Straw bale beehive (hive entrance is the hole at the bottom right)
Have you had a nice week? I have! My sister has been visiting from out of town, and the past week has been all about having fun — like being on vacation while still being home!
Anyway, I have a question for those of you with beekeeping experience. In my parents’ yard (where my gardens are), there’s a bumblebee hive (not honeybees…but the big, fuzzy bumblebees) inside one of the straw bales that I was going to use for garden mulch. This is such a special thing, and I feel honored that these bumblebees have chosen a home near my gardens; it makes the yard feel like a nature preserve!
I’d like to do everything I can to encourage them to stick around. Unfortunately, the Wikipedia article about bumblebees states that they only use their hive for one summer, and don’t overwinter in it. Is that really true? Do you have any experience with bumblebees? Should I build anything around the straw bale for the winter to persuade them to stay?
Leave a comment if you have any insight!
Ooh, I love bumblebees, that is very special. Have no idea about their habits, but you might email the folks at backyardhive.com They are up near Boulder and are experts in all things Bee. They may have an answer or resource for you. Keep us posted, I’m interested to see how this plays out.
That’s a great idea Sasha…I’ll have to explore their site! Nice that they’re local.