Posted by Nancy Perry on May 31, 2008

Q: Bumble bees ( I think) have taken over a small bird house on my front porch. I don't want them on my front porch and was planning on moving the birdhouse after dark to another location, but then what? The Bird house was a gift and I would like to keep it and not have it destroyed by being out in the open. I would rather not kill the bees if possible. According to some info I have read on the internet, Bumble bees are not usually seen in spring. Is it late enough that these could be bumble bees? They sure looke like pictures I have seen while searching for information. I caught one and brought it in the house and compared it to what I saw on a few sites and they looked just like bumble bees. I guess the bird house could be put somewhere else for the bees. Any suggestions? I also have birds nesting on my front porch, that's why the bird house is there, I wa hoping a bird would use it instead of my flower post and on top of my porch light. My porch is coverd and we have had robins, mourning doves and sparrows nesting on the porch over the years. This Bird house has never been used by birds. I appreciate any advise you can give. thanks, Nancy

Habitat: suburban/yard

State: Michigan

Habitat: suburban/yard

A: I'm not sure where you heard Bumble Bees weren't found in spring since they can be active quite early in springtime, even in rather cold weather. The term Bumble Bee is a general one covering many different species of bees so it's not clear which species you might have. The American Bumble Bee, probably one of the best known, typically nests in holes in the ground although I suppose it might nest in a birdhouse, I'm not sure. The bee that came to my mind from your question is the Carpenter Bee. This bee often makes its nest in wooden house siding so this may be your species. The Carpenter Bee looks very much like the typical American Bumble Bee but does not have a hairy abdomen, it's abdomen is entirely smooth.

It would be easy enough to kill the bees in the birdhouse but I agree that isn't environmentally friendly. If there is an easy way to dismantle part of the birdhouse this might discourage its use and the bees would go elsewhere. Of course you'd need to do this at night and be REALLY careful so you aren't stung. Another option might be to take the birdhouse to a different location (at night) and see if the bees abandon it. Nesting insects establish a really good "fix" on their nest location and if you moved the birdhouse, they might leave and simply not return to the new location - worth a try, I'd say. Sure hope this helps a bit. Thanks for asking.

John Wiessinger ( June 1, 2008)