Most of the world’s bees live underground, not in hives, so a lawn dotted with small holes and low-flying bees in spring is a common sight. The bees that make those holes are gentle, short-lived visitors rather than a stinging threat.1American Pest. Should I Get Rid of Ground Bees? The ground nester that does deserve caution is a wasp, not a bee, and the two are easy to tell apart once you know what to look for.
What Ground-Nesting Bees Are and What Their Nests Look Like
Of more than 20,000 bee species worldwide, roughly 70% build their nests underground.2Pollinators. Ground Nesting Bees – What to Look for and What Species to Expect The honeybee hive most people picture is the exception, not the rule.
A typical yard sighting is a scatter of small holes about the width of a pencil, each with a little cone or ring of loose soil around it. They turn up in bare or thin patches of lawn, along paths, or in sunny garden beds. In early spring you may see bees zipping low over the ground, landing and vanishing into the holes. Activity is strongest on warm, sunny days and quiet in cold or rain.
Each female digs her own nest, usually one main tunnel with a handful of short side tunnels.3Backyard Ecology. Help Our Native Ground Nesting Bees These are solitary bees, so there is no queen, no shared hive and no workers to defend it. She digs with her mouthparts and legs, pushing loose soil up to the surface, which is what forms the small mound around each hole. At the bottom she builds small chambers and fills each with a ball of pollen and nectar. She lays one egg on each food ball, and the larva that hatches eats that stored food without further care from her. Once the chambers are stocked she seals them and her work is done, which is why the nest needs no guarding. Some, like plasterer bees, line their tunnels with a waterproof, cellophane-like film they make themselves to keep the nest dry and free of mold.4AskNature. Secretion Waterproofs Nest — Biological Strategy
You see dozens of holes at once because many females often dig close together, forming a cluster of nests.5Museum of the Earth. Bee Nesting These clusters can hold over 100,000 nests, and the largest ever found held more than 12 million.6Museum of the Earth. Bee Nesting Only a small part of the ground may suit them, so bees crowd into the patches that do.7Ecological Entomology. Nest site preference and success in a gregarious, ground‐nesting bee Dieunomia triangulifera
The same spot fills up year after year because young bees develop underground where their mother dug and emerge in that same patch. A cluster can grow over several years if the soil stays suitable, which is why some people notice more bees every spring in one corner of the yard.
Are Ground Bees Dangerous
The bees darting and hovering over the nest area are usually males patrolling for mates.8New Garden Landscaping & Nursery. Do Bees Nest in the Ground? And Are They Dangerous? Male bees have no stinger at all.9American Pest. Should I Get Rid of Ground Bees?
Females do have a stinger, but they don’t defend their nesting area and are docile.10New Garden Landscaping & Nursery. Do Bees Nest in the Ground? And Are They Dangerous? They sting only when threatened, such as when stepped on barefoot or grabbed.11American Pest. Should I Get Rid of Ground Bees? If she lands on you, she is most likely exploring or resting, and she will usually fly off if left alone. Bees flying toward you are usually males checking you out, so swatting is what turns a harmless encounter into a sting; walking calmly through the area is safe.
Children running and playing over the area are very unlikely to be stung by the hovering males. The main risk is a bare foot or hand pressing a female against the ground, and shoes in that part of the yard for a few weeks remove most of it. Dogs sniffing or digging at holes may get stung on the nose, so steer them away.
Bumblebees are the exception among ground-nesting bees. They are social and can nest underground in old burrows, and they can defend a nest more readily than solitary bees.12American Pest. Should I Get Rid of Ground Bees? A single larger hole with big, fuzzy bees going in and out is worth giving more space.
An occasional sting from a ground bee is usually a brief, local pain, not a medical event, unless you are allergic.13PubMed Central. Pain and Lethality Induced by Insect Stings: An Exploratory and Correlational Study Anyone with a known bee-sting allergy should keep prescribed epinephrine handy and treat any sting seriously.
How to Tell Ground Bees From Yellowjackets
- Hole size: ground bee holes are about 1/4 inch across; yellowjacket entrances are usually more than an inch.14Bulwark Pest Control. Do Bees Nest in the Ground? And Are They Dangerous?
- Number of holes: ground bees make many separate holes; yellowjackets use one main entrance to a large colony.15Bulwark Pest Control. Do Bees Nest in the Ground? And Are They Dangerous?
- Body: ground bees are often fuzzy or hairy; yellowjackets are smooth and wasp-like.16Bulwark Pest Control. Do Bees Nest in the Ground? And Are They Dangerous?
- Behavior: ground bees are usually non-aggressive; yellowjackets can aggressively defend the nest.17Bulwark Pest Control. Do Bees Nest in the Ground? And Are They Dangerous?
A yellowjacket entrance is much bigger than a ground bee hole and often has a worn or bare look from heavy traffic. The insects differ too. You may see pollen on ground bees’ legs or bodies. Yellowjackets have a narrow waist and bold yellow-and-black bands. A yellowjacket flies in and out as a quick, direct traveler, while ground bees often hover low and meander over the area.
Timing helps as well. Ground bee activity peaks in early spring and fades within weeks. Yellowjacket nests grow through summer and are largest and most defensive in late summer and fall, so a hole busy in August or September with steady traffic through one opening is one more clue pointing to wasps.
To check safely, watch from several feet away on a sunny afternoon. Note how many holes there are and how wide the busiest one is. If it is one big hole with many insects pouring out, keep people away and consider a professional. Never block or pour liquids into a suspected yellowjacket hole, which can trigger mass stinging.
How Long Ground Bees Stay Active
Many ground bees emerge in early spring, before trees leaf out.18Backyard Ecology. Help Our Native Ground Nesting Bees They mate soon after emerging, and females dig nests, lay eggs and stock food.19Backyard Ecology. Help Our Native Ground Nesting Bees Most adults live only a few weeks, then die.20Backyard Ecology. Help Our Native Ground Nesting Bees
The rest of the year happens out of sight. Depending on species, young bees spend up to 11 months underground developing into adults.21Backyard Ecology. Help Our Native Ground Nesting Bees In warmer winters some spring bees emerge earlier, and in colder ones later.22PubMed Central. Overwintering temperature and body condition shift emergence dates of spring-emerging solitary bees The same patch will likely be active again next spring at a similar time, so mark the spot to remember where to expect them.
The area goes quiet by early summer, but that isn’t proof the bees left. Digging or tilling there destroys the next generation underground, so waiting out the season is usually the simplest choice.
How to Encourage Ground Bees to Move Without Killing Them
Changing the soil conditions is the most effective way to discourage ground bees.23Extension. Should I be concerned about ground nesting bees in my yard? They favor bare, dry, well-drained soil and avoid thick vegetation.24Orkin. How to Get Rid of Ground Bees Safely Seeding bare patches or laying a thick layer of mulch pushes them to nest elsewhere.25Extension. Should I be concerned about ground nesting bees in my yard? Thickening a lawn with proper fertilizing, watering and overseeding has the same effect.26Extension. Should I be concerned about ground nesting bees in my yard?
To thicken a bare patch, rake it lightly to loosen the surface, then spread grass seed or a ground cover. Keep the area moist while seedlings take hold. Over time, healthy turf covers the soil, which makes the spot a less likely place to dig. For mulch, spread a layer thick enough to cover the soil fully, since a thin layer may leave gaps where bees can dig, and top it up when it thins. Mulch suits garden beds best, while lawns are better handled by thickening grass.
Timing matters. Mulching or overseeding works best in late summer or fall, before next spring’s emergence. Acting while adults are active won’t remove the young already underground, so use the active weeks to plan changes for the patch you marked.
Soaking the nesting area thoroughly for a few days can make it unappealing and prompt bees to relocate.27Orkin. How to Get Rid of Ground Bees Safely But bees tolerate a range of soil moisture, temperature and firmness, so watering alone may not work.28Ecosphere. Soil sanctuaries: Experimental manipulations enhance ground‐nesting bee habitat Simply moving play equipment or furniture for the few weeks they’re active avoids conflict entirely.
Using chemicals to kill ground bees is not recommended.29Extension. Should I be concerned about ground nesting bees in my yard? In one study, a common lawn insecticide cut bumblebee foraging, killed workers and stopped colonies from producing new queens.30PubMed Central. Assessing Insecticide Hazard to Bumble Bees Foraging on Flowering Weeds in Treated Lawns
Online lists also suggest cinnamon, vinegar sprays or covering holes with bricks. These are untested and may harm other soil life or your plants. Covering holes only blocks some females and doesn’t change why the site attracts them, whereas soil and vegetation changes address the actual cause.
Why Ground Bees Are Worth Keeping Around
Wild bees, many of them ground nesters, can fully pollinate some crops on their own, as they did on most pumpkin farms in one study.31PubMed. Wild bee abundance and pollination service in cultivated pumpkins: farm management, nesting behavior and landscape effects Your yard’s ground bees likely help nearby fruit trees, vegetables and flowers. Many are active in early spring when fruit trees and early flowers bloom, a time when other pollinators are scarce. Because they nest in the soil, they stay in the same neighborhood and keep pollinating nearby gardens year after year.
Digging bees also move and mix substantial amounts of soil, loosening it and improving how water and air move through it.32Basic and Applied Ecology. Beyond pollination – The neglected contribution of ground-nesting bees to soil functions Their tunnels add organic matter and nutrients and feed soil microbes.33Basic and Applied Ecology. Beyond pollination – The neglected contribution of ground-nesting bees to soil functions Burrows from ground bees, ants and spiders helped double how fast rain soaks into restored land compared with pasture.34Restoration Ecology. Restoration of an Ecosystem Function to Revegetation Communities: The Role of Invertebrate Macropores in Enhancing Soil Water Infiltration
A small bare area in a sunny corner can be left for bees on purpose. That keeps them away from play areas while supporting pollination. Avoiding insecticides on flowering lawn weeds protects them while they feed, and since their activity window is short, the trade-off costs little.