Bumble Bees Indoors

Home Pest Problems , Pest Products

Bumble bees are beneficial insects. They are large round hairy bees that are often seen feeding at flowers in a garden and they may occasionally wander or fly indoors.

Identify the problem
Bumble Bees are generally harmless, only using their sting when heavily provoked and are found in much smaller colonies than honey bees.
The Solitary Bees do not form colonies, but may be found nesting in some numbers at a good nest site. Solitary bees are not aggressive and possess only a weak sting that rarely penetrates human skin.
How to solve the problem
Bumble bees are regarded as beneficial pollinating insects. Only if a bumble bee colony is in an inappropriate place should destruction be considered..
- Nests > Only control bumble bees as a last resort. The nests of bumble bees generally have only one entrance/exit. If this can be identified the colony can be destroyed by sprinkling or puffing the apicide into the entrance. The workers will then pick up the dust as they enter the nest and take it inside where it will kill larvae and queens.
- You can contact a local bee-keeper that may be able to help on the safe removal of bees nests, see Apiculture New Zealand swarm collection contact list.
- Indoors> If bumble bees are coming indoors they can be carefully collected and released. Only in exceptional circumstances would we recommend using NO Wasps Total Protection or NO Bugs Super spray to control them.
Did you know?
- Bumble bees used to be called humble bees.
- Bumble means to hum, buzz or drone.