Bees Nesting in the Ground

by Dave Sables
(doncaster)

I have small holes all over my lawn, each hole is home to a small type of bee. What are they, and is it safe for children to play on my lawn.

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Hi Dave,

I'm no entomological expert, so I can't do any more than guess.

There actually are many species of bees that nest in the ground, including bumblebees. But from your description, my first guess would be digger bees.

Most species of bees aren't particularly aggressive unless they are defending their home. But if there are a lot of these bees, there's always the chance that a child will step on one barefoot, and get stung.

Bumblebees can also be pretty aggressive if you disturb their nest. (And I can tell you from personal experience that bumblebees become quite offended when you run a lawnmower over their nest!)

Here's a link to a site that provides more information about Digger Bees. Perhaps it will help you in identifying the bee.

Good luck!