ground bees

What are the  ground bees?:   here are many people that have no idea that ground bees even exist.  Well, I can assure you that there are many different ground bees and yes, they do burrow themselves under the dirt and make their nest underground.  One of the most interesting things about ground bees is the number of them around most people’s back yard who is not even aware that these bees are burrowing under ground.

The ground bee is actually one of the more peaceful bees of the world and they are not aggressive at all.  Commonly, you will probably not even notice these small bees, or their two inch mound of loose soil nest, as that is all they need in order to dig under to make their nest for the queen bee.  Once the queen is inside of the burrow, she will make several tunnels and create all sorts of entries and exits in order to be ready for anything, the female will also create several horizontal tunnels and chambers which she will then lay one single egg at the end of each one.   

Of course the term ground bees is a very general term, as there are many different ground bees, bumble bees and even some wasps have been known to make their nest in the soil versus in a tree.  Most ground bees are very solitary creatures and do not live in a colony for a very long time.  While the males will all participate in the mating dance around the nest, as soon as the female lays her eggs, they will go off on their own usually.

Ground bees become active in early spring. These bees dig nests on the ground, often in the balding areas of the lawn or garden. If you find mounds, ant, but larger openings, they can be ground nesting bees. Watch for Ground bees flying low over the ground and into their burrows.
Ground Bee Ground Bee

If you are the type of person that is just not a fan of bees though and you do not want the infestation to continue with these particular bees, just a simple garden hose to their nest will wash them out and certainly make them move their nest somewhere else.  Ground bees are calm in nature and while they will defend themselves if they feel their life is being threatened, they definitely will not sting for absolutely no reason and if you want to move their nest, they will be more than willing to.  Just drown their first nest out with the hose and they will instantly move their nest somewhere else.

So as you can see, not all bees are bad and they are certainly not all scary and aggressive.  There are over twenty thousand different types of bees and while the ground bee section only makes up a small portion of that twenty thousand, there is certainly something to be said about these amazing creatures that make their nest under ground and are certainly one of the most charming of the bee family.


Do Ground Bees Sting?:

Honeybees land females can sting, but rarely do. Ground bees are not aggressive. However, they bite in defense if they feel threatened. The males of some species may behave aggressively around nesting areas, but lack bite. Sweat bees usually somewhat surprising landing on people to lick the sweat from your skin; this behavior is in fact why they are called sweat bees. If Swat in sweat when a bee lands on you, it may bite to defend themselves.

Identify lands Bee nests:

Bumble bees also nest in underground burrows, but they typically use abandoned rodent burrows rather than digging a new one. However, bumblebees live in social colonies. Observe the nest of a safe distance. Do you see a single bee come and go, or more bees enter the nest? Social bees such as bumblebees will aggressively defend their nests, so be sure to identify them before taking any action.

Control bees land:

Before deciding to evict the bees on the ground, consider this. These bees have an important goal as pollinators. They are not aggressive, and in most cases, you can always cut the grass and continue your regular outdoor activities without fear of being bitten. And nesting activities is limited to the source, so that the bees will not land for long. Unless you have a concern for a family member with an allergy to bee venom, is usually best left alone bee motif.

Ground bees nest in dry soil, and avoid wetlands when choosing nesting sites. The simplest and least toxic to bees ground control method is simply to irrigate the area. Once you see bees activity earth begin to soak the area with an inch of water per week. This is usually enough to deter burrowing women and pass a field drier. A thick layer of mulch in bare beds also make ground bees think twice before nesting there.

Pesticides are not recommended for control of bees on the ground.