Bees in Cardiff: What to Do and Who to Call
A bee nest by the back door or a swarm in the garden can be unnerving. Plenty of bee situations around Cardiff homes sort themselves out with time. We don’t treat bees, but we can tell you whether it’s bees at all, and who to call if it is.
What we do about bees
- We do: tell you from a photo whether it’s bees or wasps.
- We don’t: treat, remove or relocate bees.
- If it’s bees: we pass on the number of a company we trust, by phone or WhatsApp.
- If it’s wasps: wasp nests are our work, and the quote is free.
Is it really bees?
Fur gives it away: bees look fuzzy and rounded, wasps smooth, shiny and sharply waisted. Nest material and behaviour help too, and our wasps or bees guide takes each in turn.
Common bee situations, and what they mean
A swarm in a tree or on a wall. A rugby-ball cluster of honeybees is a colony on the move, resting while scouts find a new home. Most swarms move on within a day or two, and local beekeepers sometimes collect them.
Bumblebees in a bird box, compost heap, under decking or a shed. The colony holds a few hundred bees at most and dies off by late summer or autumn, so leaving it be is usually the answer.
Tree bumblebees in bird boxes and under the eaves. Ginger-brown front, black body, white tail. In May and June, males hover in a cloud at the entrance, waiting for new queens; they can’t sting, and the colony is over within months.
Solitary bees in old mortar or the lawn. Masonry bees dig into soft, weathered mortar, and mining bees leave small volcano-shaped mounds in lawns in spring. The females each nest alone and rarely sting, and the activity is over within weeks. A few holes won’t harm a wall; repointing crumbling mortar in late summer or autumn is a builder’s job.
Why we don’t treat bees
Bees pollinate gardens and crops, and many nests near a home are short-lived and harmless. When one does need attention, we know the right company for it.
What not to do, and why
- Don’t block the entrance. Foragers can’t get home, and bees shut inside look for another way out, sometimes into the house.
- Don’t spray the nest. Bumblebee nests die off by themselves, and with honeybees, bees from other colonies can raid a sprayed nest and carry the tainted honey home.
- Don’t try to move it yourself. Bumblebee nests are fragile, and a disturbed nest is when bees are most likely to sting.
Common questions about bees
Do you remove bee nests?
No, we don’t treat, remove or relocate bees of any kind. Once a photo confirms bees, we’ll pass on the number of a company we know well and trust.
Is a bee swarm dangerous?
Usually not. With no comb or young to defend, a swarm tends to be calm. Keep children and pets back all the same: the bees will still sting if swatted or trapped.
Do bumblebees reuse the same nest?
No. The old nest isn’t reused: new queens hibernate over winter, and each starts a nest of her own in spring.
What if the bees are inside a wall, roof or chimney?
Bumblebees in a roof space are gone within months. A honeybee colony in a chimney or cavity can stay for years, so that’s one to raise with the company we pass you to. A grey, papery nest means wasps, which we deal with.
Bees, or something that looks like them?
Wasps or bees, the first step is the same: a photo on WhatsApp. If it’s wasps, we’ll quote for the nest; if it’s bees, you’ll get the number of a company we trust.
Call us on 07307 190055