Bumble Bee

The name “bumble” possibly comes from their clumsy appearance or the loud buzzing sound they make as they fly. Ranging in overall length of 1/2 to 1 inch, (peanut M&M to Robins’ egg or top half of your thumb) the bumble bee is yellow and black and predominately covered in hair or fuzz.

Preferring hillsides, Bumble bees will enter the ground through a hole or ‘crack’ in the topsoil. They will travel great distances along underground fissures where the topsoil has settled and shifted to their very secluded, very protected nest. Bumble bees found around the foundation of a home are most likely utilizing the settling topsoil through the gravel commonly used to backfill around the structure’s foundation.

The habit of utilizing tunnels created by gravel makes nesting under concrete patios, driveways, and walkways quite desirable as these are most likely sitting atop a thick layer of this small, round stone. Nest sizes range from small to medium typically housing 50-400 bees; the largest known nest contained 756 bees with 385 larvae and pupae (NPMA).

Despite their fuzzy and soft appearance, bumble bees will aggressively defend themselves and their nests if provoked, using their relatively smooth stingers that can be used repeatedly. Because traffic in and out of the nest is quite infrequent, bumble bee nests are usually discovered by accident, say by, pulling/trimming weeds from around the home. If a nest is discovered, leave the area and keep others away until The Bee Man arrives. Reach out to us today.

Bumble Bee Control and Removal

Control and removal of bumble bees is one of the trickiest undertakings in this industry. Bumble bees are one of the few stinging insects that travel a long distance from the entrance (where you see them enter the ground or structure) to the heart of the nest (where the eggs, larvae, and queen reside) - the longest I've seen was around 20 feet. This nesting habit limits/prevents any store-purchased liquid 'bee sprays' or 'bee powders' from going any further than the entrance of the nest and is not an effective means of bumble bee control.

Once the spray or powder is detected, bumble bees will simply establish a new entryway to the nest - this is often a less direct path, making it extremely difficult for a specialist to accurately control the situation (a compromised nest, or a DIY, usually results in a more expensive treatment). Often nesting underneath concrete slabs and other quite precarious and inconspicuous areas, bumble bee nest removal is something that should be left to a specialist like The Bee Man. 

Bumble bees can be extremely aggressive, and the removal can be quite dangerous. Let The Bee Man handle them for you. Call (724) 935-5444 today.

How to Identify Bumble Bees

Below are helpful tips to help you identify bumble bees.

• Yellow and black, ½ to 1 inch in length, predominantly covered in hair or fuzz 
  
• Will nest in the ground, entering through holes or cracks in hillsides or along foundation walls, typically where soil settling has occurred 
  
• Often found nesting under patio slabs, concrete walkways, or driveways.
  
• Has been found nesting in mounds of dry grass and straw or other materials of like texture such as fiberglass insulation in the home’s walls
  
• Traffic to the nest is very infrequent – every 15 secs to 1 minute and occupants may hover in a zig-zag pattern appearing to ‘search’ for the nest’s entrance upon arrival.

Call The Bee Man for the bumble bee solutions you need for your property.