advice please

[Nickie]

I think I have a hive in my garden shed. I don't want to harm the bees but the won't let me in! 😂 If I open the door there's always at least one there and suddenly 5 or 6 appear to defend the opening.
Is there anything I can do to pacify them enough to let me safely in the shed or do I just have to get rid?

[alclosier]

Are they deff bees? 5-6 does not sound like honey bees.

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[madasafish]

https://www.opalexplorenature.org/treebumblebee is what is most likely.

[gavin]

Yes, most likely not honey bees - they like going higher up and need a good-sized cavity to make their nest. Probably a bumble bee nest though if you are in Scotland probably not the tree bumble bee but the white-tailed bumble bee or another species. The tree bumble bee isn't common in Scotland (yet). I've never seen one.

If it is a bumble bee nest they can be defensive around the nest but the good news is that colonies are short-lived. In the late summer they send out queens and drones then the nest disperses. The problem might get a bit worse before it gets better but it will stop before autumn.

If the nest is accessible you might find a sympathetic beekeeper to dress up and relocate it somewhere less intrusive, but not many would be prepared to do this and it can be challenging getting access to the nest. The main Scottish Beekeepers Association website has a map of local associations with details of secretaries.

[madasafish]

I have moved tree bumble nests in bird boxes successfully. I tried moving a bumble nest in the ground and moved it successfully #- but our local badgers (set 0.5mile away) dug it up and ate everything edible.
# big spade, big box and lots of very careful digging to isolate the nest.

I'd rate the success rate of moving high IF the nest is easily accessible. But if it in a corner of a sloping roof, could be a real pia. My advice is usually to leave until they die in autumn - if possible)