In the UK, there are 270 different species of bees, all of which play an important role in our natural environment. There are 24 different species of bumbles bees and around 245 different species of solitary bees.

From time to time we receive enquiries about bumble bees and solitary bees, often when they have set up a colony in someone’s house or garden. Bumble bees are harmless if you leave them alone, and the colonies die out at the end of each summer. Our advice is to leave them to it, but if you would like more information on bumble bees there its lots of useful information to be found on The Bumble Bee Conservation Trusts website: Bumblebee Conservation Trust

They also have a section on solitary bees. Solitary bees - Bumblebee Conservation Trust