Bumble Bee: Definition, Nesting Habits and Why It Matters

What makes a bee a bumble bee

Bumble bees are the big, round, fuzzy bees that drift from flower to flower. Common species are 3/4 inch or longer ² and covered in hair, often black and yellow, sometimes with orange or white bands. Workers carry pollen in a small “basket” on each back leg ¹.

They belong to the genus Bombus, which has up to 260 species worldwide and 49 known in the United States; Georgia alone has 17, with the common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) the most frequent there ³, while Iowa has 16 species ².

Like honey bees, bumble bees are social, with a queen and workers. Unlike honey bees, the colony is small, stores no surplus honey and lasts only one season ¹. The queen is about twice the size of a worker ¹.

Bumble bees do a kind of work honey bees cannot. By vibrating their flight muscles they shake pollen out of flowers, a trick called buzz pollination. Tomatoes, eggplants, blueberries, cranberries, squash and potatoes all benefit ³.

How a bumble bee colony rises and ends in one season

Every bumble bee nest follows the same arc, using timings from Clemson and UGA Extension.

1. A queen wakes in spring: She spent the winter alone, 2 to 5 inches down in the soil ¹.
2. She finds a ready-made hole: Bumble bees do not dig their own nests, so queens use old rodent burrows, bird nests, hollow logs or grass tussocks ³¹.
3. She lays the first eggs: She places eggs on a lump of pollen, 6–8 worker eggs per Clemson or 8–14 per cluster per UGA ¹³.
4. The young grow: Clemson gives about 21 days from egg to adult; UGA describes about two weeks each as egg, larva and pupa ¹³.
5. Workers take over: The first brood of 5 to 20 are all workers ². By midsummer a colony has 20 to 100 workers ¹.
6. New queens and males appear: In late summer the colony raises reproductives, and that marks its end ¹.
7. The colony dies: Workers and males die at summer’s end, and only mated queens dig in to overwinter, so old nests are not reused ³².

In Georgia, queens fly May to September, workers June to September and males July to October ³. See the pest life cycle page for why season timing shapes any decision.

Bumble bees you may hear about

UGA notes that many once-common species have not been seen in 10 to 15 years ³.

Example: how long a yard nest will be a problem

This illustration uses published timings to show why waiting is often the best plan, so it is not a forecast for a specific nest.

So a nest by the compost pile in June will likely be gone by fall. If you can route mowing and play around it for that time, nothing else is needed. If you cannot, see the decision section below.

Where bumble bee nests turn up around homes

Most nests are underground in an old mouse or bird nest ².

Look for bees flying in and out of a small hole in the lawn, under a deck, beneath a shed or in a woodpile.

Iowa State notes they sometimes nest in wall cavities or dryer vents ². Compost piles, thick grass and old insulation are other spots.

A pest company’s notes might say “bumble bees, ground nest, by shed.” Many companies advise leaving them when possible. Our stinging insect removal service page explains how bee and wasp jobs differ.

You will not find bumble bee honey to harvest, because colonies store only small amounts for their own use ¹.

Signs of a bumble bee nest

• Large, fuzzy bees flying in and out of one small hole in the ground or a gap under a step.
• Bees with pollen on their back legs returning to the same spot ¹.
• A buzzing sound from a woodpile, shed floor or old bird box.
• Bees coming from a dryer vent or wall gap ².
• Guard bees that rise up when you mow or trim nearby ¹.

Living with bumble bees: gains and costs

What does not work with bumble bees

Moving the nest rarely works, since Iowa State says live-trapping bumble bees to relocate them is not practical, and covering the entrance usually does not solve the problem ².

Treating an old nest is pointless because nests are abandoned after one year and not reused ².

Killing bumble bees has a real cost, because they are strong pollinators, and some species are declining fast ³⁴. Clemson says to protect nests and remove a colony only if it threatens people ¹.

Cost factors if a nest must be handled

We do not list prices. In most cases, leaving the nest costs nothing and is the best choice.

When a nest must be dealt with, the main factors are where it is (open ground, under a deck, inside a wall or vent), how hard it is to reach, and whether the vent or wall needs repair afterward. A nest in a dryer vent may also need a vent cleaning.

Ask any company whether they will confirm the species first. Our pest control cost guide covers how quotes are built.

How to handle a bumble bee nest, in order

This is the order extension sources point to. It favors leaving the bees, then the least harmful option.

1. Identify the bee: Check the abdomen: hairy means bumble bee, shiny and bare means carpenter bee ¹. Use the pest identifier if unsure.
2. Ask if you can avoid it: Iowa State advises leaving nests you can avoid and waiting for them to die in fall ².
3. Mark it off: Flag the spot, skip mowing there and keep kids and pets away.
4. If it is a hazard, call a pro: When a nest is in a high-traffic spot, treatment may be justified ². A licensed company should confirm the species and use a labeled product.
5. Repair after it ends: In fall or winter, seal vent covers and gaps so a queen cannot move in next spring.

Companies that apply pesticides for pay must be state-licensed; see how licensing works.

Yard upkeep that keeps the peace

• Fit covers on dryer and bath vents, since Iowa State reports nests inside dryer vents ².
• Fill old rodent burrows near patios and paths in early spring.
• Keep woodpiles and compost away from doors and play areas.
• Leave a wild corner or hedgerow for nesting away from the house; Clemson suggests this for conservation ¹.
• Check under decks and sheds before summer work.

These habits fit a wider entry point plan; the pest risk checklist lists more.

When to call a professional

Call when a nest is in a wall, a dryer vent, under a front step or beside a play area, or when anyone at home is allergic to stings. Ask the company to confirm the species before treating.

If the bee could be a rusty patched bumble bee (it lives in parts of the eastern U.S. and upper Midwest), contact your state wildlife agency or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before any action ⁴.

Laws that protect some bumble bees

Endangered Species Act: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) as federally endangered in 2017 ⁴. Its historic range covered the eastern U.S. and upper Midwest, south to northeast Georgia and west to the eastern Dakotas ⁴.

Pesticides (EPA, FIFRA): Any insecticide used must be EPA-registered and used only as its label allows, and many labels carry bee-protection language. See our pesticide safety guide.

State: States license pest control companies; check one with the license lookup.

Bumble bee vs carpenter bee vs honey bee

Bumble bee myths

Myth Bumble bees die after one sting.

Reality Workers can sting repeatedly without dying ¹.

Myth The nest will come back next year.

Reality Nests are used once and abandoned ².

Myth You can move a bumble bee nest easily.

Reality Iowa State says live-trapping them for relocation is not practical ².

Myth That big black bee at my deck is a bumble bee.

Reality A shiny, hairless abdomen means a carpenter bee ¹.

Myth Bumble bees are common everywhere, so losses do not matter.

Reality Some species are threatened, and the rusty patched bumble bee is federally endangered ³⁴.

Where federal protection and species differ

Should you act? A simple rule

If you can avoid the nest until fall, leave it. If it sits where people or pets will disturb it, or inside a vent or wall, call a licensed pro and ask them to confirm the species.

If you might be in the rusty patched range and the bee matches, ask your state wildlife agency first.

Either way, plan the fix for winter: cover vents and fill burrows near the house so next spring’s queen nests somewhere else.

Related terms

Honey Bee

A honey bee (Apis mellifera) is a hairy, social bee that lives in a large colony with one queen, builds comb from wax it makes itself, stores honey, and is the most important managed crop pollinator in the United States.

Carpenter Bee

A carpenter bee is a large, solitary bee, in the U.S.

Yellowjacket

A yellowjacket is a social wasp in the genus Vespula (and some Dolichovespula) with bold black-and-yellow bands, a narrow waist and a smooth stinger, that lives in a paper nest, often underground or inside a wall.

Paper Wasp

A paper wasp is a social wasp in the genus Polistes with a slender body and long dangling legs that builds a single open comb of paper cells, shaped like an upside-down umbrella, under eaves, railings and other sheltered spots.

Bald-Faced Hornet

The bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) is a black wasp with ivory-white face markings that builds a gray, football-shaped paper nest in trees, shrubs or under eaves, and despite its name is an aerial yellowjacket, not a true hornet.

Pest Identification

Pest identification is the step of naming exactly which insect, rodent or other animal is causing a problem, down to the species when it matters, so the right control method can be chosen.

Pest Exclusion

Pest exclusion is the practice of physically blocking the openings pests use to enter a building, by sealing gaps, screening vents and fitting doors tightly with materials the pest cannot chew, squeeze or crawl through.

Also referenced from: Yellowjacket, Bald-Faced Hornet, Honey Bee, Wasp Nest, Neonicotinoids