In Focus: Bees

Bee
Insect

Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Wikipedia

Scientific name: Anthophila

Rank: Series

Higher classification: Apoidea

Lifespan: 3 – 4 y (Western honey bee, Queen), 0.1 – 0.8 y (Western honey bee, Worker)

Length: 1.5 – 1.7 cm (Early bumblebee, Queen),

Lower classifications: Colletidae, Apidae, Meganomiidae,Dasypodaidae, Melittidae, Andrenidae, 

Stenotritidae, Megachilidae,Halictidae

Bees, we see them around the garden all the time, they are vital to aid pollination and to allow the full circle of life to carry on in the plant world. Bees are on the decline in the UK and this is due to changes in habits of us. Many people now do not like to have a flower garden and just concrete, pave or stone big areas instead of having grass and flower beds. How many of you have seen neighbours gardens changing? We should all play our part in encouraging these small and beautiful insects in out gardens. If you have a small garden then have a small bed that contains bee friendly plants, such as Allium, Aquilegia, Campanula, Bluebells, Coneflower, Cosmos etc, Pretty much all the ones you see here on my site. You could also leave a section of your garden ( If you not green fingered ) to go wild and throw in a packet of seeds and leave it, sit back and enjoy the beautiful flowers grow. 

Bumblebees nest in a variety of different places. Some nest underground, in places such as abandoned rodent holes, under sheds and in compost heaps. Of those that nest above ground, some make nests in thick grass, while others make nests in bird boxes and in trees. For those that nest in bird boxes, you may often see 'swarms' of bees flying around the nest. This is perfectly normal, and these are male bees, which often fly around nests, waiting for queens to come out so that they can mate. Male bees cannot sting, so please don't be alarmed if you see this.Inside a bumblebee nest will be a queen bee, who lays almost all of the eggs. Around her, she will have a number of worker bees, who help to look after the nest, collect food, and raise new offspring. Unlike the distinctive honeybee nest, which has tightly packed hexagonal cells for raising offspring and storing honey, the inside of the bumblebee nest can appear quite messy and disorganised. You might also find a number of dead bees and grubs near the nest entrance. This is because worker bees will remove dead and dying bees from the nest to keep it clean and free of disease.

Information from http://beekind.bumblebeeconservation.org/

If you find a nest, they will not be likely to cause you any harm. Bees are not actually protected by law so you can remove them yourselves although I really would not recommend this at all. 
Follow the link if you really do need to remove one. 

http://bumblebeeconservation.org/about-bees/faqs/moving-bumblebee-nests

Some of the plants that are Bee freindly, like Coneflowers and Coreopsis. 

Please be Bee freindly in the garden and remember without them, well the thought is quite scary. The article below just about sums it up.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2342069/What-supermarket-look-like-bees-die-Empty-shelves-scant-produce-options.html