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bees still alive
On 6/24/2016 11:37 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:
songbird wrote: in the many years i've been here and with the many bees around i've not been stung that often (perhaps five times in all these years). the one that got me was very aggressive, i don't know if it was the same one that stung Ma, but eventually i was able to squash it when it kept going inside my croc (it must have sprayed something on the croc because it really went after it). unfortunately the squashing of it also meant it was not identifiable... i work in many gardens with bees just a few inches from my face or hands. i like them, would not really want to kill any of them. even the hornets, wasps, etc. are plentiful here. they like the large rocks and build nests behind or under them. then once in a while the raccoons come through and pull the nests out and eat them. they must be able to smell them or something. i have to go around the house once in a while and knock the nests down. the ones that do mud on the rock walls i leave (mud daubers?) and the ones that do the plugs i leave alone too. i like them, they're black or bluish and very shiny and pretty and i also like how they flit around. they have a lot of character... songbird Are you sure these aren't yellow jackets ? You said you've seen them nest in the ground , the only honey bee that nests in the ground is AHB's , those are the africanized ones - and they will attack en mass when disturbed . But you live way north of their range . YJ's are slightly shorter , more slender and more brightly colored than honey bees . If slightly larger than honey bees , I'm not sure , but around bumble bee size there are several varieties, some of which have already been discussed . If they are honey bees , going in with some smoldering rags (or put the smoldering rags in a tin bucket and sit it just inside the door) will help to short-circuit their alarm pheromone , making them less likely to attack . You'll want to look for comb building , one identifier of honey bees . If you see comb , call a local bee club and someone will probably come and get them ... feral survivor bees are highly desired by many beekeepers . If they aren't honey bees , you can probably kill them with one of the house fogger canisters , might use 2 to be sure you give them a lethal dose . I currently have 5 colonies (hives) of dark Russian varroa-resistant honey bees , 3 of which have produced a honey crop for me this year - probably harvest around 50-60 quarts . The other 2 were just started this spring and are still getting their houses in order . Damn Snag, you the man. I can honestly say I have never been stung by a honey bee. Wasps, yes, bees no. One of my Dad's friends about sixty years ago was a bee keeper and taught me how to handle them with a smoker so we could get their honey. Brought back some good memories to this old head. Now bumble bees living in the ground are another memory and not so good, particularly when I drove the bulldozer over their nest. Rascals hit me in my back so many times they knocked me out. If I had known they were there I would have left them alone. George |
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