BumbleBeeFilter

April 28, 2009 1:39 PM

Why does this bumble bee feel the need to protect my sidewalk from other flying insects?

In front of our house, we have a sidewalk skirted to the right by various landscape vegetation we've planted (and to the left some liriope and mulch.

For the past couple of weeks, we've had a bumble bee that hovers back and forth down this short stretch of sidewalk. It's about ten feet long then turns to go up on to the porch and in to the house (the sidewalk, not the bee).

What on earth is this bee doing? He (she?) seems to chase off any other insects from this particular area but hasn't bothered my wife and I or the dogs when we take them out. It also lacks interest in pollen, as it just hovers back and forth, never landing on anything.

Is there a huge nest of bumble bees waiting to attack me one day? Is this a surveillance drone? What is the deal AskMe?

posted by cdmwebs to science & nature (10 comments total)

Are you sure it's the same bee? It may be several bees, using the same path, going to and from a known group of tasty flowers. Bumblebees aren't agressive, so unless you stick your hand in their nest or swat at one, you're not going to be attacked by bumblebees, and their venom/poison isn't very strong, so it will have minimal effect unless you're allergic. My kids and I have, for a long time, petted bumblebees while they feed on flowers - they're busy, you're not being threatening, so they don't mind being touched briefly. I wouldn't be worried about bumblebees patrolling your yard; they're good for your plants.
posted by AzraelBrown at 2:18 PM on April 28

Oh, I'm not at all opposed to the presence of the bees and their friends! I've been trying to plant more pollinator friendly stuff because of CCD.

Yeah, it's the same bee as far as I can tell. No, it doesn't seem to be working at all! It literally ha been going up and down the sidewalk in an almost straight line at approximately four feet altitude. It doesn't land on any of the plants! I'm confused!
posted by cdmwebs at 2:25 PM on April 28

I'm thinking it's not a bumble bee but a wool carder bee.

From the Link: How will I spot the Wool Carder?
Look out for a bee hovering around patches of flowers and darting very quickly at any other insects that fly into the patch. The male Wool Carder Bee sets up a territory around one or two patches of flowers. He patrols these flowers and deals very aggressively with any insect that strays into the patch.

Here are some of my wife's pictures of the ones we have had in our yard the last few years.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 2:40 PM on April 28 [2 favorites]

It could also be a mining bee.
posted by hydropsyche at 2:59 PM on April 28

Kid: the behavior matches but the bodies do not. This definitely has the bumble bee colors and markings.

hydropsyche: nope, I've seen those before.

BadMiker: will do. Just interested, that's all.
posted by cdmwebs at 3:19 PM on April 28

You seem pretty sure about it being a bumblebee, but most large fuzzy-type bees I see patrolling are male carpenter bees. They are very territorial and like to hang out near their nests in old wood porches, doing their regular back-and-forth sweep. Being male, they cannot sting. The usual differentiating trait around these parts is a bumble-type fuzz and banding around the head and thorax but a black hairless abdomen.
posted by drumcorpse at 4:14 PM on April 28

yeah i have carpenter bees and they do that, they hover around the nest and protect their nest from other insects.
I assume there's some real threat there of some kind from the other insects.
posted by alkupe at 5:20 PM on April 28

I'm also thinking carpenter bee.
posted by malaprohibita at 6:02 PM on April 28

I'm thinking carpenter bee, too. Mostly from malaprohibita's link:

During the spring, the males seek out the females, hovering around females that found some unfinished wood, such as under eaves, railings, etc. The males are territorial and will confront you if you enter their territory, but they are incapable of stinging. Females have a stinger, but are very docile. Females will nest in a all types of wood, but prefer weathered and unpainted wood.

Male carpenter bees tend to be territorial and can buzz around you if you approach closely, sometimes hovering a short distance in front of your face or buzzing around your head. Since males have no stinger, these actions are just for show and intimidation.

That sounds and looks exactly like it!
posted by cdmwebs at 6:33 PM on April 28

An easy way to stop a male carpenter bee from getting all up in your buzz-ness (sorry) is to distract it:

Toss a small stone or piece of dirt horizontally-ish off to one side. The bee, thinking it's a competing insect, will head off to investigate, leaving you free to continue without the bee trying to intimidate or investigate you. Good trick if you're scared of 'em.
posted by subbes at 9:00 AM on April 30