Q/ Are you able to supply bumble bee's with the boxes, or do you know who can supply?
Answer:
Commercially produced bumble bees can be purchased as a ready established colony from companies such as biobees, but generally only live for 4 to 8 weeks. They come in a self contained non permanent cardboard type box.
Question:
Recently we have asked New Zealand leading entomologist weather these commercially produced bumble bees can naturally produce further queens that will leave the colony and take up residence in Creative Woodcraft Bumble bee nesting box?
Answer:
"Regarding commercially-produced bumble bee colonies, yes indeed if they grow on naturally they can produce new queens, and yes these queens will seek out nesting sites in the same area. Further, there is evidence that new queens that emerge from man-made hives may indeed be attracted to other similar man-made hives within which to start their own nests"
Below are a couple of links that maybe of interest.
Is your garden lacking Buzz
helping-kiwi-gardeners-encourage-native-bees
Question:
How do we get bumble bees to use the nesting box?
Answer:
The Bumble bee nesting box could be looked upon in the same light as a bird nest box: When we place a bird nesting box in the garden we can't make the bird use it, we have to just let nature take its course. This is the same for the bumble bee nesting box.
By providing a suitable habitat you will increase the chances of bumble bee queens seeking it out and starting its own nest, in turn increasing the population of bumble bees on your property. To increase chances of occupancy the more boxes that are placed out the higher the occupancy rate.
