NO, Bumbles do NOT use part of buildings as their building matter, just wax, made from their own bodies, they DO NOT chew through wires or plasterboard, and they normally build their colonies on flat surfaces, although most times underground.

A colony will last 3-6 months, they have probably been in their/your home for a month before you have even noticed them, they DO NOT return to use an old nest, although the scent of a nest might encourage others to nest nearby next year, as it could be deemed as a SAFE area for a colony. The max in a Bumblebee colony is 400, which might sound a lot, Wasps can house from 3000-6000 a nest and Honey Bees anything up to 60,000 and more, so 400 odd Bumblebees is small.

Bumblebee DO NOT swarm, but they will protect their home, what annoys them is VIBRATION or Physical contact with their nest. Vibration such as Lawn Mower, Banging the ceiling, opening and closing a shed door and removing garden tools/equipment etc (if nesting in or under the shed), jumping up and down on a lawn where they are nesting underground, these actions will cause a reaction, normally 10-20 will emerge to see what’s going on and causing the disturbance, if you just walk away they normally just go back inside their home after a minute or two.

They will live quite happy WITH you so long as the above is followed, if you are unhappy or nervous.

Do NOT HESITATE to call us on 01296 770 214 even if you have further questions, telephone advice is FREE or if you require a site visit and advice attendance a nominal charge will apply

We would prefer you to re-home a colony to one of our Sanctuary/Foster Parent sites than have another company indiscriminately kill them for a greater cost than our re-homing service.