What did the nest look like, the one you knocked out of the bush?

It was about an inch think and 3 inches in diameter. It was grey with honeycombs inside and was hanging from one of the sago palm fronds. There were 3 of the bees making it.

That doesn't sound like a honeybee hive to me. Honey comb is made of wax and varies in color from white to yellow to brown when it is older but is never grey. Plus you describe the combs being 'inside'. Honeybees only build comb, they do not build any outside protective structure.

They ball/beehive hanging from a tree is a common misconception often from movies and cartoons. Honeybees prefer to build in hollow trees, though will build on the undersides of branches or on the side of a trunk when necessary. The comb then is completely exposed and could never be described as a hanging ball. In addition there woud have been hundreds or thousands of bees making the nest, not just 3.

Sounds like what you had in the tree was a wasp/hornet nest. A good thing really, If you had disloged an actual beehive you could have 5,000 to 60,000 homeless bees in a sour mood.

The pollinating bees on your flowers shouldn't be a threat if you leave them alone. They will go away when the flowers stop bloombing or they find some flowers they like better. Pesticides would have little effect, and if they did carry the poison back to the hive and it was managed (ie. owned by someone) you could be held liable.

Watering earlier or later in the day before or after they are active should help. Avoiding perfumes, deodants, aftershaves, etc. can help as well. Some either attract them or make the bees defensive I've found. If you have long hair, put it up or wear a hat. They get angry if they bump into you and get stuck in your hair.

Tarheit, I will take your advice and let them be (no pun intended!). I did get a close-up look and then compared them to pics I found online and they are honeybees. That was probably a bunch of wasps on the sago palm. So far, this plant is always blooming, but it does get a couple of days here and there where the powder puffs are scarce and then it bursts out again, so they'll probably leave when that happens.

Thanks for your help and advice!
Julie

Tarheit, I have to thank you again for your advice. They were wasps on the palm. I saw yellow and orange and just thought I was looking at the same insect. The bees on the powderpuff bush have all but left and they were never agressive. I have found out on the Florida forum that honeybees like this plant.

I would never want to hurt a beneficial insect and, I must say, the plant looked great when they were there! Thanks for the advice.

Julie

Glad I could help. It's very easy to confuse wasps, hornets, other bees, and even a few types of fly with honeybees. Movies, newspaper and television don't help matters much either because they often get it wrong too.

It's a wonderfull thing to see a bush or tree just covered with busy pollinating honeybees. I look forward to seeing them cover our maple trees in early spring every year. On still days the trees literally hum.

-Tim

You folks sound very knowledgeable so I have two questions for you.
Bees are living in a corner of our deck - this California bungalow is old (1917) and at some point a brick facing was put right over the old shingles (sloppy job) and the bees are going into an inside corner crack in the brick and living between it and the shingles.
We like them! They are very peaceful bees, in fact we just put on a deck roof on and they just went around us on our ladder, hundreds of them! We like to hear the humming sound they make inside the wall and I can smell their honey sometimes.
My question is - is this a good place for them, (assuming that they know a good place when they set up their hive in it,) but will it get full up with honey and wax, etc? There is no way we can get to the hive, short of pulling the brick facing off the house.
They lived through the past winter (a very mild one) but should I do something about feeding them if we have a colder winter next year?
Thanks much for any info. Min

Hi,
I also have a few question.
I have a collection of birdhouses and feeders and
every year some kind of bees set up hive in one of those birdhouse.
I've just found a bee in my front porch last week, and I am sure he lives in a birdhouse hanged to next of my front door. I don't know what kind of bee he is. It is brown and rather large.
What should I do? I do a lot of gardening, and flowers are everywhere in my property. I also have three dogs.
Thanks a bunch. Kiki