Subject: Re: Bumblebee invasion

From: [email-masked] (wojcik)
Date: 20 Mar 1995 19:31:52 GMT

Ellen Cotter ([email-masked]) wrote:
: I do not have a garden per se (just some plants in windowboxes), but I have a
: serious pest problem.  I live in a top floor apartment with a small balcony.
: Now that the weather's warmed up, my balcony has been invaded by a horde of
: bumblebees (12-15 at any given time during the day).  They do not seem to have
: a nest out there (I've looked), and they just seem to be flying around.  My
: problem is that I'm very allergic to bee stings and am unable to sit on my
: patio or even leave the patio door open (no screen) in nice weather due to the
: bees.  What can I do to make the bees go away or protect myself from them?
: Screening in my porch is not an option because I rent.  I know that citronella
: candles can keep mosquitos away -- is there a similar thing that can repel
: bees?  Any suggestions will be appreciated.
: Ellen
:  
	Not quite sure about this, but if they are truly bumblebees (very big
for a bee and black with yellow stripes) they do not sting. Regular honeybees
are another issue altogether. I've had good luck keeping bees and wasps (which
I absolutely HATE) under control with wasp traps that contain a sugary liquid.
Wasps fly into the traps and can't figure out how to get out. Not too many
bees get caught (which is good, since they are good for pollination) but it
keeps those damned wasps under control.

---

From: [email-masked] (Steve Rehrauer)
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 1995 17:36:27 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (wojcik) writes:
>for a bee and black with yellow stripes) they do not sting.

Whoa-HO!  A couple of painful memories and I beg to differ!

If you mean that they are normally unaggressive, I'll agree.  But they
most certainly can, and if provoked, do.  (I once had one fly into me
at neck-level while bike-riding, and tumble down inside my shirt.
Couldn't get my shirt un-tucked (while not wiping out on the bike)
fast enough for that bee; he stung me in the left side about 2 inches
down from my armpit.  Yow!  "Do not sting", indeed! :-)
-- 
"I feel lightheaded, Sam.  I think my brain | Steve [email-masked]
 is out of air.  But it's kind of a neat    | Massachusetts Language Lab
 feeling..."  --Freelance Police            | Smack-dab in USDA Zone 5

---

From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 22 Mar 1995 03:08:49 GMT

In <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Ellen Cotter) writes: 

>
>I do not have a garden per se (just some plants in windowboxes), but I have a
>serious pest problem.  I live in a top floor apartment with a small balcony.
>Now that the weather's warmed up, my balcony has been invaded by a horde of
>bumblebees (12-15 at any given time during the day).  They do not seem to have
>a nest out there (I've looked), and they just seem to be flying around.  My
>problem is that I'm very allergic to bee stings and am unable to sit on my
>patio or even leave the patio door open (no screen) in nice weather due to the
>bees.  What can I do to make the bees go away or protect myself from them?
>Screening in my porch is not an option because I rent.  I know that citronella
>candles can keep mosquitos away -- is there a similar thing that can repel
>bees?  Any suggestions will be appreciated.
>Ellen
> 
>Ellen M. Cotter                        "Rejoice friend, for I too
>University of Alabama at Birmingham     am a glueless nudie"
>Department of Psychology                -- tskwm
>UAB might, but probably does not, agree with anything I say at any time.
>

Ellen, I am also very allergic to bee stings; but I have found that you
really don't have anything to worry about, as long as you leave the
bees alone.  If the plants in the window boxes are flowering, that
could be attracting the bees.

Chris Owens

---

From: [email-masked] (John Tusciuk)
Date: 20 Mar 1995 16:59:23 -0500

Bumblebees will sting, they just aren't as likely to do so as
honeybees.  If you find the nest (underground) they WILL defend it
vigorously, often giving chase if you disturb it.  They may, however,
instead of being bumblebees, be carpenter bees in your balcony (if it
has wood portions, especially cut ends of boards).  These, again, are
very unlikely to sting (but will if sat on, for example).  Although
this method may not be what you are looking for (being allergic), I've
read that if they are carpenter bees you will find small holes in the
wood.  Each hole houses a single bee (they are solitary).  Wait until
a bee flies in and then caulk the opening.  I've never tried this
(nor looked for them) so I don't know the specifics or how effective
at keeping a population down.

BTW, the reason I mention that bumblebees do sting is that, while
never having been stung outside, I WAS stung by one that got inside
and couldn't find its way out.

John Tusciuk
[email-masked]

wojcik ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Ellen Cotter ([email-masked]) wrote:
: : I do not have a garden per se (just some plants in windowboxes), but I have a
: : serious pest problem.  I live in a top floor apartment with a small balcony.
: : Now that the weather's warmed up, my balcony has been invaded by a horde of
: : bumblebees (12-15 at any given time during the day).  They do not seem to have
: : a nest out there (I've looked), and they just seem to be flying around.  My
: : problem is that I'm very allergic to bee stings and am unable to sit on my
: : patio or even leave the patio door open (no screen) in nice weather due to the
: : bees.  What can I do to make the bees go away or protect myself from them?
: : Screening in my porch is not an option because I rent.  I know that citronella
: : candles can keep mosquitos away -- is there a similar thing that can repel
: : bees?  Any suggestions will be appreciated.
: : Ellen
: :  
: 	Not quite sure about this, but if they are truly bumblebees (very big
: for a bee and black with yellow stripes) they do not sting. Regular honeybees
: are another issue altogether. I've had good luck keeping bees and wasps (which
: I absolutely HATE) under control with wasp traps that contain a sugary liquid.
: Wasps fly into the traps and can't figure out how to get out. Not too many
: bees get caught (which is good, since they are good for pollination) but it
: keeps those damned wasps under control.

---

From: [email-masked] (Richard Campbell)
Date: 23 Mar 1995 16:38:15 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, Rodney Barton <[email-masked]> writes:
|> [email-masked] (wojcik) wrote:
|> 
|> > 	Not quite sure about this, but if they are truly bumblebees (very big
|> > for a bee and black with yellow stripes) they do not sting.
|> 
|> This is BAD advice! (At least the bumblebees here in Texas sting just 
|> fine. First hand experience talking!) They also can stings multiple times. (They do not loose their 
|> stinger as honey bees do.)  They tend to not be very agressive and move 
|> slowly, BUT they CAN and WILL get you.

   Very bad advice!   I have first hand knowledge as well.  But the little booger that
got me lost his stinger and I suspect his life, a small consolation.

-- 
Rich Campbell
[email-masked]

---

From: Rodney Barton <[email-masked]>
Date: 22 Mar 1995 16:15:44 GMT

> for a bee and black with yellow stripes) they do not sting.

This is BAD advice! (At least the bumblebees here in Texas sting just 
fine. First hand experience talking!) They also can stings multiple times. (They do not loose their 
stinger as honey bees do.)  They tend to not be very agressive and move 
slowly, BUT they CAN and WILL get you.

Rodney
[email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (Ellen Cotter)
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 95 15:06:00 CST

In article <[email-masked]>
[email-masked] (John Tusciuk) writes:
 
>They may, however,
 
The bees in question are huge, about the size of my thumb, with very vivid
yellow and black stripes.  I went out with a flashlight last nightand looked
for holes in the wood, but I found none.
 
Your caulking suggestion reminds me of a pest control attempt gone horribly
wrong that happened to a relative of mine a few years ago:  He noticed some
bees going under the steps of the house, so he caulked up the hole, with the
result that the bees came out through the baseboards and into the house itself
(a hive of 300 bees or so had been sealed off).  I'd be VERY cautious about
caulking anything without also eliminating the hive beforehand (which was not
done in the case I just mentioned).
Ellen

---

From: [email-masked] (Steve Rehrauer)
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 1995 17:36:27 GMT

---

From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 22 Mar 1995 03:08:49 GMT

Chris Owens

---

From: [email-masked] (John Tusciuk)
Date: 20 Mar 1995 16:59:23 -0500

John Tusciuk
[email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (Richard Campbell)
Date: 23 Mar 1995 16:38:15 GMT

-- 
Rich Campbell
[email-masked]

---

From: Rodney Barton <[email-masked]>
Date: 22 Mar 1995 16:15:44 GMT

Rodney
[email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (Ellen Cotter)
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 95 15:06:00 CST

---

From: [email-masked] (Timothy B Soules)
Date: 29 Mar 1995 02:35:40 GMT

Jonathan Payne ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Ellen:

: They are Carpenter Bees, I have an infestation also. I understand that 
: they are a pest for about one month only. I have tried wasp spray and 
: they seem to thrive on it (grin). I also invented a new sport, bumblebee 

We used to spray their holes with bee spray.  We calked up their holes, 
(they made new ones).  We also played tennis with them!!!!!!  My friend 
who is an exterminator said they are a real pain to get rid of.  He 
convinced me that they had just bored through my soffit to get to a 
hollow area to nest and that I should leave them alone.  We have since 
sold the house and moved on to other invasive critters... What can I say?

Carol Soules

: -
:   JON PAYNE, Atlanta,   [email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (Roger S. Williams)
Date: 29 Mar 1995 19:28:42 GMT

: They are Carpenter Bees, I have an infestation also. I understand that 
: they are a pest for about one month only. I have tried wasp spray and 
: they seem to thrive on it (grin). I also invented a new sport, bumblebee 
: raquet ball! Seriously though, I am in search of a creative solution and 
: will post it if I find one. (I wonder what would happen if you 'baited' 
: them with a piece of pre-drilled wood?)

: -

We have about 7 or 8 of them that love to hover in front of our front door. 
They like the railing next to the door and REALLY love the willow tree. 
Ours eventually fight themselves down to around 2 bees and keep the door 
guarded for the rest of the summer.  After watching those bees drive 
wasps and hornets away, my husband and I decided that they aren't such 
horrible creatures after all :-).  I haven't gotten stung yet, although it 
does take courage to walk up to the front door calmly while a bee dives 
towards my head.

Barb Williams 
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Pollinator)
Date: 1 Apr 1995 22:01:55 -0500

>>I do not have a garden per se (just some plants in windowboxes), but I
have a
serious pest problem.  I live in a top floor apartment with a small
balcony.
Now that the weather's warmed up, my balcony has been invaded by a horde
of
bumblebees (12-15 at any given time during the day).  They do not seem to
have
a nest out there (I've looked), and they just seem to be flying around. 
My
problem is that I'm very allergic to bee stings and am unable to sit on my
patio or even leave the patio door open (no screen) in nice weather due to
the
bees.  What can I do to make the bees go away or protect myself from them?
Screening in my porch is not an option because I rent.  I know that
citronella
candles can keep mosquitos away -- is there a similar thing that can repel
bees?  Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Ellen, you seem to have really started a tempest in a teapot, with a lot
of misinformation getting spread around.  Please don't be paranoid about
these beautiful creatures.

   You have carpenter bees, a solitary bee that is only around for a short
time early each season.  Each female makes a small hole in a piece of wood
and lays a few eggs, leaving them some feed and then dying.  The next
generation won't hatch till next spring.  Only rarely are enough of them
present to significantly damage wood.

   They are very gentle bees.  While they can sting, if they feel
threatened; as with most other bees, more stings are caused by panicky
behavior than by bees that want to sting.  If you fear them, work on the
fear, and you will greatly reduce any chance of stings.  Anytime you flail
your arms at them, you will make them feel threatened.  Stay calm.

   They are excellent pollinators and any gardener should be pleased to
see them around, though they are usually only present early in the season.

   They are curious bees, and they have the disconcerting habit (for the
fearful) of hovering around people.  If you are calm, they will just look
you over.  If they hover in front of you and you move sideways they will
also do so, like a mirror image. Perhaps it is a playful game.  Anyone who
would hit these slow bumblers with a racquet ought to be whapped a few
times themselves.  Talk about sitting ducks....Sportsmanship....... (or
environmental awareness.....)

   We have lost so many of our pollinators to pesticide misuse, parasites
and loss of beekeepers, that we are in danger of losing this environmental
resource.    Bees are needed for a third of our food supply.  One of the
four horsemen of the Apolcalypse is Famine.  I can't help but wonder......

   BTW how do you know you are allergic?  Swelled up after being stung? -
Normal response.
   Or told by a doctor, who wanted to cover his butt, that you "might die
next time"
   Or had a reaction when a bee sting interacted with a pain killer like
ibuprofen? That could be life threatening, but it's not an allergy.

One in three people will say they are allergic; one in five thousand might
really be.

   Sorry, if I sound a bit judgemental, but I'm worrried about the
tendency of folks who get farther and farther away from the natural world
to become more and more afraid of it.  There are some real dangers, of
course, but in our air conditioned, plastic worlds, we seem to conjour up
a lot of phantom ones, as well.  Then we, as a community, make unwise
decisions that further damage the resources that feed us.

[email-masked]        Dave Green
Eastern Pollinator Newsletter, PO Box 1215, Hemingway, SC   29554

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From: [email-masked] (DTDerekson)
Date: 1 Apr 1995 23:40:37 -0500

Gee, then I guess I shouldn't tell you folks that I can tell which ones
are the males (stingless) and I catch them in my hands! 

My mother was deathly allergic (they said if she got stung one more time
it would probably kill her). Yet she and I were quite avid and active
(amateur) field entomologists. Be very careful and in the meantime, study
the critters.  You'll learn "bug psychology" and find ways of dealing with
them. I've seen infestations of carpenter bees and the only surefire way
to eliminate them totally is aluminum soffit (not a renter's option!).
However, around here they are seasonal critters and do not hover about all
summer. But they are curious bugs and it IS rather nerve wracking when
they hover an inch from your nose and check you out.  I've never had one
land on me though. Just my 2 cents worth...

Oh, one thing to mention.  The critters navigate based upon objects in the
environment.  So if a female has been working on a nest hole all day,
leaves and comes back to find a human sitting where a human was not
before, it will disorient her.  She will fly around lost, hunting for an
orientation point. This behavior will appear threatening, when in reality
she is not aggressive, simply confused.  I had a similar situation with
potter wasps until I discovered they were stuffing paralyzed caterpillars
in the aluminum tubing in my chair when I wasn't there! Whenever they
arrived and I got buzzed, I would get up and go to the nearest corner of
the balcony, trying to blend into the wall in their "object-vision". They
would immediately find their nest, deposit the caterpillar, and leave.  It
was fascinating to experiment with (though not very restful for sitting!)

You might have someone catch a critter and take it to your local museum or
pest-control place for a positive ID and more advice.....

---

From: [email-masked] (Meg Myers)
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 1995 03:23:00 GMT

Ellen,
        if it is ellen that wanted information on how to keep the bees
from bothering her while on her deck/patio- there is a simple method I
use to keep the bees from bothering me too much that I learned from my
sister; you simply exhale when they fly near your face.  The bees feel
this draft of air and move on.  However, if you have been drinking wine,
you probably should not breathe on them since the sweet smell would
probably attract them.  You really don't need to panic or move around at
all, you just need to breathe out, relax, and they'll think you're some
source of wind and move on.  I've never known this to fail.  Try it.
Today, I watched one of those bees busying himself in the early tulips.
He had stayed too long at the pollen party and was so laden down with
pollen that he tumbled from the petals headlong onto the ground.  It was
five minutes before he could rouse himself and sufficiently clean his
wings to fly.  I was amused and admired his tenacity.  I also thanked
him in my heart for all of the other early plants he will go on to
pollinate for the future of the plants of the planet.  Just breathe on
the little guys.  They won't care and you won't panic.
                                                        Meg

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 * QMPro 1.0 34-8576 * Dogs come when you call. Cats have answering machines.

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From: [email-masked] (Meg Myers)
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 1995 03:23:00 GMT

Ellen,

---

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From: [email-masked] (Meg Myers)
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 1995 03:23:00 GMT

Ellen,

---

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From: [email-masked] (Martha Frost)
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 1995 21:13:56 PST

I
>Subject: Re: Bumblebee invasion
>Date: 1 Apr 1995 22:01:55 -0500

>[email-masked] (Ellen Cotter) says:

[snip] my balcony has been invaded by a horde of bumblebees
>[snip]

>   We have lost so many of our pollinators to pesticide misuse, parasites...
[snip] 
It can be disconcerting to be around working bumbles! Thank you for mentioning 
the vision perspective. Bumbles are the only active wild bees in my garden. 
They get very agitated when I appear so I try to do the same thing the same 
time every morning when watering or checking the roses. They seem to relax and 
go back to the bounty of citrus and lavender blossoms. However, none of our 
hive bees have visited-do the bumbles drive them away, or simply something 
better on the north end of the propery (Chapparal?)So I would not have much 
fruit if not for them. 

I was glad to see the bumbles because varroa wiped out 
our first hive, and the quiet grey fuzzy bees didnt show yet. Both my husband 
and I suspect we are developing an allergy to bee venom, so we got an 
anaphylactic shock kit for emergency from our doctor. Mostly, I recommend 
getting out of their flight path. I do not subscribe to the theory of standing 
still-especially with yellowjackets (wasps)-move away quickly! The only times 
I have been stung were from staying in place (3 times-about once a decade!) 

Yet I would not advocate the various methods of killing them. Think of the 
money spent by our (US) government to contact alien beings in outer 
space...while beings that are perceived as alien on our home planet are 
considered insignificant and not worth their acquaintance much less their life.

We spent a brief time in a rural part of Japan. The fruit trees are 
hand-pollinated by the entire town.  Turns out that near this area was written 
up in scientific journals as examples of the penalty of pesticide 
overuse-parathion in Saku. I would walk through the woods and outside town and 
didnt see any insects, very few birds, and no furry things. Only inside the 
old temples were there incredibly large golfball sized bee things. I dont know 
that they were bees because there were large papery hivelive things in the 
eaves of the temples. I believe they were encouraged by the temple grounds 
keepers as "sentinels" because they were very effective. We respected their 
territory and left discreetly without harm. 

Regards, Martha
[email-masked]