Frequently Asked Questions
Is it really that important to insist on the internal diameter of the pipe? I have a bumblebee house purchased and I don't want to change it.
The best-selling bumblebee houses on the Czech market are supplied with an entrance tube with an internal diameter of 14mm. During last season, we encountered several cases where bumblebees almost completely blocked this particular entrance tube, as they tried to transport waste material through it. In one instance, it went so far that the workers refused to return to the nest and started building a new structure at the entrance in front of the flap. We dealt with this as an emergency, which involved pulling out the blocked tube and dismantling the external nest structure. The bumblebees then returned to normal. If this hadn't happened, the nest would have collapsed.
Wouldn't it be better to make the internal corridors directly larger than 25mm?
According to observations by Mr. Stuchl and Mr. Čížek, when a bumblebee queen attacks a nest, the worker bees line up one after another in the tube, attempting to drive off or kill the bumblebee. In a large tube, the bumblebee would most likely bypass them, and they would not be able to overcome it in the nesting space. However, this problem is solved by a flap. Its inner diameter is never widened. The space is small, sufficiently clear, and its maintenance is thus easy for the beekeeper. Another reason is the fact that tubes wider than 30mm could be considered by some workers as a space where it is more suitable to store waste rather than remove it. This would create a similar situation to that of hives containing various antechambers. A pipe that is too large would also lose its purpose – to give the settling queen a sense of security.
Question: Why do you recommend 25-30mm for long external corridors?
For corridors around 1m and longer, you need to consider the accumulation of waste material. Moisture can build up here, the entire system is much less accessible to the breeder during colony operation, and furthermore, in the case of an external solution, it cannot be abolished as bumblebees remember the way and exit from the nest. Therefore, in these specific cases, it is better to use a diameter of 30mm. The loss of nest protection (see question above) is compensated here by the length of the corridor that any parasite must travel before reaching the nest itself.
Translation: Is it really necessary to trim the lining?
Long fibres need to be cut to prevent bumblebees from getting tangled and dying in the fibres. Therefore, cutting is necessary, and this also applies to commercial products sold directly as nesting material for bumblebees. The filling is cut and torn into fine fluff, creating a fluffy mound.
Question: Can old lining be used and how?
Yes, but it must not be mouldy or dirty, for example with remnants from the nest or bee droppings. The smell of old bedding attracts some queens, thus increasing the chances of them accepting the hive.
However, the bedding must be clean and free of parasites! It needs to be sanitised = heat-treated. Be careful not to burn or scorch the bedding, but any parasite eggs/larvae must be destroyed by temperatures above 60°C. This temperature, however, must penetrate the entire volume of the bedding. Trust, but verify! Personally, I would sanitise all donated bedding.
Some beekeepers boil the bedding. The disadvantage of this method is the loss of scent and, depending on the material, changes in its structure/consistency can also occur. However, it is always necessary for the bedding to be clean, dry, and fluffed up when placed in the hive.