Calgary is home to an incredible diversity of native bees including as many as 12 different bumblebee species. These fuzzy, lovable bees are an easily recognized, garden favorite, often seen on raspberries, poppies and in blooming trees. Like honeybees, bumblebees live socially and construct annual, small, underground nests to raise workers, males and new queens.
Each year A.B.C receives over 100 calls about found or dug up bumblebee nests from members of the Calgary community. Many 
homeowners understand the importance of bees but are concerned about the impact on their homes and families. After learning that bumblebees are typically very docile and their nests do not cause damage, most are happy to leave the bees and enjoy the new company in their yard. Occasionally, though, the colonies are deemed a nuisance and the homeowners wish to have the nest removed without killing it.
This year A.B.C will be reviving the Bumblebee Rescue Program to offer removal and relocation from May to August. By accepting rescue applications and offering an alternative to poisoning difficult or unfortunately located bumblebee colonies, A.B.C is better capable of engaging the public in an effort to bring awareness native bees, the challenges they face, how they can be supported and to encourage homeowners to leave the nests undisturbed so that colonies can thrive.
This 2015 summer season, A.B.C will be looking for volunteers to help us venture out under decks, into wood piles, and under compost heaps in an effort to rescue bumblebees from unwanted domestic locations throughout the city! Bumblebees will be relocated to safe areas where they can, ideally, complete their summer life-cycle and raise new queens for the following year.
If you are interested in volunteering with the Bumblebee Rescue Program please contact info@backyardbees.ca with the subject line “bumblebee rescue”.
