# bumblebee nuisance



## Windows (Feb 22, 2010)

frenchmexican said:


> I found a bumblebee nest I did not see it but I could see where they were going in, so I field the hole with spray foam now they are trying to get back in. I kiled a lot of them but they keep coming . What do I do to get rid of theme?


Bumblebees are solitary insects that don't live in nests.


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

from the easiest to find things from yet never sure how correct the info is; wikipedia:



> Bumblebees form colonies. These colonies are usually much less extensive than those of honey bees. This is due to a number of factors including: the small physical size of the nest cavity, a single female is responsible for the initial construction and reproduction that happens within the nest, and the restriction of the colony to a single season (in most species). Often, mature bumblebee nests will hold fewer than 50 individuals. Bumblebee nests may be found within tunnels in the ground made by other animals, or in tussock grass.


if these critters are boring into your house, you might have carpenter bees rather than bumble bees. The body shapes can be very similar. Certain species coloration is similar. Not sure on size comparison. From most of the pics I have seen, the carpenter bee appears to be a bit smaller than a typical bumble bee.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Windows said:


> Bumblebees are solitary insects that don't live in nests.


Based on the nest in my last houses kitchen wall I have to disagree


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## PAbugman (Jun 29, 2010)

Carpenter bees are solitary bees,although they work on the same piece of wood in their individual holes giving the appearance of communal activity. Carpenter bees are spring time pests here in the northeast. Bumblee bees do make nests and seriously defend them.More aggressive than wasps. Late summer/early fall is nest building time, like now. Also make nests in ground and get very mad and aggressive when power eqpt. goes overtop.

I would continue treating the hole every evening and let them enter/exit as they wish. The residual from the spray/foam should eventually work. If it doesn't, then possibly they are going in deep and far from the opening. Bumblee bees do that. If that is the case, listen thru the drywall carefully to see if you can locate the nest. The entire house must be quiet. After locating, drill small holes and treat into. Again, it may take re-treatments. 

DO NOT BLOCK THEIR ENTRY/EXIT POINT UNTIL TOTAL CONTROL ACHIEVED.
If you do, they will chew their way into the living areas and you will have an emergency on your hands. Hope this helps.


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## mcgrathpest (Jun 27, 2010)

you need to get the nest out of the wall or dust or spray poisen in there to kill them all. The best thing is to remove the nest and then seal everything up


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## H. A. S. (Aug 18, 2010)

Remember finding bumblebee nests under hog feeders and waterers, go out after dark, douse the ground with gasoline, light a match.

One nest may have had up to 150-200 eggs. Looked more like straw covered cocoons.


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## PAbugman (Jun 29, 2010)

H.A.S.:
I remember news reports/statistics of people suffering life changing burns (if they survived), and drastically altering their own families lives forever by doing just what you claim. Your advice is so *bad*, I can't hardly believe that you are serious, but your advice is so *dangerous* that it needs a rebuttal, anyway.


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## H. A. S. (Aug 18, 2010)

Out on the farm, you can, and do, lots of dangerous things.

I did not recommend that procedure to anyone.:wink:


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## Handy Vinny (Jun 18, 2010)

We should be careful when submitting our anecdotes about the nesting habits (or lack thereof) of bumblebees, as well as the best way to address any problems that they may pose. While I realize that this is a DIY site, I believe that in this particular case the most responsible course of action would be to simply call an exterminator or pest control contractor.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

I'd never consider an exterminator to get rid of a bumble bee nest
Unless it was huge 
I killed one in the kitchen wall at my last house....very easy
And we also used gasoline on yellow jackets in the ground
They had multiple entrances...so had to hit both at once
Not for kids to play with....nice fireball came up when we thought it was out :laughing:

Never another yellow jacket
If I get stung I go nuclear :yes:


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## PAbugman (Jun 29, 2010)

Gasoline is for gas tanks and engines only. Used improperly it is dangerous/deadly to us physically and in its environmental impact. Mix any insecticide concentrate in a bucket with 1 or 2 gallons of water and pour into the ground. Problem solved 90% of the time in a day or two.

Modern day insecticides (even the old ones) are safer to use, cheaper, more effective and less environmentally damaging than fuels. Learn the relative toxicities, LD 50's of fuels vs insecticides. During a high humidity day, gasoline vapors in a hole/burrow will stay near the ground outside the hole and near where the pouring commenced-people (victims) have been surrounded by fire, probably thought it was fun for the first split second. 

Life is full of risks versus benefits. I dive 90' under water for fun, climb trees to hunt deer, re-load black powder cartridges/flintlocks, used to rock climb (got scared), was self-employed for 15 years, live well off the public road where winter can be fun, but sometimes *not*. Used to respond to chemical spills, my wife and I both work in the chemical industry. I would not consider using gasoline improperly-all risk, no benefit. 

Effective DIY requires tempering risk with common sense and self-preservation. Every day in this great country people are killed at work; check the statistics. Let's live to play another day.


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## mtbdudex (Mar 6, 2009)

I use sevin-5 powder and "puff" it into their nest area front entrance.
The bees bring that into the nest and 2 days later all dead....
This shows what happened, and I have screen for bat control.









In a few weeks I'm removing the screen and sealing the cracks to keep bees out.


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