Bees

[forgeblast]

I have an extractor (plunger type tool) and use that along with tweezers to remove the barb and then use a first aid spray on it.
I have heard of people using bleach on it also.

 

[Dutch445]

The "big suckers" are almost certainly carpenter bees. They're mostly harmless, but if you want to get rid of them, you can build traps. A Google search will provide plenty of examples.

came across this variety a few years back working on re-siding a house,
up on a ladder, that big bugger came out of his nest (bored thru the wood siding) right at my son's nose, got him right on the tip. so i guess
like any of them, disturb them and watch out!

 

[ericher69]

I have an extractor (plunger type tool) and use that along with tweezers to remove the barb and then use a first aid spray on it.
I have heard of people using bleach on it also.

Tweezers should not be used as they usually end up pushing more venom from the sac into your skin.

Could you post a picture of your plunger tool?

 

[Dustier]

Bees are on my endangered list so I try not to rock their world, but yellow jackets are terrorists. I show them no mercy, mostly because my wife will go into anaphylactic shock if stung.

My philosophy for aggressive species of bees like the yellow jacket and wasp is never allow them anywhere near the house.

 

[Jesse masterson]

Almost lost my dozer once to wasps started it up was working close to my pond put it in gear , hydrostatic transmission , vibration stirred red wasps under my seat , came after me well I jumped off thinking it willstill move but so slow I'd getsome spray well I didn't realize I was so close to my pond well I suffered with the stings and got back back on . The though of losing the. Machine to about 6 or 7 red wasp stings seemed easy decision to make. Well that night I had cold sweats thought I was going to die . Next day I was ok , srill would have done the same thing lol.

 

[forgeblast]

Sawyer 7713 Extractor Pump Kit for Bites and Stings

Good point about the tweezers pushing more in. I am careful with the tweezers to get the barb and not the sack.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I like the vacuum pump idea, might work if used quickly. Also on bee stings, baking soda will neutralize the venom for bees but not effective on wasp. Need vinegar for wasp sting. My grandfather used to put tobacco on bee stings which helped neutralize the acidic venom but did nothing for wasp.

 

[Don87]

Lot's of good responses, thanks all for posting. I'll still call 'em bees........after 51 years, I doubt I'll change(they fly like a bee, and sting like a bee).

The gasonline idea works for 'ground dwelling' bees/insects. I used to pour it in the light it and watch them fly through the flames to their death, but then I found that just the fumes will be absorbed thru their skin, and will kill them(still sometimes light it though..........just depends on how ticked off they got me :laughing.

Last year I had a huge yellowjacket nest on my house(it was built like a hornet nest), but inside.........it had 5 seperate compartments. I've never seen anything like it before. I sprayed into the main hole, and the next day they had several more entryways into the nest. The next weekend, I was armed with 4 cans of spray, a flashlight.........and a broomhandle that I used as a spear.

I got 'em good:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[tractchores]

One thing I've found works for yellow jacket nests around me is the foaming spray. Its relatively non-toxic, blocks them from leaving the nest and in my case attracts animals that love to eat yellow jackets. I had 3 nests last year, just after dark i sprayed them and by the next morning the nests were totally dug out, all the bees were gone and there were nest pieces all over the place. My camera had pictures of a racoon digging it up. Apparently Raccoons and skunks love to eat yellow jackets and at least around me they seem to have realized the link between bug spray and a nest to eat, so it attracts them. Later in the season I just sprayed it near a nest a little bit and the nest was dug up again the next day. Works great! We have carpenter bees as well and they're putting holes in my buildings, between them, termites and woodpeckers its amazing anything wooden survives!

 

[NHmitch]

Sawyer 7713 Extractor Pump Kit for Bites and Stings

Good point about the tweezers pushing more in. I am careful with the tweezers to get the barb and not the sack.

I actually have one of these exact kits that I use to carry with me when I lived in Idaho and went hiking. I bought it after a close encounter with a rattle snake, and I tried it on a few mosquito bites, but it actually seemed to make them worse. I may have helped release more histamines? Anyways, I hate wasps. I actually killed one of the biggest bald faced hornets I have ever seen, on my mothers front light. The whole colony collapse disorder really bothers me as well, because we have a lot to loose, like our food supplies.

 

[Gary Fowler]

You know what they said in the Jurrasic Park movie, mother nature will always find a way. Even if the bees per chance do die off, there will be other insects to take their place in the pollenation scheme or the Plants will adapt to different pollenation methods. Hopefully soon mankind will find the cause and cure for the honey bee demise though. I do like a spoonful of honey bee vomit now and again.

 

[mattbatson]

the africanized bee's are here to stay.
their queen is born a day earlier than the europeon queen, and by then, the africanized queen has coverted the entire hive over to her as the leader.
or something like that...I watched a show on it.

anyways, scientists dont see them slowing down at this point, and are kind of concerned about what the future holds.
most think we are just going to have to get used to africanized bees, just like we get used to rattle snakes and other dangerous critters.
they are going to spread and they are very effective at taking over the regular europeon hives.

 

[forgeblast]

I do like a spoonful of honey bee vomit now and again.
I agree. I am keeping bees just to get our local honey so that it will help lessen my daughters allergies.
I do have a buddy that makes mead. His blueberry mead is just amazing, i think its 8lbs of blueberries to 5lbs of honey and he starts with 6 gallons of water and then lets ferment with a wine yeast. bottles it lets it sit a year and its just wonderful.

 

[RobertBrown]

around our place, we've got paper wasps, mud wasps(hornets?) bald-faced wasps, yellow jackets, blue jackets(these are really mean) and lately some big suckers, about the size of a bumble bee but with a longer body, mostly black with white. These big suckers are eating half-inch dia. holes right thru the P.T. wood of my gazebo.
Always got to think about putting fingers under anything that sits outside...

Pete

The worst part about carpenter bees is when the big woodpecker decides he has to have them.
Your gazebo will look like it got shot up with a .45.

 

[pjbci]

The worst part about carpenter bees is when the big woodpecker decides he has to have them.
Your gazebo will look like it got shot up with a .45.

Come on, tell the truth now, you was shooting at that woopecker with your .45 wasnt you! Haha.

 

[DJ54]

I posted in "Build it Yourself" these pics under "Thinning the Herd". I saw a video on YouTube on how to build Carpenter Bee traps, so crudely made a few just to see if they work. As you can see in the second picture, they certainly do. Those pics were taken several weeks ago, and I've caught many more.

I still see a few buzzing around, but not many. Seems I still see one in a trap buzzing around, at least one per day.

Wish I had a few rainy days to make more... I posted on my Facebook page to show friends, and got about a dozen requests for them...

I've caught a few other flying insects too. Some sort of small wasps, also some.., what we refer too as a Yellow Jacket (wasp looking varmint, with yellow and black striped abdoman), and some fly's... Since fly's seem attracted to it, brought one to the other place to hang above the horse stalls, and see what I can catch... Sometimes it doesn't take much to entertain myself..., LOL....