Bees, bees, and more bees

[meadowlarkponds]

While using a Case 450 dozer this weekend to clear 5 year old clear cut land, I unfortunately ran into a bee hive. Of course, they chased me well away from the hive and continued to pummel me all day long as they tracked the sound of the dozer. These did not appear to be Africanized, probably wouldn't be here to tell about it if they were.

My question: how do I continue on with the land clearing around the bees?

By the way, a Case 450 does not go nearly fast enough to outrun bees. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[EddieWalker]

ML,

Sorry for the bees. I've been chased once, and got pretty lucky since they were attacking the blade on my dozer and didn't seem to notice me. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

One time I was on my ride along mower and saw them comeing and going before I got on top of the nest. The other time was on my backhoe taking out some pampass grass for a client. Again, they didn't chase me, but just hoverer around the nest.

When I find a nest, I go back late in the evening, or early in the morning when it's cooler out. They are less active at these times.

Then I pour a bunch of diesel fuel down the hole.

It's worked for me the three times I've done it.

Somebody told me diesel works good because of hte oil in it and how it coats the bees and the nest. I don't know this to be true, just that it's worked. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[dooleysm]

For yellow jackets, I always dumped a cup full of Sevin dust on the hole. They get coated when going in/out of the nest and are soon gone.

I can see where diesel would be equally, if not moreso, effective.

 

[jinman]

I guess you could check to see if there is a beekeeper in your area. The county sheriff might know of someone, or the local agricultural agent. I would not want to kill or harm honeybees, especially this time of year. You might wear thick clothing and a net around your head. If they turn out to be a problem you could kill them with an insecticide, but that seems like a shame, especially at springtime when they are needed to do their secondary job.

 

[Adron]

If they came out of a tree, then they were most likely honey bees. If they came from a hole in the ground, they were bumble bees.

Bumble bees are good pollinators, and will make some honey in their ground nest, they aren't usually worth the effort so wait until night and give them the diesel fuel treatment as suggested.

Honey bees this early in the season may be worth the effort to try and save the colony & just move it.

If you know a beekeeper, give him a call. Otherwise call the county extension agent. Sometimes beekeeping organizations are listed in the phone book. Exterminators often know how to contact beekeepers who can capture wild bees.

Sorry Jinman, guess we were posting at the same time.....

Good Luck!

 

[meadowlarkponds]

Thanks all.

These were honeybees, no doubt. I couldn't get close enough to determine exactly where the hive was located....a cloud of bees will hinder your vision. I was hoping for a solution, short of termination. No bee keeper would want to go into this thick brush to get to the hives...it is inaccessible except via a dozer/tractor. Diesel fuel may be the only solution but I hate to kill the hive. I just want them to leave so I can continue with the project.

 

[hudr]

I say check w/ a beekeeper. You would be amazed what some of them will do to get a new hive. We have always kept bees on our place. Everything seems to do better w/ the pollination provided by them. The only thing we charge for "rent" is a supply of honey.

 

[wushaw]

I am no bee expert but ain't the only way to tell the difference between Africanized bees and European bees is by a trained expert with a magnifying glass...besides temper when messed with.
With all the reports on the Africanized bees they say lawnmowers, weed eaters, tractors...etc may set them off.

Here is a link that will help. Bees

 

[hudr]

That is true. But just because they jumped on the dozer when disturbed does not mean they are Africanized. Let a bee expert check them out. I will be the first to admit, we have had to put swarms down because they were too tempermental to handle. Not necessarily Africanized but just very agressive. But if the swarm can be saved I would do so. I know the guy that handles our bees has gone into crawl spaces in apt. bldgs and deep, deep in the woods to collect swarms. Maybe all bee-keepers aren't that dedicated but I would still ask around before wiping them out. And no, I am not one of those tree hugging, spotted owl kissing fanatics. I just know how good honey tastes when I know it come from my little corner of the world. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[rox]

I am so sorry that I have been busy and not checking in regularly on TBN. I have a solution for you. Bees will not go near moth balls. Hang a bunch of moth balls on your tractor and even on top of your hat etc. you should be jsut fine. Bees are so important to the environment I hpe you are able to avoid them with mothballs and not resort to killing them.

Also on a patio if you have a lot of bees bothering you, put out dishes of mothballs they won't come near. I learned this from my 79 year old neighbor in France. Actually it works for birds on fruit trees as well. We take a 2 liter bottle and cut in the middle a big hole, drop in the moth balls and hang it ont he tree. The birds leave our cherry, plum and apple trees alone. I checked with an agricultural agent at University of California Davis if the mothballs would be bad for humans being next to the fruit (actually now that I remember I had correspondece with a full PhD). on the mothball question and he said it was perfectly fine, no harm to the fruit and it kept the pests away. If you dont' ahve bees you wn't have any fruit. Your wife may not want to kiss you when you get home but mothballs work, I speak form experience.

 

[63DH8]

I don't know if this will help, but this past weekend, I caught my daughter using shopvac in my garage to suck up wasps. She stuck a 20 foot piece of plastic pipe on the end of the shopvac's hose and went to town! After she got the wasps, she sucked up their nests.

 

[heehaw]

great idea, then if its wasp or yellowjackets, suck up a tad bit of seven dust and wait...problem solved
heehaw

 

[meadowlarkponds]

Another bee encounter this weekend...different hive, different result. I was stung probably at least 30 times. This hive was much more aggressive than the other one. I've really got a problem now...in addition to having sore bee stings all over my head, I can't get this land cleared. The bees won't budge and won't allow me close to them.

Roz,

I'll try moth balls on the dozer, but have my doubts as to the deterence factor there. A mad hive doesn't seem to stop at anything. I may have to call in a beekeeper...or wait until winter to continue clearing. I sure don't want another attack! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[EddieWalker]

Have you considered wearing a net or some sort of suit to protect yourself?

When I hunt in Alaska, the bugs are so bad that just about everyone wears at least a head net. I've thought about wearing it myself, but don't want to dig it out of my hunting gear buried at the bottom of the pile. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Sorry to hear about your injuries.
Eddie

 

[heehaw]

go get some insect foggers at wally world, turn em on and laucnch em into the area of the nest...or put them there while wearing coveralls and a bee bonnett...
heehaw

 

[MDM]

I had 5 yellow jacket nests in my yard last year. If the nest is in the ground, here is one way to take care of it - Get a sack of garden dust that kills insects called Sevin. Its not meant for bees, but it works. I waited till late evening when the nest had calmed, then dumped a couple of cups of Sevin down, and around the entrance hole of the nest. All of the bees returning from the days work get it on them and take it into the nest. They will start coming out and it looks like snow with all the bees flying around the entance hole with that white powder on them. They eventually go in when the sun goes down and the next morning, there are no more bees. This worked on all 5 of the nests I had last year. I have got a couple of yellow jacket traps to try this year.