I may have solved the mystery

[Smart Red]

Where are all the bees going? I know! All the bees have moved to Wisconsin. Beside the hive I uncovered (much to my dismay), DH found himself standing on another hive while he was weed whacking. As I here it, it didn't take him long to check things out. Then he found the culprits in my second attack, another hive beside the green house. It seems I mowed over them - getting them all excited - and when I returned for a second swath, they were ready and waiting to attack.

Now what do I do? I hate to destroy the bees and their homes, but two are living near pet and children's play area. The third is in a place that will have a retaining wall built early next spring. Not safe for bee or builder.

I checked with the near-by bee keeper. He suggested that honey bees seldom make their home in the ground and I may have a honeybee-like wasp instead. Even so, I hesitate to remove them by killing. I guess I'll be doing a bit more research into what my choices are.

 

[so lucky]

Well, as I was reading your first post and feeling your pain, I found myself wondering why I didn't realize that honeybees made nests in the ground. The only stinging insects I had personal experience with nesting in the ground are yellow jackets and bumble bees. After nearly 60 years, I still have scars on my ankle, from coming along after my cousin and brother stirred up a bumble bee nest by throwing rocks at it. Then I was about 8 when I unwittingly sat on a yellow jacket home opening, a little hole in the ground. Man, that hurt, too, although that was only one sting. Those hurt like the devil.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Red, how about putting one in alcohol and taking it by your county extension agent for positive ID. Or do you have a college nearby with an entomology department?

I seriously doubt it is a honeybee. That beekeeper is probably right about it being a wasp but it is certainly worth checking out.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

probably some sort of wasp. but there are ground dwelling bees. i think they're called digger bees or something like that. from something i remember reading a year ago is that bumble bees are aggressive, digger bees are not.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Ive had ground wasps in a shed for a couple of summers. They dig a perfectly round hole in the ground, catch a grasshopper and stun it, then put it down the hole with an egg. They look like a wasp, not a honeybee, and havent been aggressive toward me at all. They are interesting to watch. I try to not step on their holes.

My first thought when I read that was yellow jackets. I used to get nailed by them a lot when I was a barefoot kid running around the farm. At dusk pour a little gasoline down the hole and light it. Works for bumblebees too.

Im sure there are several different kinds of bees and wasps that live in the ground. Some are aggressive and some are not. Sounds like they stung you. I would not tolerate something that stings near a kids play area whether the kid is allergic to bee sting or not.

 

[Smart Red]

I probably will need to find a specimen for a formal identification. My most recent research appears to show them as yellow jackets. If so, only the queen will survive the winter here and that will not be in the ground, but in an attic, tree, barn, etc.

All I need do is wait for the natural progression of cold here in south-est, central-est Wisconsin and my problem will be solved. On the other hand, if they will all die with the arrival of the cold, there is little reason not to get rid of the pests a bit earlier than that. Most stinging insects tend to get more testy at this time of year and I don't need testy bees or yellow jackets around me and mine.

I have always asserted I had a Buddhist ancestor as I find it hard to kill anything. I can let the can of RAID get rid of ants in the house, but I can't step on one. Some strange someone, huh?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Maybe you can let your specimen for identification go happy at least. You might try putting a beer bottle with an inch or two of beer in it close to the nest and see if you trap anything.

 

[so lucky]

They die in the cold? How about dumping a bunch of ice on the nest? :bee

 

[Smart Red]

See there, your bee seems pretty harmless. Why would anyone want to kill it? I looks just as lost as I feel.

I don't know which idea I like better - ten year old beer or bags of ice. DH put a huge pile of ashes over each nest. Not an effective deterrent, but it makes the nests all the easier to spot and avoid.

I think I will try the beer first. As for the ice, me thinks dry ice would make a better statement.

 

[so lucky]

Dry ice would be nice--good special effects.