The nesting places of some British bumblebees

Published source details Fussell M. & Corbet S. (1992) The nesting places of some British bumblebees. Journal of Apicultural Research, 31, 32-41.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Provide nest boxes for bees (solitary bees or bumblebees) Action Link
	Provide artificial nest sites for bumblebees Action Link

Provide nest boxes for bees (solitary bees or bumblebees)

A trial (unequally replicated) of 654 bumblebee Bombus spp. nest boxes over three years (1989-1991) in farmland, gardens and fenland in Cambridgeshire, UK (Fussell & Corbet 1992) found only 10 boxes were occupied (1.5%). The nest boxes tested were wooden boxes raised 10 cm or 1 m above the ground, or nest sites constructed with bricks and concrete tiles on the ground. Dry moss, felt or shredded textiles were added as bedding. Two common and widespread bumblebee species used boxes of both types: the early bumblebee Bombus pratorum and the common carder bee B. pascuorum.
Provide artificial nest sites for bumblebees

A trial (unequally replicated) of 654 bumblebee nest boxes over three years (1989-1991) in farmland, gardens and fenland in Cambridgeshire, UK, found only 10 boxes were occupied (1.5%) (Fussell & Corbet 1992). The nest boxes tested were wooden boxes raised 10 cm or 1 m above ground, or nest sites constructed with bricks and concrete tiles on the ground. Dry moss, felt or shredded textiles were added as bedding. Two common and widespread bumblebee species used boxes of both types, the early bumblebee Bombus pratorum and the common carder bee B. pascuorum.