What's your bee story?

[Bspring]

Last year was a really bad one for yellowjackets but we had a skunk move in this year and in just the last week I have found 3 nest it has dug up. That puts a big smile on my face.

 

[Wildbill34]

Been in the bug biz for 24 yrs now. This is one of the busiest years I have seen in some time. However, even with all the year in the biz, I got dinged the other day about 3 times. Moving a brush pile minding my own business and enjoying some seat time. I completely opened up a yellow jacket nest...saw it immediately and jumped off and started running. Dang things got down my shirt. They just didn't know they messed with Rambo, the yellow jacket killer. Was done playing with them in 2 or 3 minutes and the body count was quite high. I have dealt with 5 yellow jacket nests so far (in the ground) and one bald faced hornet by the front door (size if a beach ball)..... but I never use the front door before some asks how it got so big. For quick defense from the bees, carry a spray bottle with soap and water....trust me they will drop like flies...pardon the pun

 

[saltbranch]

About 8 months ago we had a contractor clearing some land where I work. He was in a open cab dozer and apearrantly hit/disturbed a nest of african bees in an old wooden reel. He had over 300 stings from what he told me. I know he bailed from the dozer and went into a shallow pond near by. He is a pretty big boy, shallow pond. He was ICU for a few days, he said it affected his liver functions.

 

[Cat_Driver]

I saw this one coming seeing bees in the area, so I rented a dozer with a closed cab and air although I could have done the work with an open can I owned.

I dropped into this set of trees and brush and the cab went dark. So many bees hit the cab they blocked the sun light on all windows. This was a full swarm and they were MAD.

I backed out and they followed, much less but still mad and hitting all windows while I was hoping there wasn't any open holes in the cab.

I went back in blade down and buried everything in sight and called it a day. Next day I went in and they moved on.

I have a picture if I can find it where the swarm looked like a bear hanging in the tree.