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juniebug_2006

Ground bees are taking over my garden!

juniebug-2006
16 years ago

There is a swarm of bees that have taken over my garden. They actually have drilled holes in the ground and are buzzing around like crazy. I realize there is concern about a decreased bee population, so I was wondering if there is any way I can capture and release the bees someplace far far away. How do I get rid of them? Thanks for any suggestions.

Comments (10)

  • selkie_b
    16 years ago

    There are boxes you can buy for those guys to encourage them to live there instead of in your ground. But if your Queen has made her home there it'll be tough to move 'em this season. They are WONDERFUL pollinators and they are very sweet little bees (as long as they are actual bees and not yellow-jackets) - they are fuzzy black and white things, right? These guys don't sting unless they get REALLY REALLY upset.
    You can look for the bee things at Gardens Alive online, and a lot of organic gardening spots.
    -Marie

  • john_w
    16 years ago

    Those are probably solitary bees. They are early to emerge and are fairly harmless. I have hundreds of them right now in my vinca which is just starting to bloom.

    They prefer dry, warm soil for their little cells. Run a sprinkler over the site and really saturate the ground to discourage them. But I urge you to just leave them alone. They are really beneficial little guys.

  • juniebug-2006
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Marie and John thank you very much for your comments. I have no intention of harming the bees, I was just hoping to be able to move them somehow, and to discourage them from nesting there again next year. Marie I plan on exploring the Gardens Alive website a little more to fully understand just what my options are. Thanks again to both of you!
    Felixzippy

  • deweymn
    16 years ago

    I had a bumble bee nest in the ground near my garage for two years. They came and went and left me alone as I worked the ground a few feet away. We sort of trusted each other. Then they were gone the next year, perhaps cause I added a board where one was rotted?

    Last year they were on the east side of the garage where I came and went more often. Again they were bumble bees, distant cousins of the first ones I think they said. I left them alone and they left me alone but I did notice more bumble bees pollinating my tomato plants. So I thanked them and worried a bit about messing around in the garage on the other side of the wall where they came and went. I left that area alone and never did find their nest. This year there is a large container for container gardening there so who knows where they will turn up next. Anywhere is fine with me. If it is in the yard, I would only work that area early morn and late nite so as not to disturb them much.

    Hope this helps. Did you indentify the kind you have?
    If they are ground wasps, forget everything I said.

  • gamebird
    16 years ago

    We have scores of them at our house as well. I caught one and looked them up online. It seemed to be a type called "Andrenid Bee, Solitary Bee, Burrowing Bee, or Ground-nesting Bee". Each female bee digs a burrow and might lay several eggs within. They don't make honey or live in a hive, although a lot of them might burrow in the same area. They also aren't very aggressive, though they can sting. I have a 7 year old who plays around there so I wanted to know.

    I'm going to leave them alone. If the European honeybee is having a die off, then we'll need as many alternative pollinators as we can get.

  • lonemuchow
    16 years ago

    wow, I on the other hand hate them, I guess you guys have never been stung by them, I was weeding under a tomato plant one year, not knowing there was a nest, they came out all of a sudden and stung me, my hand swelled to double size. My husband was mowing ,again not knowing they were there, they attacked him like crazy and stung his feet, so my opinion is totally different, I don't think there's any "cooperation" going on from those critters.

  • deweymn
    16 years ago

    Honeybees, wasps (many varieties) bumblebees are a few that I know of in this central part of Mn. Wasps of all sorts I steer clear of.

    Do you know what kind of bee got your hand and your hubbys feet? I've been stung but never multiple times. Wife once wanted something nailed on a wall in an old shed like bldg and by the time my hammer hit the ground I was about 30 feet away and still outrunning wasps that had a nest on the other side of that wall. None could fly as fast as I.

  • onthegardenpath
    16 years ago

    If they are orange and black, the U of MN told me to make sure the ground isn't dry, which they favor. Since my hubby is allergic to bees we can't mess around with them.

  • champlain
    16 years ago

    I've been stung by angry ground bees, too. I was digging in an area and put the end of my shovel a bit too close to their nest. I wasn't aware they were there. They came after me and to get away from them, I had to run into the house but first I had to peel off my shorts. I didn't dare take my top off so a couple of them came into the house with me. I was stung on my legs, my stomach and I believe my arms. I now watch where I dig.

  • deweymn
    16 years ago

    I assume ya'all are referring to wasps? I don't think they pollinate. Drown 'em if they don't. If they do, photograph them cause there won't be many live specimens left soon.

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