Attack of the Bumblebees!

I know bumblebees are super pollinators and I try to co-exist as much as possible, BUT.....

For some reason 4 or 5 bumblebees have taken a STRONG liking to my deck. And the longer they are there, the more they like it! So much so they have gotten very protective. One in particular won't even let you out the back door now without diving for your head. He comes at me when he even sees me standing in the door. If you stand there more than 30 seconds, he is flying into the glass, trying to get at you.

I really don't want to kill them, but it's getting bad. Can anyone give me ideas on how I can "nicely" reclaim my deck?

I wonder if your little friends aren't actually bumble bees, but rather wood bees. Wood bees are the same size as bumblebees with a little less yellow on them. Wood bees are very attracted to decks and porches (for obvious reasons) and are VERY territorial. I've never met a territorial bumblebee, but we have plenty of extraordinarily mean wood bees hanging around the porch. Even though I dislike them, I prefer not to kill them. Instead, I hung up two bird feeders. The birds seem to keep the bees well in check!

I suspect carpenter bees--I had some at my old house, I had a covered patio where the frame for the cover was made with wood. I'm pretty sure the males (which are the ones buzzing around) don't sting, the females can but they don't come out as often, they drill holes into the wood and make their nests there. My patio was cement and it was just the support beams and framing for the roof that were wood, and I'd read that they don't like to make homes in painted wood, so after they went away for the season I painted all the wood and never had problems with them again. With your deck I'm not sure painting is the best choice, but maybe if you try restaining it that might help? If you know where the holes are that they've made, there's also a powdered insecticide that you can buy, wait until sometime when the bees aren't out attacking you and puff that into the holes, then seal them up with wood putty.

Hmmm, now I'm wondering if they ARE actual bumblebees. They are so agressive I haven't hung around long enough to study them. I just saw the size and the yellow and thought bumble bees. I haven't hung bird feeders around the deck cause we have 3 outside cats who for some reason think birds would make a delicious tidbit! I may have to try moving some closer though, if you think it might work.
I haven't seen a nest of any kind though I've tried to watch where they were going. (from a distance of course!) They seem to like the roof so maybe theres a nest up there somewhere. They were going into a crack in the sofit at first but I caught them gone and sprayed wasp & hornet spray into it. Trying to enourage then to NOT come back without actually hurting them!
I haven't seen any holes in the wood but will look now! Thanks for the ideas

The ones that are flying around and trying to intimidate you won't actually go in the nest (not that I ever saw at least), they just fly around in an area within probably about 5-8 ft from where the hole is to try and keep people away. And you won't see a nest like the normal type of bee/wasp nests, they basically chew holes into the wood and build the nests in there, what you'll see are small perfectly round holes about the size of a pencil eraser somewhere in your wood. With my patio the holes were really obvious--I had actually noticed them before I bought the house and had no idea what they were, but then the following spring when the bees came around I figured it out!

I went out and looked but can't see anything on the deck. I watched for awhile and they seem to be mostly on the roof over the deck. It's all painted unless they are getting underneath the eves to some raw wood somewhere. (We just had the deck built this last fall, but it was made with treated wood.)

I went and looked up more info on these bees and it looks like they are the same thing. Wood bees and carpenter bees. And they sure sound like the little terrors taking over the deck. Even if the male doesn't sting, you can't help but duck! LOL. I twisted my ankle last week trying to duck and get back in the house!

I wonder if smoke would get rid of them???

They do put on a really good show! Even once I had heard that they didn't sting I still wouldn't hang around on the patio if they were around! I used to really freak out around bees, and these guys are really big and scary so they made me jump a few times.

If you don't see any holes and there are gaps where they could be getting in underneath something that's definitely a possibility. Unfortunately if you can't get to their holes and can't paint the wood they're getting into that makes them harder to get rid of...I was able to get rid of mine with the pesticide puffer, followed by sealing up the holes and then painting the wood, so I never investigated what the other options were. After I got rid of their nesting spot, I would still see them around in the garden from time to time, but there they were just enjoying the flowers and weren't aggressive at all. In the garden I think they're actually desirable so it would be a shame to kill them, but on the other hand you need to be able to enjoy your deck in peace! And I can tell you from experience that once they've found a cozy place to nest, I don't think they reuse the same holes in subsequent years, but they definitely come back to the same area, the ones at my house had obviously been there before I moved in, then the first year I was there I noticed them but didn't know what they were or what to do about them, then the 2nd year they came back again and I decided I better do some research on them and figure out how to get rid of them.

Yep! They are helpful in the garden, as they kill certain pests and, I think, use them to feed their young. If it's any consolation, my wood bees (or carpenter bees, as they're probably called in any other place but Paducah:) have stopped being mean now--they seem to have realized that I'm not going to hurt them. I also think they may have been breeding or nesting for awhile and that's why they were getting so defensive. Perhaps if you give them about a week, yours will calm down, too!

Well I have no idea if they came here before this year, but wouldn't doubt it. We just moved into this house in Nov of last year. Had been remodeling it for a couple of years before that. It's a good possibility they were here first! Still.....
I got kind of tickled at him earlier this evening. (I'm assuming the agressive one is a male). I was out back repotting some plants on the picnic table. I saw him kind of hovering about 3 feet from the edge of the roof. Got ready to come inside, and I got ornery! I stood on the bottom step for a sec and watched him to see what he'd do. He came about a foot closer & hovered. Then I went to the 2nd step. And he came another couple of feet and just hovered. I think he was waiting to see if I had the nerve to come on up, before expending the energy to come after me! I stood there probably 30 sec and a bird flew over. He took off after the bird and I darted inside! LOL

I'm all for co-existing if possible. If it just wasn't on the deck and so close to the back door!

If Moonpye's bees have stopped being mean now it means nesting season is probably drawing to a close, and that's the only time of year that they get aggressive. So hopefully they'll be gone soon.

We had a few at our old house - One in particular would hang around alot. We started calling him "george" and he just seemed to be really nosey. Whenever I was outside he would come around (within a foot) and just hover - watch to see what I was doing - and then get on his way.
I dont know if he was just friendlier, if I wasnt near the nest or if this was our way of co-existing with them.
good luck!
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Thanks, we may need it! This one shows no signs of leaving. He's taken over the deck. And my Grandson is coming this weekend. He is absolutely terrified of all insects.

YEAH so was my 2 year old. I told him those bees are nice and like to watch people work - he got over it after awhile ^_^