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Subject: bees in the compost pile
From: Janet Hinners Gallagher <hinners@home.com>
Organization: @Home Network
Date: Tue, 30 May 00 08:56:08
Message-ID: <MOD$000528.6152@rec.gardens.ecosystems>



I moved into a house with a compost pile that was really old and undisturbed
for several years. I decided to dig it out, use the compost in some planting
projects, and get a fresh one going. While digging into it, I discovered
bees. I got stung on my arms, which is no big deal since I'm not allergic
and Iowa's too far north for the Africanized variety. This doesn't appear to
be a particularly aggressive strain, since I've dug around in the compost
pile before and not got stung. They are useful in pollinating my raspberry
bushes and I'm getting ready to plant some blueberry bushes that will also
require their services. So, I'm kind of torn between just letting them have
that compost pile and starting another one for me, or driving them out of
it. If I decide to drive them out of it, I'd like to do so in a way that
doesn't damage the compost. The neighbor has shown me where she's seen them
enter. She also says that I've got a family of rabbits living in the compost
pile and I have no mixed feelings about getting rid of them! But the bees
have to go before I can get rid of the rabbits. Any ideas? Will disturbing
the compost pile by digging at it each week eventually get them to move on
their own? Or do I need to resort to fire or chemicals?

Jan