 Bumblebees form colonies of between roughly 50 and 400 individuals ; these are small compared to honeybee hives , which hold about 50 @,@ 000 bees . Many species nest underground , choosing old rodent burrows or sheltered places , and avoiding places that receive direct sunlight that could result in overheating . Other species make nests above ground , whether in thick grass or in holes in trees . A bumblebee nest is not organised into hexagonal combs like that of a honeybee ; the cells are instead clustered together <unk> . The workers remove dead bees or larvae from the nest and deposit them outside the nest entrance , helping to prevent disease . Nests in temperate regions last only for a single season and do not survive the winter . 
