Bees under the deck

[Redlight]

We have a deck in the garden. In the past couple of weeks, we've noticed bees occasionally going beneath it, flying in and out through a small gap between one of the supports and the ground. Should we be concerned?

[Mrs Pingu]

Unless you have small children I would say no. They just want to go about their business in peace, and if they are bumblebees making a nest they will die out over the winter apart from the queens anyway. (According to the research I did when some bees started moving into our roof last weekend).

[Pingu]

Or if you have a cat that likes to carry live bees in its mouth 

[Redlight]

Well, the bees seem very happy, buzzing in and out. They are loving the large lavender bush just a few feet away and the cats have learned to keep their distance - whether through experience or intuition, I know not.  Over the winter, I'll plant some more bee-friendly attractions, in the hope that the queen survives and they'll be back next year.

[Wowbagger]

This year's queen will almost certainly die if they are bumble bees, but her queen-sized daughters will hopefully survive the winter and set up new colonies.