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19-08-2003, 04:02 PM

animaux wrote:

There is no way to identify it with a magic crystal ball! You will have
to
capture one and bring it to a garden center for identification, or take
a
photograph.

On 19 Aug 2003 12:21:34 GMT, pamnot (CbarRose) opined:

Would someone here help identify a social bee that nests in lawns? The
bees
look very like honeybees (from a few feet away) in size and coloration
(they
are almost certainly not wasps). They aren't particularly aggressive but
alas,
yesterday one did sting a toddler who grabbed at it while playing on the
grass.
The nest is in a very central and unavoidable place on a neighbor's
property.

I'm trying to get information to learn (a) what species these are, and
(b) if
there's a way to avoid destroying them. (As much as I hate the thought
of
killing bees, these may in fact be best removed from the gene pool for
nesting
is such a silly spot as the edge of a front walk.)

Many thanks for any information.
Carol

Thank you for a reasonable suggestion, but these bees are swarming around the
nest area and it wouldn't be possible to capture one. I realize the
identification I gave is vague; I guess I'm just looking to narrow down the
possibilities so I can do some more online research. I've tried searching for
"ground-nesting social bees" and the like, and have had lots of hits but no
real means of identification. (And it may not matter.....!)

By the way, I'm in the northeastern USA, if that helps with anything.

Thanks again,
Carol