Bumble Bee Problem!

[Jstpssng]

Bumblebees are good pollinators, which seem to be diminishing. On occasion they will get in my house, so I will catch them in a fishing net and let them go. I wouldn't want them living under my deck either though.

 

[gwstang]

We have those hornets/wasps or whatever that live underground. I have been bitten more than once and it is more of a bite than a sting. You can see tiny chunks of your skin missing. It is like being stuck with a red hot poker. And unlike bees they don't have to land on you and get set before they sting - they just come at you and the instant they touch you, you are bitten. No one ever forgets the times they have been bitten by those insects.

When I can find their holes I wait until the sun goes down and then use a gopher gasser. It wipes out the entire nest. When you dig it up you find a quite large nest - sort of like paper mache.

They can be killed one by one with those hanging wasp traps with attractant, but I don't use those as I think it just brings more of them around. I have read they can sense that attractant for miles.

Those little things are of the devil! I've been hit several times when bush hogging. I learned to watch the last round mowed when I swing back for another cut. They will swarm the ground around the hole after being disturbed. You are so right about the stinging. It feels like someone just poured liquid fire down the arm/leg when they attack. Vicious varmints. I get a big rock and toss by the hole and go back at dark and just pour a little gas down the hole and then cover with the rock. The fumes must overwhelm them because it kills them all. Big paper nest underground. Hate those little things.

 

[Gary Fowler]

A few ounces of gasoline (regular unleaded works fine) poured down the hole at night then cover the hole. The fumes will get whatever the liquid doesn't. For less than $1, you can get rid of an underground nest of stingers quickly and easily and no risk of getting stung at night.

 

[ArtMech]

We've had a bumble bee on a 50 litas collection silver coin before euro intro. Three species of them are included into my country's Red Book.
There are lots of them in my farm. I even know where their underground nests are located, and I'm staying away from them. When I talk to them flying around me, seems they understand me and are doing what I'm asking for :laughing:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/LT-2008-50litų-Bombus-b.png

 

[Wagtail]

When I talk to them flying around me, seems they understand me and are doing what I'm asking for :laughing:

Oh good. I'm glad that I'm not the only one that talks to them. :laughing:

 

[Streetcar]

Those little things are of the devil! I've been hit several times when bush hogging. I learned to watch the last round mowed when I swing back for another cut. They will swarm the ground around the hole after being disturbed. You are so right about the stinging. It feels like someone just poured liquid fire down the arm/leg when they attack. Vicious varmints. I get a big rock and toss by the hole and go back at dark and just pour a little gas down the hole and then cover with the rock. The fumes must overwhelm them because it kills them all. Big paper nest underground. Hate those little things.

The paper nest are from hornets not bumblebees

 

[mapper]

I agree. Tasmania is the only place in Australia that has bumbles and I've only ever seen two types; a large and a medium size. They're the most docile 'stinging' insect I've ever encountered. Mind you, I don't react to them in an aggressive way... Just say, "G'day Bumble!", it checks you out (they like the colour blue) and then 'bumbles' away.

There's not too many bees in one of their ground nests either. I'm happy to have them around.

The little ones are workers and the big ones queens, there will usually be several queens in each nest. They all forage so you see the queens out as well as the smaller workers. I found a nest in an old straw bale in my garden a few years ago. They were a bit agitated when I disturbed them but I never got stung and was able to relocate the nest successfully.
I have always found bumblebees to be very docile. Some of the wasps and hornets around here not so much!

 

[ArtMech]

Bumble bees are pollinating the plants while collecting the nectar, same like bees or wild bees do. That's why they are useful and friendly insects to a man. If you grow many flowers, you may have lots of them in a garden.

With the wasps and hornets is different story. These are the competitors to a man, because are eating ripe fruits (including my sweet apples!), drinking even sweet wine or beer. I like to watch at them drunk. :drink::thumbsup:

 

[Ritothebull]

Maby offer them a couple cans of that tuna fish they like if they move to another location. :cool2:

 

[hawkeye08]

We have a bush that attracts bumble bees, only see one occasionally other than when the bush is blooming and then they are swarming the bush. It has little yellow flowers and is quite a sight with many bumble bees.. never been bothered by them.