Is it a good bee, or a bad bee?

[snoozy]

I was pulling a tarp out from inside a parked chicken tractor, and heard a bunch of buzzing of annoyed bees. Each day I have pulled the tarp a bit more, and have exposed the hive, which looks like a melon-sized lump of mud/dirt on the ground. They don't look like bumblebees, it's not a paper wasp nest, I can't quite tell if they're furry or not. As you might imagine, I'm not too inquisitive, spatially-speaking...

Given the shortage of bees, should I do the necessary to kill these guys, or are they possibly good guys that are helping to keep the world pollinated?

[Rockytopsis]

a picture would sure help.

[hunter63]

Yes it would.
Even the Wisconsin magazine had an article about hedging you bets with native bee's, as the Homey bee is of European origins.
As far as DW goes, the only good bee (generic term for any thing with a stinger) is a dead bee, I don't agree.
I'll see if I can get the article.
I have had good luck with the local collage, just contacting them and having a student identify stuff.
The some of article's information came from this site:
http://www.xerces.org/

Found it:
http://dnr.wi.gov/wnrmag/2009/06/bees.htm

[foxtrapper]

From your description, they aren't honey bees or bumble bees.

Honey bees do not build nests of spit and mud. Not at all. And bumblebees nest in the ground, not up on a chicken tractor.

So that leaves the various wasps. Which do build nests of spit and mud up on structures, often under cover. Accordingly, I wouldn't be particularly adverse to eradicating the colony.

[snoozy]

So here's one: they're furry, with orange hips.

[TheMartianChick]

I've never seen a bee like that before. It looks kinda like a bumblebee...

[snoozy]

I found it! They are Bombus ternarius or tri-colored bumblebee. They are important pollinators, so I guess we will try to co-exist. http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplici...bus-ternarius/

[AJcantsay]

It is probably an orange-belted bumble bee since you live in the united states. If you were in europe it could be the red-tailed bumble bee. Either way your bee bumbles. I hope you consider simply removing the bees and do not kill them. You can try contacting a local bee keeper and asking them to remove the queen, bees and hive. Here is the specific scientific name and a couple of links for you.

Technical name: Bombus ternarius
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange-belted_bumblebee
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumblebee

[PD-Riverman]

Originally Posted by snoozy

So here's one: they're furry, with orange hips.

I have been dealing with these bee's for years and have found them "nesting" in alot of different things like the dirt, leaves, in the walls of a storage building in the insulation, once in the white snowie looking christmas tree skirt that was in a storage building. These Bee's are MEAN and aggressive, if you aggrivate them--they will chase you for a long range and the sting is "Ruff". I call them "Double Yellow Bee's" because of the extra yellow on the leg section. Stay away from these bees and never swat at one and miss. If this nest is where a child could get into it------I Would Destroy Them. My Son(was 15) got into a nest of them and they chased him over 200ft before the first one stung him then two more stung him. They Are Mean!!

[Terri]

There are, I believe, over 100 species of bumble bees, and many of them are mean. Some are mild and some are hot! I do not know what they all look like-just the breeds found around here- but the bee pictured has the blocky body and bright coloring that almost all of them have.

Bumble bees are natives. Yes, they do pollinate the plants. Yes, I leave them alone UNLESS there are kids who might get into the nests.

Edited to add: OH! I see you found it!!!!!!!

[Windy in Kansas]

Extremely tough to do but I've always read that bumble bees can't tell where you are without movement. That means if you freeze and don't move a muscle they will leave you alone.

Same with these or all bumble bees?

Sure pretty.

[ronbre]

yeah it is a bumblebee, we have some wierd looking ones now too, with red on them..ours have an entire red stripe across..

[Michael W. Smith]

I don't know if there is actually a "bad" bee. Everything on this earth is here for a reason - even the housefly. Everything has a purpose.

You also have to remember that YOU are living in the bees territory. The bees have been here alot longer than you. If they aren't hurting anything - I'd leave them be. They will only be there this year - next year it will be somewhere else.

I try to keep a "Live and let live" attitude.