Ground-nesting bees
various (Andrena, Bombus, etc.)
- Identification
- Solitary or bumble bees that nest in soil; small mounds with a central hole, or bumble nests in old rodent burrows.
- Lifecycle & behavior
- Many are solitary and short-lived in spring; bumble bees form small annual colonies in cavities and burrows.
- When it's active in Central NY
- Spring solitary bees and summer bumble bees appear in lawns and banks. Most are important, gentle pollinators.
- Risk & damage
- Generally beneficial and non-aggressive; concern arises mainly when a bumble nest is near high-traffic areas or someone has an allergy.
- Why DIY falls short
- Beneficial bees shouldn't be casually killed; identification matters to avoid harming pollinators.
- How we treat it
- Identification first; treatment only where a nest poses a genuine hazard near living space, favoring pollinator-conscious approaches.
Ground-nesting bees or yellowjackets in the ground?
Both come out of holes in the ground, and the distinction determines whether you should be concerned. Ground-nesting solitary bees are usually fuzzy, often smaller, and each female has her own separate small hole — you see many individual entrances scattered across an area, with gentle bees coming and going. A yellowjacket ground nest has a single entrance with heavy, fast two-way traffic in and out of one hole.
Temperament confirms it. Solitary ground bees are docile, rarely sting, and will tolerate you standing among them. Yellowjackets defend their nest en masse.
Ground-nesting bees in Central New York
Solitary ground-nesting bees are most visible in spring, in dry, sparsely vegetated, sandy or well-drained soil — thin lawn patches, bare slopes, and garden edges. They are important early-season pollinators and are active for only a few weeks.
In most cases the honest recommendation is to leave them alone. They do not damage lawns meaningfully, they are gone shortly, and they are valuable. Improving turf density in the area discourages them the following year without any treatment at all.
Dealing with ground-nesting bees?
Our stinging insects handles it — guaranteed, family-owned, and local.
Ground-nesting bees — common questions
There are dozens of small holes with bees in my lawn. Do I need them treated?
Usually not. Many separate small holes with gentle bees indicates solitary ground-nesting bees, which are docile, important early pollinators, and active only a few weeks in spring. A single hole with heavy fast traffic is a different matter — that is likely a yellowjacket nest and worth handling.