Red tailed bees - Ask Extension
Are red tailed bees common in Polk County. I live in Dallas and bees with 1/3 to 1/2 of their body colored bright red/orange are making a nest in my ...
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Red tailed bees #868585
Asked May 15, 2024, 3:35 PM EDT
Are red tailed bees common in Polk County. I live in Dallas and bees with 1/3 to 1/2 of their body colored bright red/orange are making a nest in my compost bin. I can leave them undisturbed for awhile but is this going to be a problem in the future.
Polk County Oregon
Expert Response
Thanks for your question.
From the description, I would guess Bombus melanopygus, which is one of our few species that nests above ground. Send a picture if you can, and I will confirm.
They will be aggressive you try to remove the nest, so if you need to get them out of the way, call a professional pest control operator.
But if you don't need the compost pile for a few months, you can leave them bee. These are among our earliest nesting bumble bees, with queens establishing nests in February. The colonies are starting to become visibly large. They will naturally collapse in a few weeks, with the nests producing new queens that will disperse across the landscape preparing for next year. So, likely, the next will be finished by the end of August.
Best,
Andony
From the description, I would guess Bombus melanopygus, which is one of our few species that nests above ground. Send a picture if you can, and I will confirm.
They will be aggressive you try to remove the nest, so if you need to get them out of the way, call a professional pest control operator.
But if you don't need the compost pile for a few months, you can leave them bee. These are among our earliest nesting bumble bees, with queens establishing nests in February. The colonies are starting to become visibly large. They will naturally collapse in a few weeks, with the nests producing new queens that will disperse across the landscape preparing for next year. So, likely, the next will be finished by the end of August.
Best,
Andony
