Bumblebees Adopted Me! <3

[kayjay]

I'm so thrilled, because about 7 years back, I had zero bumblebees, which are usually ample in my yard. It turned out someone in my neighborhood called exterminators on them. And no, she didn't have an allergic child or something. I tried to hand-pollenate my cucurbits that year and it didn't work - that neighbor literally took food off my table and we were broke at the time.

...but my problem is that the apparent nest is precariously close to my garden hose and tap. I'm afraid of forgetting about it and stomping on it. For the record, all I see is a hole in the dirt. I'm going to have to mark it somehow. Would it be good idea to put a 2L pop bottle on top with a "door" cut out of it? I use 2L bottles as cloches for tender plants, anyway. It might act as a mini greenhouse and I don't want to cook them, plus I wouldn't want them to be disoriented.

According to this site, they avoid nesting sites in wet areas. My tap leaks and the area turns into a swamp every time I water. So maybe my best solution is just to abandon the hose all together and hand-watering my veggies via 15 trips in and out of the house with a watering can.

[applestar]

Sorry I missed this when you posted — it’s been a very busy week!

Did you find out best course of action?

I’ve had bumblebees nesting in my garden before but not in a busy used area — once under a big rock + yucca plant in my rock garden, and another time under a piled up turf/sod compost pile that wasn’t being watered or anything.

Hole in the ground - but you’re sure it’s bumble bees right? I’ve had yellow jackets nest in the garden as well — they don’t mind damp/wet places it seems — hole in the ground. But they picked strawberry patch, base of one of the T-posts supporting trellises in my Spiral Garden, and unused SIP tub. And flooding them didn’t help until I used SOAPY water and alternated with diatomaceous earth on dry days….

Bumble bees will BUZZ loudly in their nests in warning if you approach or are walking around nearby, and will hover near your face and bop/body slam you — which can be scary — but they don’t sting unless you are aggressively swatting at them, etc.

But yellow jackets will start attacking (buzz loudly and dive at you) and marking you with attack pheromones immediately even if you are 3~5 feet away, especially if you are doing anything that creates ground vibration (like pounding in a stake for building a trellis, mowing lawn, etc.) After that, you’d better wash yourself or get rid of clothing that have been marked. Because they WILL find you. They will also attack and STING if you’ve already been marked (as a threat) and get too close to the nest.

I think if you can repair the leak (just after dawn while still cold, or near dusk on cool or rainy/dark day when they are less active) best option is to connect an extender hose to the hosebib (and new tap or valve on a stake if you prefer) so you can continue to use your outdoor water source.

As I mentioned the bumblebees were nesting under a big rock — I think a big clay pot with a broken rim or balanced on several rocks (not just the single hole in the bottom — they like to have multiple entry/exits) or piled up cinderblocks with gaps would make good marker over the nest.