BBKA Forum

British Beekeepers Association Official Forum 

  • Bombus terrestris audax

  • Environmental issues and concerns that affect beekeeping.
Environmental issues and concerns that affect beekeeping.
 #1630  by Amy_372
 04 Jan 2019, 18:43
Can colonies of native (sub sp.) Bumblebees Bombus terrestris audax be maintained and kept alongside our honeybees? Does anyone have experience of colony raising and are there any pitfalls to keeping the two bee species on the same sites? Obviously created habitats will naturally assist to draw in these other bees but I would like to do all I can to increase the populations.

The reason I’m enquiring is as a honeybee provider to farms for pollination, I also recognise the falling decline in our native bumblebee colonies and their role in more specific pollinations such as cucurbits and squash. All constructive advice and technical knowledge welcomed with open arms!!!
 #1631  by NigelP
 04 Jan 2019, 19:03
Look up The Humble-Bee Life History & How to Domesticate it by Sladen . Copies are on most well know auction sites.
It's an old tome but describes his attempts at keeping Bumble bee nests alive and studying them.
 #1632  by Amy_372
 04 Jan 2019, 19:07
Thank you! Sounds like a great starting point! Think I shall also have to document my own journey on this unusual path! Ordering the book right now!!!
 #1633  by Patrick
 04 Jan 2019, 19:20
Hi Amy and welcome to the Forum.

Simple answer from me is no, I haven't sorry. B. terrestris subsp. audax is a common British species which seems to co-exist with local honeybees without issue in my area.

The only two things which occur to me is that B.terrestris may store minimal amounts of honey in their nests so there may be a theoretically risk of robbing of boxes by nearby honeybees if they were desperate - as can happen with honey bee mini nucs. But that might simply not happen in practice.

The second thing is that my understanding is that bumblebees generally forage much shorter distances than honeybees, so an apiary that is ok for honeybees could have inadequate immediately local floral opportunities for bumbles.
 #1634  by Amy_372
 04 Jan 2019, 19:27
Thank you. I too was concerned about foraging opportunities for the Terrestris and have been working with farmers on ‘set-aside’ herb and legume borders. The bumblebees certainly seem quite content in the presence of squash and cucurbits whilst in flower but seem to have limited resources from there on in. Clover pastures are an obvious choice but I too wonder how much the honeybees will consume. This quest is an ongoing study so I hope to be able to keep you informed of any (if any) progress!!!
 #1635  by Patrick
 04 Jan 2019, 22:46
Hi

I wasn’t particularly suggesting that the honey bees would out compete the Bombus for nearby nectar, as having different tongue lengths they may well utilise different flora, but that a site which can support honey bees as they can find forage miles away over a season may not suit placed Bombus boxes. Bombus may not travel the same distance, so find itself occasionally high and dry placed at the same location.

I think you are wondering the same by the sound of it.
 #1636  by Amy_372
 04 Jan 2019, 22:56
Yes, indeed. I think it’s going to take some trial and error but we have a diverse farm area and I hope to be able to work out a sustainable process for both colonies. It’s s great opportunity to get stuck into some research and hopefully produce yield will also benefit!
 #1637  by Patrick
 05 Jan 2019, 13:52
Re clover. You probably already know this but just in case..

The white clover of honey beekeeping books fame as a necter source and reliable honey crop provider was the wild white clover. The commonly used white clover often now planted to enhance leys and new swards is more often a more vigorous cultivar which produces much less nectar. Hence you often see fields of white clover in flower with hardly any bees on it. So if planting choose carefully.

Red clover has a nectary buried deeply within the flower tube so is generally only accessible to bumbles, though if you cut it the second growth produces flowers with shorter tubes accessible to both. So red clover could preferentially help extend your bumble forage season. Don’t forget borage and / or phacelia, non native but abundant, good cover crop, long flowering season and self seeding. Lot going for them.

Don’t know if that helps. :)
 #1638  by Amy_372
 05 Jan 2019, 16:18
Absolutely helpful!!! Thank you! I’m always astounded by people’s freely given knowledge to help and always work on the principle that you can never have too much, if only to strengthen, disprove or corroborate theories and practices! :D much appreciation!