DEAR JOAN: I have a nesting box in one of my trees that successfully produced a little family of chickadees last spring. The chickadees still live in and around my yard as I have several feeders that I regularly keep filled.

Late last fall I took down the nesting box thinking that I should clean it out. I was surprised to see that a couple of yellow-and-black bumble bees had decided to make it their home. I hung it back in the tree and left it.

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Is it one or two snakes shedding skin in my backyard? Just this week I decided to look again. There appear to be many bumble bees in there now, some smaller and perhaps younger? Once again, I left it, but I am wondering what the chickadees will think if they try to use this nesting box again.

I have put up a new nesting box in a different area of my yard. I was also wondering if I should move the bee box because the chickadees always perch in that tree. Your thoughts?

Kim Daly, Alamo

DEAR KIM: I appreciate your compassion for all living creatures, especially the bees.

Times have been tough for our industrious friends, what with colony die off, loss of habitat and the overuse of pesticides. Giving bumble bees a place to set up house is a good thing for the bees and for your garden as they will work hard to pollinate your plants.

The larger bumble bee in your bird house is the queen, and the smaller ones are female worker bees. All of the bees except the queen die off in the winter while the queen finds a warm, safe place to spend the season.

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Bumble bees tend to start their colonies before other bees in order to take advantage of early spring blooms. This seems a little early for them, given how cold it’s been, but all the rain and occasional warm spells might be kick-starting the season.

Bumble bees need places where they won’t be disturbed, so I’d suggest leaving the converted bee box where it is.

The chickadees won’t be bothered by the bumble bees, which are pretty mellow, but the bees might be bothered by the birds getting into the box and eating the larvae. You might want to look at ways to make the opening to the box smaller by taking a piece of wood and drilling a bee-sized hole in it, then attaching it over the nesting box entrance.

With any luck, you’ll have a lush garden this spring, filled with the birds and the bees.

DEAR JOAN: I felt I had to tell you about my best gardening experience I’ve had thus far.

Back in October, I was in the garden working and suddenly felt something on my right shoulder. I thought it was only a leaf, but as I began to brush it away, I discovered it was a praying mantis.

This exquisite bug jumped off me and onto the plant I was tending. We sat together for some time before I continued on with my work. I kept coming back to check on it and it seemed to be perfectly content on my plant. I have no idea how long the bug traveled with me on my shoulder, but I was thrilled to have had the experience of being so close to this beautiful specimen.

This is the fourth praying mantis I have discovered in my garden over the past two years. I’m not sure if this is unusual, but I sure do feel privileged to have them live here. They are fantastic bugs. Of course, my husband thinks I’ve totally lost it because I rave about a bug.

Mary Hotten, Moraga

DEAR MARY: To find joy communing with the smallest of creatures is to live life to its fullest.