Most ground bumble bee nests die off naturally by late fall, so the simplest approach is often waiting them out. A typical colony lasts only one season, with all workers and the founding queen dying once new queens mate and leave to hibernate. If the nest is in a high-traffic area where waiting isn’t practical, you can either relocate it or destroy it, depending on the situation.
Before doing anything, make sure you’re actually dealing with bumble bees and not yellowjackets. The approach, the risks, and the urgency are very different.
Bumble Bees vs. Yellowjackets in the Ground
Both bumble bees and yellowjackets nest underground, often in abandoned rodent burrows, and both are black and yellow. But the similarities end there. Bumble bees are round, fuzzy, and roughly half an inch to a full inch long. Yellowjackets are smaller (3/8 to 5/8 inch), with hard, shiny bodies, almost no hair, and bold geometric markings like triangles or diamonds on their abdomens. Their wings fold into a narrow strip when resting.
The behavioral difference matters even more. Bumble bees are not aggressive unless you reach directly into the nest or step on it. Yellowjackets, especially in late summer and fall, can sting unprovoked and will aggressively scavenge around food and drinks. If bees are buzzing around your picnic table or trash cans, those are almost certainly yellowjackets, and you should treat that situation more urgently. If you see fat, fuzzy bees calmly entering and exiting a hole in the ground, that’s a bumble bee nest.
Why Waiting Is Often the Best Option
Bumble bee colonies are annual. A queen emerges from hibernation in mid to late April, finds an underground cavity, and starts a colony from scratch. The first workers appear about two to three weeks after she lays eggs. The colony grows through summer, peaking at anywhere from 30 to 400 individuals depending on the species. By late June through September, the colony shifts from producing workers to producing new queens and males. Once the new queens mate and dig into loose soil to hibernate for six to nine months, everyone else in the colony dies. The nest will not be reused next year.
If the nest is in a corner of your yard where you can avoid it for a few weeks or months, this is the lowest-effort, lowest-risk solution. Mark the area with a small flag or cone so nobody steps on it, and let the colony complete its cycle. Bumble bees are important pollinators, and their populations have declined significantly. One species, the rusty patched bumble bee, became the first bumble bee listed as federally endangered in 2017, with designated critical habitat across parts of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
How to Relocate the Nest
If the nest is near a doorway, a play area, or somewhere people walk barefoot, relocation is a reasonable middle ground. The goal is to move the entire colony to a safer spot without killing it. This works best when the nest is relatively small and accessible.
Gather your supplies before you start, because you want to work quickly and minimize stress on the bees. You’ll need a wide shovel (wide enough to scoop the whole nest in one pass), a nest box or sturdy container with a small entrance hole, soft nesting material like cotton batting or dried grass clippings to line the bottom of the box, long sleeves, pants, closed shoes, and gloves.
Do the relocation at night. Bumble bees can’t fly in the dark, so all the workers will be inside the nest and less likely to become agitated. Use a headlamp with a red filter if you have one, since bees are less responsive to red light. Carefully dig up the nest with your wide shovel, trying to get it all in a single scoop. Be gentle. The nest contains delicate brood cells and small wax pots filled with nectar that can spill or crush easily. Place the nest into your prepared box on top of the nesting material, then move the box to a quiet spot at least 20 to 30 feet away from foot traffic. Set it on level ground and leave the entrance unobstructed.
Expect some confusion from foraging bees the next day. Workers that were out when you moved the nest will return to the original location, circle for a while, and eventually disperse. The colony in the new box should settle within a day or two.
How to Destroy the Nest
If someone in your household has a bee sting allergy, or the nest is in a location where relocation isn’t feasible, destruction may be necessary. Work at night for the same reason: all the bees will be inside, and they’ll be far less active.
Insecticidal dust is the most effective approach for underground nests. Look for a product labeled for ground-nesting bees or wasps at your hardware store. Apply the dust directly into the nest entrance according to the label directions, then step back. The bees will carry the dust deeper into the nest as they move around, spreading it through the colony. Don’t seal the entrance right away. You want returning foragers to enter and contact the dust as well.
Aerosol wasp and hornet sprays that shoot a stream from 15 to 20 feet can also work. Spray directly into the nest opening for six to eight seconds to thoroughly saturate the interior. These products kill on contact but don’t have the same spreading effect as dust, so you may need to reapply.
Check the nest the following evening. If you still see activity, repeat the treatment. Once there’s no movement for 24 hours, you can fill in the hole with soil.
What Not to Do
- Don’t pour water into the nest. It won’t kill the colony and will make the bees extremely defensive.
- Don’t pour gasoline or other flammable liquids into the hole. This is dangerous, contaminates your soil, and is illegal in many areas.
- Don’t seal the entrance without treating the nest first. The bees will find or create another exit, often into your house if the nest is near a foundation.
- Don’t attempt removal during the day. Foraging bees returning to a disturbed nest are far more likely to sting.
Preventing Future Ground Nests
Bumble bees prefer pre-existing cavities in the ground, especially old rodent burrows, gaps under compost piles, and spaces beneath objects sitting on the soil. If you’ve had a nest in one spot, it means that spot had the features a queen was looking for: a sheltered cavity, loose or soft soil, and nearby food sources.
To reduce the chances of a new colony setting up next spring, fill in any abandoned rodent holes with packed soil. Clear objects that sit directly on the ground, like unused pots, tarps, or stacked materials, since these create the sheltered gaps queens favor. Keep compost bins elevated or enclosed. If you have a patch of bare, sandy soil where bees have nested before, planting dense ground cover can make it less appealing.
These steps lower the odds but don’t guarantee anything. Queens are resourceful, and a yard with flowers will always be attractive to them. In most cases, that’s a good thing for your garden.