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ljf424

Ground bees

ljf424
18 years ago

We have about 100 (yes, 100) nest in our backyard full of ground bees. The hole is the size of a pencil. They are very small, black and yellow, fuzzy, and docile. I am guessing they are...miner bees? And debating leaving them alone b/c I am guessing they'll go away after a while. One Home Depot staffer suggested Sevin dust, another spray. Thoughts? So much for fertilizing the lawn this weekend.

Comments (68)

  • zulubob
    16 years ago

    O.K I've read all the postings but can't seem to find anything that describes the ground bees that attack me every time i get out the weed whipper. A few weeks back I inadvertently came within 5 yards of their nest the first time ( a small football sized clump of brush) and got stung repeatedly. They were on me before I knew what was happening. Very aggressive. 2-3 stings that time.

    Yesterday, aware of where their nest was, I stayed a good 15-20 yards away this time with my eye on the nest. Again, the little suckers came after me. One got between my glove and the back of my hand and my hand swelled up so much it was unusable. Another got me in the elbow of the same arm and from my elbow to my hand is one big ol swollen mess. Never had a reaction like this and never had so much pain.

    I got a good look at the culprits which were primarily black fuzzy with a tad bit of cream color on their abdomen. The sting site was waaaay larger than any other sting I'd ever gotten before (1+ mm), the pain waaay more than I could ever remember. Later that night when things settled down I went out to check out the nest and this time from nearly 20+ yards away. Very little activity at first, just a few flying in and out and then suddenly they came after me again. We're talking seriously aggressive.

    Everyone says "Yep. Yellow jackets." but I know what yellow jackets are and these were not yellow jackets. Then I hear "Yep. Wasps." but there was not the long slender two-piece body I associated with wasps. These guys looked like black fuzzy honey bees with teeny bit of cream color on their abdomens and a really bad attitude.

    I'm mostly interested in what type of bee, wasp, hornet they may be. I'll find a way to prevail over the nest. :-)

    Any help would be appreciated.

  • beph
    16 years ago

    I tried to post this yesterday, so if it is a duplicate, please forgive a new member. Like Zulubob, my dog, neighbor and I have all been stung by VERY aggressive small ground bees. The are yellow and black striped with very dark pointed wings held at a 45 degree angle from their backs. They are definitely NOT yellow jackets. They are very agressive, have a diamond-shaped stinger, and produce a very painful sting. While I admit that I swell up at gnat bites, these stings are almost instantly red and very large. Yesterday I asked if they could be africanized honey bees, but I realized that they are some kind of ground bee. I cannot find a picture of them on the internet. I've lived in the same location for 15 years and have never seen these bees before.

  • whskyfan
    16 years ago

    I have several of these helping me "landscape" my cactus garden. they are very docile and make great "gopher holes" around my miniature buildings.

    Here is a link that might be useful: My sand bees

  • appleroc
    16 years ago

    I discovered ground bees just recently (when I mowed over the hole/hive) I was stung 3 times before I even realized what happened. Like zulubob & beph, these bees were very aggressive! They are yellow with black stripes & these were small. The stings hurt like hell, I got 6 on my arm & 9 on the back of my leg! Thank God for Benedryl & baking soda paste! I'm definately going to try some of the "remedies" from this site! Thanks, all!

  • hott
    15 years ago

    too bad nobody responded to these last three posts. this sounds like what i have encountered in my front yard around a very old tree stump. they went after my husband the other day, today they stung my big dog several times. poor guy, almost drove him crazy. i'll have to wait until dusk to check out the nesting area more closely, but i would appreciate more info about these little stingers! we're in southwest ohio.

  • deb4747
    15 years ago

    I have a ground nest of tiny, very fast bees-they don't seem aggressive but they are just too close to the house for my liking. They really get going when I water! (I'm hoping they're not just babies and will get bigger. Yikes!) I would like to get them to move without killing them-any suggestions? I'm in Sonoma County if anyone would like to come and get them?! Please.

  • mccollja
    15 years ago

    I'm trying to clear an area for a hosta garden and have those very aggressive bees in the ground around a small tree root. I've tried spraying the foam bee killer and get bitten whenever I try to dig around the area. Its hard to see the entrance to their nest. I'd really like to get rid of them. Do you think I could run water around the root and try to drown them??

  • tonybeeguy
    15 years ago

    Water will work, but it's best to find the entrance. Just observe for a while and you should be able to see where they are coming out of the ground. You can usually get close and observe without being bothered. Mark the spot and stick the nozzle of the hose in the hole and let it run for 20 minutes to 1/2 hr. That's usually enough to do the trick. While my first choice is letting them be, sometimes they make a nest where you just have to get rid of them.

  • amadely
    15 years ago

    Hello, I live in northern New York and have had ground bees since May. At least that's when I first noticed them. I have read all of the posts that say to leave them be. They'll move on. But they're not and I am unable to enjoy my backyard because of it.

    Granted, they are not aggressive. I can mow the lawn and they will not sting me, but they will come out and hover above their nest to show me that they are there. Also, I have a 4 ft diameter circle of 3 ft high grass that I cannot cut due to the bees. I do not want to mow directly over the nest. Also, my 4yr old doesn't want to go in the backyard because he is scared of the bees.

    I know the bee population is suffering, but I cannot go in my backyard and the bees show no sign of leaving. So although I don't want to kill them, I am pretty much at my last straw.

    How can I get rid of these bees permanently???

    Thank you!!

    Ann

  • farmer_duke
    15 years ago

    I've always had a few holes (like ant mounds) in our old front brick walkway, but a couple weeks ago there were suddenly 50 or more holes with what looks like digger bees flying all around, going in and out. There are very docile, I walk in the midst of them, even try to sweep the sand back in the holes wearing sandles and they don't bother me. I wouldn't normally care, but this old brick walkway is becomming undermined, sinking, becomming uneven because of the mining and tunnelling these bees are doing. I unfortunately need to eliminate them.
    Any help would be appreciated.
    Thanks.

  • gg1man
    14 years ago

    We think we have ground bees, however to be sure I have photos of one. Can I post it on the forum for some experts to look at?

  • beginnergardner2009
    14 years ago

    I was working in my yard today, planting a flower that my son had got me for Mother's day and notice quite a few bees flying around in the area I was working. I texted my husband to see what I should do. I poured gas on them. Not sure what kind of bees these are, but didnt want to take a chance of one stinging my family. I dug up the mulch alittle and seen their bee hive, it looked so cool. So my question is will they got back in the same area? I just want heads up so when I am in that area again.

  • innocentbystander
    14 years ago

    OK, cutting the grass tonight and before I know it, I am being attacked. I count six stings from these "docile" bees that don't sting.

    Can I get some facts on these creatures? I have two kids, are they truly docile - except when a lawnmower runs over their home? Will they really only be around for 4 weeks or so? Don't recall them being around before but I haven't kept up on the grass cutting too well this year.

  • silkysoap
    14 years ago

    Hi~ Usually I'm over at Garden Junk, but need to find out what I've got in my ground. Need to get a good look. Sun was directly on ground this AM and I saw a constant stream of bees flying up, looked like a stream of bubbles in the sun. Some were returning to same area as I watched. Few years back had a nest of something very aggressive here. Probably same things now. But, either a skunk or raccoon or ground hog dug out that previous nest during one night. Found a bowl shaped excavation in the morning maybe a foot deep. Maybe I can count on that again, but not sure I'll be that lucky.
    Am in SW Ohio. Any suggestions on what might be just showing up in early August?
    Regards,
    Nancy in Cincinnati

  • silkysoap
    14 years ago

    Thanx, usmc_recon. That's what I was thinking, too. They are small and yellowish. RATZ! The nest is just a couple feet off the driveway where we walk to get to the house. No avoiding it. To date, the critters have kept to themselves. But we have several outdoor cats that frequent the area..... hope none of them tries to squat in the grass right there. Owwwwwwww....
    I don't want to destroy the nest, but need to consider the risks for man and beasts.
    Appreciate the response.
    Nancy

  • nanrc652_yahoo_com
    14 years ago

    I was digging and also hit a nest. They were biting or stinging mad! I zig zag ran across lawn, through garage and into house - didn't lose them... Was still getting bit in house. I left for the weekend and think that all the ones inside have now died. They are little, black & yellow. The bite/stings itch! Please help me correctly identify & what I should do. (Revenge was first thought, but I did invade their home...)
    Pic of bees: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JB_rGr2IeQ1GObtZll33aA?feat=directlink
    Lower Michigan; zone 6.

    Here is a link that might be useful: click here - what kind of ground bee?

  • shericolin
    14 years ago

    My dog was attached by the ground bees in our back yard. They stung him all over his body. We had to take him to the Vet where they gave him a IV and some other meds. How can I get rid of these bees? I am worried about my grandkids. The bees are small with transparent wings. I am not sure if they are under the ground but I know they are in a pile of lumber by our back fence.

  • flowernay
    14 years ago

    There is a difference between the docile 'miner bees' and the aggressive 'yellow jackets'. Miner bees come out at the first sign of spring. Their solo nests, found in colonies look like little ant hills. As previously described, their nests do have pencil sized holes. I've walked right through a colony with no problems.

    Yellow jackets have large, underground nests with many inhabitants. The holes are about the size of a dime. Yellow jackets swarm and attack when their nest is disturbed or the ground around them vibrates. I've gotten clobbered while mowing the lawn, washing the car, etc..

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    14 years ago

    I just started visiting this forum as I am about to try putting up mason bee houses. I am concerned about the overall problem with bees dying and I've noticed a reduction in the number of bees in my garden. So I noticed this thread and how many posts there were to it and after having read many of the posts, I see a lot of people struggling to deal with stinging bees and nests on their property. It would seem that we could save a lot of bees, simply by helping homeowners find another way to keep them from becoming a problem without killing them. Is there a solution? Most people have small properties and to have a nest somewhere on the property where people are using that area, seems like the bees are always going to lose that one.

  • gordonhutchings
    14 years ago

    Yikes! Can't believe I'm reading about people complaining about beneficial bees on a gardening forum. Halictids and other ground bees are highly, highly beneficial bees and have had many scientific papers written about them. There are some absolutely huge, historical grounds with these types of bees including Adrenids etc. This includes Utah and Russia which boast of some of the highly coveted locations that farmers boast about.
    To not connect the dots between habitat, pollination, and crop/food production, is of a very high ignorance especially with gardeners. This is the very thing that I was talking about on a recent radio interview.
    Put up with these bees, boast of them to your friends and neighbours, learn about their biology and just wait a few weeks. They'll be gone 'til next year. You can keep on mowing, and doing regular activities and they'll work around you and leave you alone.
    I guess this forum is showing me the differences between biologist and gardeners! I'm both and the former helps the latter.
    Gord

    Here is a link that might be useful: Native bees interview on CBC go to March 10 podcast to hear 6 minute interview

  • themadfifer
    13 years ago

    Personaly I would encourage them in to my garden, but that is me.
    However a safe form of land treatment that will not harm the bee's but disencourage them comes in many forms.

    You could staturate the ground with a water and a detergent like washing up liquid
    Diluted acetic acid (table vinegar) in a watering can, which can annoy non acid loving plants, flower of sulpher is ideal. It will aid plant growth, give off a tiny amount of sulpher dioxide and deter the bee's.

    You could even use sodium chloride, table salt but do this with the onset of winter so that by the time spring comes most of the salt is washed deep enough not to bother the plants but enough as to bother the bee's.

    On the other end of spectrum hydrated lime (lime that has already reacted with water) Mix it in to water and spray, again a winter option as it is still akaline.

    There are numerous ways, some of which will help the garden, but do not kill, try find a way to deter.

    Bee's in any form are one of natures little miracles, they deserve to live as we do, the difference is they do something we as a species do not, they add to nature, not take it away......

  • a_bee_2_many
    13 years ago

    I came across this web site as new kid on the block trying to find out what the enormous invasion of grass hovering bee like creatures were! While I have read and been reassured by the posts on this forum, I have also seen a couple that have concerned me. I believe the little bees are called 'miner bees' and I have a better understanding of them now and are not as frightened by them, however I have read a couple of posts on here and other forums that they have stung children, pets and adults. My main concern is that my grandma is allergic to bees stings and as she now lives next door to us and frequents our garden it does not bare thinking about if she is stung it could be deadly. I also have children who want to play and although addressed with them the children are too scared to play out in the garden. I know they do a wonderful job etc etc but I would like some advice on how to get rid of them. I know they should be gone by June but that doesn't help me now. Can someone please advise as soon as possible. thanks.

  • sanchez_vicente_ymail_com
    12 years ago

    Wandering what kind of bees are eating the leaves off my RED OAK TREES? I've seen the bees, they are a black with grey color and look similar to honey bees. How can I get rid of them?

  • alan_hearne_talktalk_net
    12 years ago

    I have problem with Ground Bees. An area of approx 2m diameter has many small holes, maybe 50 to 60 from which bees emerge and fly avove. I am trying to discourage them by pouring a shot of neat "Jeyes Fluid" down each of the holes. Too early to report results but this method was recommended by a bee keeper to get rid of unwanted bees. Its not cheap, 14 GBP per litre so I am hoping a little poured into each hole will do the trick.

  • qasrevenge
    12 years ago

    If they look like darker versions of Honeybees they could also be Leafcutter bees. Which can be a problem for your new plants shoots and leaves during their spring nesting season. Approximately now til June for my area (mid-atlantic).

    They are non-aggressive though and their sting is much weaker than other bees or wasp.

  • jandreweus_yahoo_com
    12 years ago

    i've got these in my yard too! i can walk/mow right over them, they just byzz round about a foot above the ground, THICK, hundreds, little pencil holes, etc... i wonder if they're good for the soil? seem to aerate it a bit, lotsa holes, grass seems ok... they seem to keep neighbors pets off grass too, so thats a plus! im just worried one of them might complain as a nuisance/hazard... there are a lot of bees... thry dont bother me or my dog though, we give em space. stupid question; they make hone, right? can i digbup some? and or comb? or relocate some to 'hive', and try some? possible? absurd?... ? thanks

  • greenday_freaky_gmail_com
    12 years ago

    Sorry to all the entomologists out there, but the miner bees trash our yard every year. I DO NOT want them to come back! They are practically impossible to get rid of. Any suggestions that really work?

  • christina_geyer_yahoo_com
    12 years ago

    I think I have a large group of leafcutter bees living in the stone driveway of the house we just bought. There are hundreds of holes in the dirt between the stones. I watched the bees and they are carrying leaf cuttings into the holes. They are beneficial, so I wouldn't mind them in another part of the yard, but I don"t want to drive over their nests and the driveway is looking pretty cruddy with little piles of dirt all over it as well. Any advice, please?

  • Starcast_inc_gmail_com
    12 years ago

    I have isolated sand holes with the opening about the width of a sharpie marker. The mounds are about the size of a baseball. I have read through this site and all the posts. I too, dislike killing nature's little miracle workers, but they are festering directly along our fence line where we place our garbage cans each day. I have tolerated them for a while now, noticing the holes and mounds duplicating every day. The top concern I have, is the true identification of these bees, if they are harmful to me and my pets, and tip top prioity - If they sting. I am allergic to bee stings and can become very ill if stung. I have been watching them from my dinning room window as that is right by our garbage can area. So far if I go out my side door which is approx. four to six feet away from nests, they do tend to chase me and they are incredibly quick. If I tend to try to view them from the front of this area off my lawn, they do the same thing. I haven't been stung yet, but I was curious if I give full description of the bees maybe someone can identity them.

    Half an inch in length, mostly black with a color at end of bottom that apprears to be either white or a off white color. Their bodies are a bit fuzzy, long abdomen. Completely transparent thin width wings. slender
    They are fast and chase me, however no stinging yet.

    Some of the bees are different but live in same location with ground holes: a bit longer, still thin and very quick, but with yellow heads, fuzzy, and black butts. Wings look a bit opaque.

    I wouldn't want to destory a colony of good bees by mistake out of fear, and I would want to remove the hive properly if they are the aggressive kind. If anyone can help, I would look forward to hearing some advice. Thank you

    Gardener Spring

  • dschoger_hotmail_com
    12 years ago

    I am assuming i have mining bees as well... it was a curious site to see the little bees wandering around on the ground in the beginning of May. Live in upper ottawa valley, Canada.
    The cat and I use the area as a coridor between the front and back yard and even after I knelt over the bees taking macro photos, and the cat decided to roll around over top of the holes, no stings.
    Definately docile. I'll leave them be!

  • Hollywood_sc_rr_com
    12 years ago

    Identify the entrance, wrap a cloths basket with plastic ( trash bag ), place the basket over the entrance, poke a hole in the plastic and unload a can of wasp/ hornet spray in the basket. The bees come out the hole and are trapped in the basket full of that can of spray! Done.

  • gardenman101
    12 years ago

    selocic,
    I know this is an old thread (just discovered it) I have thousands of theese miner bee's you are talking about. Every spring a have a balnket of them swarming over my front lawn (whats left of it) The front yard looks like someone went crazy with a machine gun that sprouted ant like hills. You are right they tend to fade after a few weeks, but I found them by accident when removeing a pile of old leaves in the backyard. As far as being docile i have at least 16 stings along the side of my stomach, they seemed to have found away into my shirt. Relocating them is not an option, any other options? Ty

  • Shizzlemartel_aol_com
    12 years ago

    i was weeding my garden and stumbled across some little tiny bees, i dont know what type they are. We have decided to let them "bee". after reading some advice from this site. Thanks we wil just work around them. Thanks again
    Shane.

  • biggestsugarlandfandot_gmail_com
    12 years ago

    I went outstide and saw a little big bigger than pencil holes in our front yard near the house. And I covered them up thinking that they were ant holes. But then, there was a group of holes that I was unable to cover, because a black with yellow wasp,(roughly the size of my whole pinky) came out. They have been flying around, and I realy would like to get rid of them, they fly around very aggresivly. I really don't want to pour gas on them and burn them because some of the holes are so close to the house. What should I do? Please Help!

  • NA_aol_com
    12 years ago

    These ground bees are all over the sand volleyball courts we play at once a week. I was a little leery about playing around them but we played an hour of volleyball without any stings.

    While I wouldn't recommend this, it's pretty clear they are not aggressive.

  • julysun
    12 years ago

    Check out these photos click on them for more information.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Ground Bee images

  • AuntDonnaof4
    12 years ago

    Hello
    I am researching how to rid of ground bees for my mother who has an infestation of them in her yard. I have read some good info in the previous post. The concern is the "killer ground bees from Mexico" she has heard about. Has she heard right and if so how can you tell the difference? She lives in the SE region of NC in the area know as the Sand-hills. Please help. Thanks.

  • Reality_of_Sorrow
    12 years ago

    ...You can tell Wasps from Bee's by looking at them... Wasps are slender and smooth... Bee's are hairy and they are "plump"... Wasps (and nest[s]) can be killed with pyrethren spray (better to use when you have pets).., but if they are ground wasps.., better wear protection and carry a lot of p. spray.., those suckers are aggresive... I have over 100 mining bee's housing their brood where my pool used to be (sandy conditions).., but I am sad because I am going to build a nice fire patio there this year (after they leave)... So I am out there sitting with them buzzing around me.., they didn't mind at all... These eco- friendly and people friendly bee's are perhaps a nuisance to lawn lovers.., but today I was convinced that that are friends not enemies... Honey bee's are decreasing.., these bee's are tamer than honey bee's! I had a mining bee on my bare hand.., I was surprised! I am deathly afraid of bee's but.., New England Mining Bee's are AWESOME!!! (Even my dog sits with them without incident)... Wasps are a different story...

  • julysun
    11 years ago
  • Kiroseko
    10 years ago

    I have to disagree with the many posters that have said that these bees do not sting. I have an underground colony this year and they have not stung me yet, though they do run into me over and over. But, last year I had a colony near the back of my yard and if I came within 20 ft. they came after me . And, yes I did get stung. Also, many posters have said they will gone for the most part by the middle of June. It is middle July and they are more active than ever. To save someone out there the time- I'm sure these are not yellow jackets.

  • dlnevins
    10 years ago

    I know this is an old thread, but I have a ground bee issue here. These appear to be honeybees. They have 3 nests in my yard that I've "found" while mowing, and while mowing a friends yard for her today, I "found" another nest. These bees leave stingers behind, and as best as I can determine, only honeybees do that. They are normally aggressive, i.e. you can get within a few feet before they start buzzing around. Unfortunately, once they've been disturbed by the mower, if it gets within 20 feet, they come out and come after me. I have a nest of honeybees about 14' up in a hollow catalpa tree, and I had beekeepers remove 3 transient swarms that paused here back in June...I don't want to kill the bees, but these are enough of a problem that I need to either evict or destroy them. Please advise if I am off-base here thinking these are honeybees, and why they'd be building in the ground. The nests have openings about an inch in diameter and there is no mound of dirt...if they had, I'd have seen them before mowing over them and getting repeatedly stung.

  • JoHannah123456789
    9 years ago

    We have a ground bee hive in the backyard that we've left alone for years. We don't bother them and they don't bother us. Unfortunately, the hive is under the patio we're about to replace. I'd like to avoid killing them if possible. Is there a way to move the hive like people do with above-ground bees?

  • bearthompson
    9 years ago

    I've read comments/instructions by experts on several informative websites that say that: (a) ground-dwelling bees are harmless pollinators that can't/won't sting; (b) anyway, don't worry, because they'll be gone in a few weeks, by the end of June; and, (c) if ground-dwelling airborne insects are stinging, then they must actually be yellowjackets -- but that is just NOT SO. Yesterday (July 20), I was working in the small back garden of our townhouse here in Zone 7 Northern Virginia, when my watering disturbed a nest of underground bees that were entering and exiting a small (ca. 1/2 in.) hole in the ground under a dead holly plant. They came after me, and I got stung painfully several times -- once on my left eyelid. (Fortunately, I am not allergic/hypersensitive to insect venom, so I just took some benadryl to help minimize any reaction.) They looked very similar to honeybees, and nothing like yellowjackets or other wasps. (I am originally a biologist, and once studied bumblebees, so I know my insects pretty well.) I had some aerosol wasp/hornet spray in the house that shoots out a narrow stream 10 feet or more; I killed all the ones that were buzzing around outside the nest with that. Later, after the nest had calmed down some, I yanked out the dead holly bush under which they had nested, and sprinkled a generous amount of insecticide granules onto the soil below (where additional bees were visible, crawling around). I hope that killed them all, but I will inspect the area again in coming days. Organic gardeners and tender-hearted individuals who do not wish to harm an insect should do as they wish (I have no argument with them), but in my own view bees in such large numbers and of such an aggressive character could kill a pet, and/or put a person sensitive to their stings in the hospital Emergency Room with some form of dangerous anaphylactic shock -- they must be eliminated.

    This post was edited by bearthompson on Mon, Jul 21, 14 at 12:50

  • EdGallop
    9 years ago

    I usually leave ground and other bees alone unless the location may be hazardous to someone else. If I know where they are I just do not get too close. However... About a week ago there were two nest with 1+" holes at a location where someone visiting us would walk through. I had an old bag of Seven in a shed. When it got dark I put on my bee hood and carefully put about a teaspoon in each hole then covered with dirt. The next day there were no bees. I was going to dispose of the Seven but changed my mind. I would not dust plants with it but it worked great on ground bees with no threats to anything else.

  • kbreeden029
    8 years ago

    I'm new to this site I just would like to ask a question. We are building a house and have a very large dirt hill (pile) from digging out the house seat. This was about 5 years ago. We noticed yesterday that the hill W's covered with these small black bees. We don't know what they are but are concerned because we have grand kids that love to play on this (mud mountain) as I call it. They don't try to sting you, you can walk right through them. But but I mean there are thousands of these bees.its like they have turned the whole mountain of dirt into a nest. They are flying around near the ground everywhere. Any suggestions on what type of bee this is? Small black bee with wings down most of their body.

  • Jessica Dufresne
    8 years ago

    AH! Are you kidding??!! There are commenters actually considering poisoning these pollinators?! I'd say do your part and let them live. These types of bees also prefer dry/well draining soil. If they are in some way a problem, keep the area wet and they should technically find somewhere else to go to nest next year.


    I have a garden bed under an over hang of the house, it says relatively dry. I noticed them this year and instead of tilling up the soil to try some new perennials, I've just left it for a bit to give the babies a chance. My apple and other plants are showing signs of poor or no pollination (deformed fruit, low yields). I stand around my apple which is currently in bloom and there is not a sound, not a buzz, not a hmm. I was actually here to research if there were any way to encourage more types of these bees or to see if you can make them bee homes. I've seen the projects on the internet.


    I have friends and know many farmers who keep honey bees, it really is a sad sad story that people are not hear or caring about at all. The bees are dying. Keepers are having to buy whole new colonies yearly. They just are not surviving the winter. Our food system is not sustainable on so many levels. We need to stop and consider better options before it is too late.

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    8 years ago

    I would love to have more pollinators and I garden organically and plant specifically to attract them. I haven't had a problem with Ground dwelling bees at this point. Just a few paper wasps that try to move in to the underside of the canopy over our front door every year. I keep my eye out for them and knock it down while it is still small and they move on. And I've been gardening here 30+ years. It's pretty sad that there aren't enough pollinators even when I am offering an environment that is pollinator friendly. I have berry bushes in the yard and strawberries, that are not developing berries from all the flowers on them.

    Still, I remember my brother running over a bee hive with the lawnmower when we were kids. A very unpleasant experience that can effect the way you feel about bees for a long time. So, I can understand the concern people have for colonies in their lawn, which you cannot avoid.

    I wonder why they chose the lawn? Is it because there is a bare patch or what? Is there a way to make your lawn a less hospitable site for a nest? Jessica, I love your idea about keeping the site wet because they like dry. I guess I would try running the sprinkler constantly to see if that would get them to move on. I've done that with ant colonies and it worked well.

    I guess there is no way of relocating them either?

    Another question I have, for those who see a nest of bees as a challenge and are willing to poison them. I wonder if you have ever tried to grow food? I don't think most people in general are aware of how challenged our food supply is and how much of a problem that could end up being with dwindling numbers of bees.

    I've actually come across an organization that is exploring some kind of 'food substitute' and calling it 'Soylent Green' based on a movie of the same name. That concerns me, that there are people who have recognized how bad things could get and now consider it a real possibility that we won't have food in the supermarkets. Or be able to grow it ourselves.

    Something to think about.


  • Lisa
    8 years ago

    It seems to me that not everyone posting here is NOT reading everything. There are different issues. The little solitary non stinging, non aggressive bees are one thing and not everyone has the gumption to deal with them. Shame on all of you for making these people feel bad for wanting to protect their family or use their property. The other bees are like what I have - definitely NOT solitary, DO sting and are crazy aggressive. We cannot even use the front door anymore because of a nest 8' from the porch. The dogs run past it and get them stirred up and we all dive for the house again. If we go up the driveway to the cars they will stream out of the hive. When we come home I have to park, wait for the nasty little things to go away and then run for the garage. I sprayed them last night because we finally got stung. They were really active this morning. Nice little hole that goes into my rockery. This morning I called a bee expert and he is coming out to kill them. He said that if they were non aggressive he would try to move them but a hive takes on the personality of the queen and if she is aggressive they all will be. He said a smart bee keeper will kill an aggressive queen and replace it. He is really curious as to what kind I have because the description, black & white, FUZZY, ground nest, large numbers, aggressive, does not add up to anything he has had to deal with in 25 years of doing this. While I agree that letting bees do their thing is the best solution for them, sometimes it just doesn't work and I refuse to put my family in danger any longer.

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