Ground Nesting Bees - Ask Extension
Hello!
I'm hoping that you will be able to answer a question for me. I've looked online for the answer but no luck.
We removed a small dead tre...
Knowledgebase
Ground Nesting Bees #901417
Asked May 14, 2025, 3:51 AM EDT
Hello!
I'm hoping that you will be able to answer a question for me. I've looked online for the answer but no luck.
We removed a small dead tree last November. Over the winter the hole sunk about five inches. We went out today to fill it and found ground nesting bees. We read that these bees can live underground for up to eleven months. We absolutely need to fill this hole. How will filling the hole effect the bee eggs? We feel awful that we might be smothering them. What's our best course of action that will be kind to the bees?
Clinton County Michigan
Expert Response
If the ground nesting bees are currently active, the adult will most likely build a new nest elsewhere. If eggs are already laid underground, it's possible they may survive and tunnel out next year but they could also die.
A pollinator conservation mindset is a good thing! Most ground nesting bees active now are mining bees, and they have healthy population sizes. Even if this destroys the nest in that spot, it won't result in any damage to a threatened species. While it is unfortunate that gardening activities sometimes can be detrimental, personal safety such as filling holes in the garden needs to take the priority.
A pollinator conservation mindset is a good thing! Most ground nesting bees active now are mining bees, and they have healthy population sizes. Even if this destroys the nest in that spot, it won't result in any damage to a threatened species. While it is unfortunate that gardening activities sometimes can be detrimental, personal safety such as filling holes in the garden needs to take the priority.
