Beepol Villa and Bumblebee Hive

Put the buzz into your garden with these bees! We all like to see bees busy pollinating in our gardens. Improving the habitat is the best way to encourage bees and bees are probably our most important pollinating insect. We are bringing you the chance to introduce your own hive of Britain's native Buff-tailed bumblebees (Bombus terrestris audax).

Some interesting facts:

• Bumblebees visit more flowers, carry heavier loads and are more active at lower temperatures than honeybees
• Bumblebees use "buzz pollination", which helps pollinate a wider variety of plants
• Their size also often gives them better contact with plant stamens and pistils than smaller insects
• Bumblebees do not have a communication system, unlike honeybees, so cannot communicate to other bees where pollen sources are. This prevents them leaving an area collectively
• Bumblebees move from tree to tree more frequently in fruit crops than honeybees. This results in better cross pollination
• Bumblebee colonies are smaller are therefore easier to maintain and rarely become aggressive
• Villas are also highly educational, teaching children and adults about bees. It helps demonstrate how bees work and live.
• Colonies often also produce new queens, which can set up new colonies in the local area.
• Bumblebee hives will die out naturally after 2-3 months and do not overwinter. The lifespan is often dictated by its surroundings and can vary

Beepol Villa

The Beepol Villa that houses the bumblebee hive is made from durable FSC sourced timber and has a rough, grey felt roof for increased weather protection. The Beepol Villa also incorporates a ventilation hole and solid stable feet to keep level. The bumblebee colony that sits inside the Villa can be viewed when the wooden lid is removed. Beepol Villas have a landing shelf at the front of the house with direct access into the colony. The bumblebees main predator is the wax moth, which is attracted to the smell of the colony. The bee boxes are sprayed with B401 anti- wax moth spray before delivery to assist in keeping the moth numbers down. The Beepol Villa is designed to be re-used each year with a new Beepol Bumblebee Hive.

Measurements approx:

• 32 cm in height
• 34 cm in depth
• 31 cm in width

Beepol Bumblebee Hive

Each hive has a Queen, workers and eggs. The hive is supplied with a Queen about 60-80 workers at the start but will build up to much higher numbers. The hive is also supplied with a sugar water internal food source. Each colony will normally live about 2-3 months depending on conditions and weather. Beepol Bumblebee Hives contain a native species of bumblebee; Bombus terristris audax. Bumblebees will die out naturally after 2-3 months and do not overwinter. Beepol colonies often also produce new queens, which can set up new colonies in the local area.

Delivery Information

Supplied from May 2023.

We’re sure you’ll understand that as the bees are live creatures, the less time they spend in transit the better. That’s why our couriers will always leave the hive at the delivery address even if no-one is home but to make things easier, we’ll e-mail or phone you in advance to advise of delivery. Please ensure that you provide a daytime telephone number and e-mail address - preferably both - to make the delivery process as smooth as possible. Beepol hives are delivered direct from our supplier during the season (early May – early July). Please note this product is exempt from any promotions or discounts.