# Bees, it's time to bee-ware



## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

walkinthewalk said:


> Ground bees are the bane of every riders existence, mostly out on the trails but they can burrow anywhere.


Are they? Sheesh, glad we only have snakes over here to worry about!


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Don't think we get ground bees here, but a couple of people have died from bee stings in Tucson this year.


> On Monday, a 49-year-old landscaper died after being attacked and stung while he was at a home outside of Tucson. Two days later, a 75-year-old Rio Rico man who was allergic to bees died after being stung more than 100 times while fishing at a pond.
> 
> https://patch.com/arizona/tucson/expert-whats-likely-behind-tucsons-deadly-bee-attacks





> A landscaper has died and two other people have been injured in a bee attack at a home in Tucson, Arizona...Greg Williams, the owner of Desert Swarm Bee Removal, said there were two hives weighing about 300lbs at the home.
> 
> Tucson man dies in bee attack*and two others are injured | Daily Mail Online


Our exterminator says he prefers to deal with rattlesnakes than an exposed hive.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

loosie said:


> Are they? Sheesh, glad we only have snakes over here to worry about!



Google "ground bees nest pictures" 

This all happened on the same property when Inlived literally on the edge of town, many years ago, and all in the Fall:

1. The back wheel of my garden tractor fell half way into a cavern after the ground bees had cleaned the nest out. I had avoided that area all summer. I had no ide they had made such a huge underground living space.

2. Another year, they burrowed into the underground remains of a tree stump. I found that out when I pushed the hand mower over that spot and got stung at least 20 times. They literally covered my push mower and it was midnight before I was able to rescue it.

3. One year they got between the walls of my early 1900's house to where I had to have an exterminator come out and kill all them.

4. Another year they burrowed next to a huge old maple tree. I had had enough by then. I poured kerosene down the hole, lit a newspaper torch and shoved it down the hole.

The fool in the creosote post should have never come after me because now the whole fam damily has met their demise. I would have really been teed if Rusty would have got stung -- he eats down there and one of his rolling spots is close to that area.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Wow, yeah, sounds crazy! European wasps are bad here - & they nest in the ground, but nothing like that. I know people can be seriously allergic, but I've not heard of anyone dying from bees or wasps here. Were the people that died, BSMS, allergic, or were they swarmed upon? I have heard that the 'killer bees' in Africa aren't any more toxic than honey bees, just that they're more inclined to attack in swarms, so it's the 'mass attack' which kills. What we call hornets here are huge, alien looking creatures, which seem to be loners - not sure if they live in colonies at all.

& BTW Walkin, you've put me off, changing your avatar - I keep forgetting it's you! Shouldn't be allowed to do that!


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

We have them in Northeastern Arizona. Not a problem very often.....I think I've only had them come after horses maybe twice in 20 years. And once was when we were riding with dogs, so I think the dogs got the brunt of it. Ours are bright yellow hornet looking things. I see them flying around rather often, but they've only attacked when they came up out of the ground on maybe two occasions.  They don't seem as numerous as normal bees. That's what scares me, the africanized honey bees in the lower elevations of Arizona (like BSMS was talking about in Tucson). I don't know if they come as far north as Show Low, but I hope not! 

I don't worry about rattlesnakes. I don't worry about hornets. I worry about africanized honey bees. Every year you hear of a few people and animals dying from them. What an awful way to die.


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## newtrailriders (Apr 2, 2017)

When I brought my horses to the vet a couple of weeks ago I didn't realize wasps had built a nest in their trailer  When I was unloading them the wasps swarmed me and stung me so I imaginie they were stinging my horses. Thank goodness the horses were sedated when we loaded them back up again (after I killed all the wasps), so by the time we got home they weren't afraid of the trailer.

My husband was weed wacking one day and stirred up a nest of ground hornets. He ran out before he got stung but our dog rushed in to save him and then I rushed in to save the dog LOL


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

walkinthewalk said:


> Google "ground bees nest pictures"


I just did that and found out what we have are yellow jackets! 
https://static1.squarespace.com/sta...55943/1473699423449/bigstock-Bees-4426888.jpg

Still, they seem to leave us alone....... :| Maybe we don't have true ground nesting bees here. 

What I thought were yellow jackets must be some other type of wasp that is yellow and skinnier. They are nastier than the yellow jackets. Sigh. I don't like stinging insects, and that includes honey bees!


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Here is a nice link with photos. 

Stinging Insects - Hornets, Bees, Wasps

Apparently yellow jackets do nest in the ground, which confirms what I thought. I just didn't know they were yellow jackets!

What I thought were yellow jackets are called "paper wasps." What I don't like about them is they make nest under your porch, in your hay building, etc. I have more fear of them than the yellow jackets because the darn things try to nest everywhere and you don't know they are there until they set up a colony. 

Ick, too many stinging insects!


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

We also have tarantula hawks. I hope I never get stung by one! But they fly by me pretty frequently when I ride. I found this video on You-tube, definitely not for the faint of heart!

BSMS, they are down in Tucson and this guy also gets in to cholla cactus!


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

@trailhorserider, never heard of tarantula hawks. Don't ever want to see any, either!

One of the guys killed was allergic. The other guy killed was just stung too many times. The survivors of that attack had 100-200 stings.

"Greg Williams of Desert Swarm Bee Removal responded to the scene to remove the bees. He told News 4 Tucson that there were two massive hives located in the ceiling of the home's porch. He said *an estimated thirty thousand Africanised bees were involved in the attack*." 

( UPDATE: Man killed in bee attack on southwest side identified - Tucson News Now )


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## sarahfromsc (Sep 22, 2013)

walkinthewalk said:


> Since I got stung by a miserable hornet nesting in the bottom of a creosote post, I figured I would post this warning as a reminder for the long timers and also for the new horse owners.
> 
> Ground bees are the bane of every riders existence, mostly out on the trails but they can burrow anywhere.
> 
> ...


''Tis the reason I like to ride first on the trail this time a year. Usually the first person gets through without being hit. The rest of the group? Not so much.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

trailhorserider said:


> We also have tarantula hawks. I hope I never get stung by one! But they fly by me pretty frequently when I ride. I found this video on You-tube, definitely not for the faint of heart!
> 
> BSMS, they are down in Tucson and this guy also gets in to cholla cactus!
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnExgQ81fhU


Great Scott! I'm sure I saw his relatives in a Sci-Fi movie!

@sarahfromsc Ditto that, lollol. When I still lived in PA, we used to argue about wanting to be the lead horse in the Fall, lollol


@loosie. Somehow my original avatar got deleted. It happened way back when HF switched to this new format so I blame it on them, lol. 

My new avatar is my insulin resistant/foundered/ frought with injuries, 22 yr old TWH Joker, lollollol. I am sure all that metallic-looking shine is the dollar signs melting together that I have spent to keep him healthy, lollol


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

walkinthewalk said:


> My new avatar is my insulin resistant/foundered/ frought with injuries, 22 yr old TWH Joker, lollollol. I am sure all that metallic-looking shine is the dollar signs melting together that I have spent to keep him healthy, lollol


He's beautiful! The money must be working!

Gosh, I've just spent an hour or two looking at venomous insects, many of which we have here. That guy in the tarantula hawk video is crazy!!! And now I have the willies!


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

this thread is like a nightmare come to life :eek_color::eek_color::eek_color::eek_color::hide:


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

sarahfromsc said:


> ''Tis the reason I like to ride first on the trail this time a year. Usually the first person gets through without being hit. The rest of the group? Not so much.


And basically this is the reason my mare is now mine 
On a ride the trail riding group happened to ride over a nest and my mare was the unlucky one getting attacked - can't blame her that she bucked and bolted - and her rider fell off... Never wanted to ride the mare again, so she was up for sale


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

SwissMiss said:


> And basically this is the reason my mare is now mine
> On a ride the trail riding group happened to ride over a nest and my mare was the unlucky one getting attacked - can't blame her that she bucked and bolted - and her rider fell off... Never wanted to ride the mare again, so she was up for sale


Finally; something good from a bee sting :falloff:


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

AnitaAnne said:


> Finally; something good from a bee sting :falloff:


I wholeheartedly agree


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

sarahfromsc said:


> ''Tis the reason I like to ride first on the trail this time a year. Usually the first person gets through without being hit. The rest of the group? Not so much.


But if you're first on the trail here, you're more likely to step on a snake, or walk through orb spider webs & get one on your face! Wonder what riders in other parts do to stay awake!


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## Kaiit (Mar 28, 2017)

Ah, sleepy little Great Britain with it's placid wildlife and lack of aggressively venomous animals... our ground nesting bees are cute and fluffy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombus_terrestris

You'd have to really wind up a colony of anything here to get stung. I used to be fascinated by swarms as a kid and would stand amongst them. European honey bees are definitely a favourite due to their placid nature and the honey they produce. I'd love to keep them! Never been stung, even when I've poked sticks in wasp nests to wind them up. 

I guess adders can be a problem for horses, our only venomous snake, but bites are rare and they're more likely to move out of the way before the horse gets there. Here in the east, vets don't even hold the antivenom anymore because bites are so rare.


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## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

sarahfromsc said:


> ''Tis the reason I like to ride first on the trail this time a year. Usually the first person gets through without being hit. The rest of the group? Not so much.


Tis true. Several years ago, I was riding with a friend at a large suburban reservoir near Denver. We were picking our way along a narrow trail clogged with fallen trees. My boy Oily brushed one with his toe, and all of a sudden we were in a cloud of small hornets. "Run, Oily, RUN!!!", and he didn't need any encouragement. My friends mare Roxy saw what was happening, and was hard on our heels.

I didn't get stung, and I don't think Oily did, either, but my friend and her mare both collected a few :-(

I guess the moral of this story is "Learn to canter; some day you may need the skill ;-)" I will add that you can run thru trees a lot faster than you might think, with proper motivation :-D

Trailhorserider, we have the Paper Wasps around here, and they aren't very aggressive, altho I still wouldn't want to disturb one of their nests. Hornets / YellowJackets OTOH, are irritable, vindictive, and (seemingly) will sting you just to hear you squeal. And they _aren't_ discouraged by being swatted; they just get madder.

Those who are allergic to bee stings and such probably already know this, but you should carry an emergency kit , and let your fellow riders know about it; it might save your life.

https://www.epipen.com/what-is-anaphylaxis/what-causes-anaphylaxis/bee-sting-allergy

Steve


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Kaiit said:


> Ah, sleepy little Great Britain with it's placid wildlife and lack of aggressively venomous animals... our ground nesting bees are cute and fluffy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombus_terrestris
> 
> You'd have to really wind up a colony of anything here to get stung. I used to be fascinated by swarms as a kid and would stand amongst them. European honey bees are definitely a favourite due to their placid nature and the honey they produce. I'd love to keep them! Never been stung, even when I've poked sticks in wasp nests to wind them up.
> 
> I guess adders can be a problem for horses, our only venomous snake, but bites are rare and they're more likely to move out of the way before the horse gets there. Here in the east, vets don't even hold the antivenom anymore because bites are so rare.


 Consider yourself lucky!!
When we lived in Shropshire someone demolishing an old building next to our land disturbed a hornets nest and they all attacked one of our horses who had a severe reaction and almost suffocated because her head and neck were so swollen. We were lucky to have a vet close by
I was stung by a bee on the same land - somehow fell into my wellie - and as it was a Sunday spent an hour in A&E because that made my whole leg balloon
One of our dogs disturbed a wasps nest in Herefordshire and was badly stung - another vet bill
I also know of several people who've been bitten by adders - but on the whole it is safer than most countries as far as wildlife is concerned


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## rambo99 (Nov 29, 2016)

SwissMiss said:


> And basically this is the reason my mare is now mine
> On a ride the trail riding group happened to ride over a nest and my mare was the unlucky one getting attacked - can't blame her that she bucked and bolted - and her rider fell off... Never wanted to ride the mare again, so she was up for sale


We have ground bee's here also. If you stay on the beaten path your pretty safe for most part,it's the grass trails that tend to have ground bee's. I've been dumped off my horse because of the ******s,boy can he bronc, bolt and spin real fast.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I hope all the newer riders are reading and taking everything to heart.

It would be a shame for someone to get bucked off because their poor horse suffered bee stings and they think they need to sell it ------- their loss is liable to be another gain for *swissmiss*, which nice going on that find


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## rambo99 (Nov 29, 2016)

walkinthewalk said:


> I hope all the newer riders are reading and taking everything to heart.
> 
> It would be a shame for someone to get bucked off because their poor horse suffered bee stings and they think they need to sell it ------- their loss is liable to be another gain for *swissmiss*, which nice going on that find


The horse in your avatar is beautiful love the color.


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## Kaiit (Mar 28, 2017)

jaydee said:


> Consider yourself lucky!!
> When we lived in Shropshire someone demolishing an old building next to our land disturbed a hornets nest and they all attacked one of our horses who had a severe reaction and almost suffocated because her head and neck were so swollen. We were lucky to have a vet close by
> I was stung by a bee on the same land - somehow fell into my wellie - and as it was a Sunday spent an hour in A&E because that made my whole leg balloon
> One of our dogs disturbed a wasps nest in Herefordshire and was badly stung - another vet bill
> I also know of several people who've been bitten by adders - but on the whole it is safer than most countries as far as wildlife is concerned


Wow, sounds like you've had quite a run-in with stinging insects! Perhaps the animals of East Anglia are just too inbred  I've never known a person or animal to be bitten by an adder. I've almost stepped on one but luckily caught it out of the corner of my eye before my foot hit it. Grass snakes, on the other hand, not venomous but I've heard many stories of people, dogs and horses being bitten!


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## KLJcowgirl (Oct 13, 2015)

I'll be honest... I'm a bit disappointed in the title... Should be "Bees, it's time to BEEware" haha

But seriously... they are out like crazy! I have never seen the ground bees or wasps (now that I think about it, they probably couldn't nest too far down in our clay anyways), but we have got the grouchy a** hornets, yellow jackets, and paper wasps, seen a few of those black wasps too. 

Rode at the city arena last night, and I will be getting a couple bottles of wasp killer for next time. Nearly every post had a nest inside! Ugh...


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## sarahfromsc (Sep 22, 2013)

loosie said:


> But if you're first on the trail here, you're more likely to step on a snake, or walk through orb spider webs & get one on your face! Wonder what riders in other parts do to stay awake!


Well, for spider webs, a leafy small tree branch works wonders. So does my shoo fly!

Snakes, I just try to keep my eyes out for them and listen to my horse.


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

loosie said:


> But if you're first on the trail here, you're more likely to step on a snake, or walk through orb spider webs & get one on your face! Wonder what riders in other parts do to stay awake!


 
I get all the spiders in my face anyway, irrespective of the order we ride in :-x Comes with the territory when riding the tallest horse in the bunch :cowboy: Yes, she is a giant @ 14.3 hands:rofl:


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## rambo99 (Nov 29, 2016)

SwissMiss said:


> I get all the spiders in my face anyway, irrespective of the order we ride in :-x Comes with the territory when riding the tallest horse in the bunch :cowboy: Yes, she is a giant @ 14.3 hands:rofl:



Got you beat my boy is 15.3 hands tall i get the trail all clear of the cobwebs & spiders.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

sarahfromsc said:


> ''Tis the reason I like to ride first on the trail this time a year. Usually the first person gets through without being hit. The rest of the group? Not so much.


I can attest to that!
When Smilie got badly stung by ground hornets, it happened because the two horses ahead of her, disturbed a log]
See, there is a reason horses need to be docked points, if they tick a log in a trail course!


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

AnitaAnne said:


> this thread is like a nightmare come to life :eek_color::eek_color::eek_color::eek_color::hide:



YES! I have an epi pen because of allergy to wasp stings, and that tarantula hawk thing gave me the shudders.

I _got _the epi pen because a couple of years ago, I was out on my porch and somehow a wasp got under my skirt and stung the back of my leg. It immediately swelled up to the size of a softball and was continuing to grow the next day (of course, a weekend). I went to urgent care and got some relief, but they told me such a strong reaction to a sting often gets even worse the next time. So wasps make me really nervous.

My husband stepped on a ground nest last year while mowing and get multiple stings, but they just turned into little red dots. I shudder to think what would have happened if that was me!


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## Beling (Nov 3, 2009)

The finest veterinarian in the state died last week from wasp stings. He was at home, he had his family over, he knew he was allergic and he gave himself a shot asap. But I guess it wasn't strong enough, or he needed more of the antivenim. He died. We're all still in mourning. He was only 44 years old.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

Africanized bees aside, there is a giant difference between bees and wasps. 

True bees in this part of the world anyway are usually solitary, the big exception being honey bees. They eat nectar, and pollenise flowers and in fact almost all our non-grain crops. Although allergic people can die from bee stings, they are not typically aggressive unless you actively attack their nest or maybe step on one. Stinging is a defensive and suicidal act for bees, they tear out their own entrails by stinging. They are GOOD. 

Ground wasps, yellow jackets, ground bees (misnomer), hornets, or whatever you call them, are colonial and very aggressive at certain times of the year (basically, now -- late summer, before the first frost). They are more carnivorous in late summer (more interested in sugars earlier in the season). They can sting over and over; they sting prey to kill it. I HATE THEM. They almost killed my dog once, and if I hadn't dragged her to the pond and thrown her in and drowned all the wasps on her, she would have died. As it was, we got her to the emergency vet and saved her. They've chased me through the woods many a time, and often hounded me and my dogs from my favorite trails until winter. 

Right now they are, weirdly, incredibly attracted to the orchard grass hay I'm feeding. They swarm all over it all day long. They must be rather far from their nest (which if I could find I would destroy but no luck so far) because they aren't stinging the horses, thank God. Old rancher neighbor says maybe the hay is salty, they crave salt. Or maybe it's sugary . . . anyway I cannot wait for them to be gone.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Beling said:


> The finest veterinarian in the state died last week from wasp stings. He was at home, he had his family over, he knew he was allergic and he gave himself a shot asap. But I guess it wasn't strong enough, or he needed more of the antivenim. He died. We're all still in mourning. He was only 44 years old.


I am so sorry for his family's loss and the loss to the animal community 

I just could not bring myself to "like" your post


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

I think the most disturbing thing about the tarantula hawk is that they capture the poor tarantula to feed their solitary young. They trap the spider in the ground, lay an egg on it and bury it. Once the egg hatches the larvae burrow into the abdomen and commence to snacking, reserving the most vital internal organs for last so that the spider remains alive for a good part of the feasting. Now that is the stuff nightmare's are made of:eek_color::eek_color::eek_color: 

As for the orb weavers we have one stubborn enough to build it's web just far enough outside the reach of the door but directly across the path that whichever one taking the dogs out gets a wake up call. I joke that my husband's next job will be that of cotton candy twirler as he has gotten so good with sticks loading them up with the spiders and their webs until they look like a golden cotton candy treat.

ETA to correct the mistakes my computer insists on making...


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

QtrBel said:


> I think the most disturbing thing about the tarantula hawk is that they capture the poor tarantula to feed their solitary young. They trap the spider in the ground, lay an egg on it and bury it. Once the egg hatches the larvae burrow into the abdomen and commence to snacking, reserving the most vital internal organs for last so that the spider remains alive for a good part of the feasting. Now that is the stuff nightmare's are made of:eek_color::eek_color::eek_color:
> 
> As for the orb weavers we have one stubborn enough to build it's web just far enough outside the reach of the door but directly across the path that whichever one taking the dogs out gets a wake up call. I joke that my husband's next job will be that of cotton candy twirler as he has gotten so good with sticks loading them up with the spiders and their webs until they look like a golden cotton candy treat.
> 
> ETA to correct the mistakes my computer insists on making...


I tried not to read that ^^^^^^ about the Tarantulas but once I started, I couldn't stop ----- it's still daylight ----- maybe I'll forget what I read before dark--------------


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Walkin, hoping you had a good night's sleep and sweet dreams. I woke up thankful that my dogs had not permanently run off my friend A. Dillo. He keeps the ground hornets eaten up..We always know when he has found a nest as he leaves the shredded remains of their domain scattered about.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

QtrBel said:


> Walkin, hoping you had a good night's sleep and sweet dreams. I woke up thankful that my dogs had not permanently run off my friend A. Dillo. He keeps the ground hornets eaten up..We always know when he has found a nest as he leaves the shredded remains of their domain scattered about.


I did and thank you, lollol

Armadillos eat ground bees!? We are seeing Armadillos in my area of Tennessee these days. I actually had to get one out of the back yard before the dogs saw it.

People around here seem to have a real "kill them!" Mindset about Armadillos. From what I have read, while they can carry rabies, they aren't any worse than skunks, opossum, or raccoons.

The little guy I helped get back under the chain link fence was more scared than anything. If I am missing something, please inform me. I like the idea of something around that kills ground bees:grin:


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Armadillos are not aggressive at all. While they may carry rabies I have not ever heard of any case of one transmitting it by biting. They only have a few small molars in the back. They can and often do tear up your landscape so for those with expensive tastes in plants and a low tolerance for replanting they can be a nuisance. I'd rather replant a few plants than have ground hornets though. They are going for the larvae, nymphs and honey (yes, wasps do produce a small amount to feed the growing young) mostly but will scarf up adults as well. Bears, skunks, and raccoons as well as badgers, moles and shrews love to dine on them too. Don't know that I would want a bear in my yard but we certainly don't kill the dillos. I have heard of a some people putting honey at the opening to the nest (at night when dormant - use a red light not a flashlight so you don't wake them) to attract those that dine on them. The last nest we found shredded was up under one of the big oaks and space wise larger than the size of an oil drum.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

OMG, you guys have armadillos?? Never seen one in the flesh, but they're one of the cutest beasties I've seen on nature docos!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Thanks for that great information *QtrBel*!

I only saw the one Armadillo early in the Spring. While I discourage the wild critters from hanging out at the house and the barn, I "live and let live" otherwise.

Well, except for the hornets, lollol. I had a few come after the John Deere while I was mowing. They tried to sting it and I was hoping they wouldn't realize there was flesh not far from where they were landing, lollol

*Loosie* yes we have them now, in southern Middle Tennessee. I understand TN didn't used to have them but they have slowly migrated here from our Midwest states. 

Texas. where *QtrBel* is from, has always had armadillos. The distance from the center of Texas to the center of Tennessee is ~916 miles. To get here the armadillos had to cross the huge Mississippi River, and a LOT of varied terrain, yet they managed to get here

It tisses me off that people don't bother to learn about the Armadillos and what good they might do, they just look at them as a foreign critter that should be killed


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Loosie you guys have some awfully cute critters of your own. I'd love to go to Aus and NZ just to see the wildlife and stop in to see how Zephyr is growing up. Merlot always has the best stories.

Oppossums are the ones we actively discourage and that is only because of the disease they carry that could effect the horses.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Possums... dunno why you guys put the 'o' in front  Yours are a bit different to ours tho. Are yours marsupials? Ours come in cute & small varieties, or big bas...her brushtails - don't want to mess with them & cats & dogs often get injured if there's a fray. They make a sound like a cross between a growl & a hiss when they're 'angry'. They're protected over here, but in NZ they're 'vermin' & I've seen a couple of gorgeous possum rugs from there...


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Yes, they are marsupials. The only one we have. The name comes from an Algonquian word meaning "white beast". It was spelled one of two ways opassum and aposoum by the English settlers. There was an English botanist that traveled to Australia and saw what closely resembled the American version and to differentiate he called them possum. No relation (or very distantly related) between the two but yours are related fairly closely to kangaroos. Ours have very sharp teeth and will hiss as well. They typically play dead but will attack.


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## sarahfromsc (Sep 22, 2013)

Ah man.....did the grounds bees get me today. Arm is swollen, and hurts like hell.

Hate those **** things.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

sarahfromsc said:


> Ah man.....did the grounds bees get me today. Arm is swollen, and hurts like hell.
> 
> Hate those **** things.


I am so sorry! :--(

Get out some vet wrap & horse poultice and slather your arm in poultice.

If you didn't go to the doctor or ER, are you taking anything OTC ------ and don't say wine, lollol

Get better SOON!!!!!

:smileynotebook::smileynotebook:


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

@sarahfromsc- Have you tried Benadryl? I don't like taking the pills, but I know that works for a lot of people. Their extra strength itch stopping cream works for me with bad black fly or killer mosquito bites. Not sure it would help me with wasps, but maybe worth a try? Feel better, I know how awful that pain is!


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## sarahfromsc (Sep 22, 2013)

I took three Advil with a cold beer and iced the arm last night. Still some slight swelling around the individual stings and friggin itchy.

Now I am off to kill the suckers since it is cool this morning!


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

My one year old granddaughter got stung by "ground bees" on her face and a hand last week. We were away from the house (of course), and I had nothing with me. I went old school and held a penny on each spot for five minutes. Amazingly, this child of perpetual motion let me. Then I put a little mud on the spots. She barely had no swelling or itching. I wasn't sure pennies had enough copper in them anymore to help. Or they were really old pennies.

My horse came in on Friday with about a dozen sting spots under his mane. Bet he got into some, too. And I bet they got stuck under there for a few seconds in order to have stung him so many times in such a small area on his neck. Poor horse.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

@boots, I am so glad your granddaughter will be ok! I never knew that about the pennies. I hope your horse will be ok, as well

@sarahfromsc, I am happy you are doing much better, too

The time I poured kerosene down a bees nest, then lit a rolled up newspaper and shoved it down the hole, was not long after my push mower and I had been stung when mowing over an old tree stump, lollol

I don't blame you for going after them, just please be careful

This is evidently a really bad year for bees:|


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## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

Poor George. He is always a magnet for flies, but the past couple of days he is also being pestered by small Yellowjackets buzzing around his lower legs. They aren't stinging him, but as these bees are carnivorous, they may be taking bites. (???) Wiping his legs with fly spray seemed to disperse them, at least temporarily. Oddly, they seem particularly attracted to the Cashel fly-wraps he is wearing on his fronts; I wet those down pretty well with the spray; he was appreciative.
The other animals seem untroubled by them.
Ever notice that when you go into The Woods, there will often be an individual who attracts all of the flying pests? My wife is one; George is another :-( Why do you suppose that is?
Steve


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## sarahfromsc (Sep 22, 2013)

Are you sure the bees are not bots flies? Bots look a lot like yellow jackets.

The nest I found was right on a fence post, so I roped off the area so hopefully the horses won't get hit.
@boots, I will now carry a penny in my pocket while cutting and weed whacking!


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## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

sarahfromsc said:


> Are you sure the bees are not bots flies? Bots look a lot like yellow jackets.


Yea, pretty sure; I've had them sting me before. But I'll put on some leather gloves and catch one the next time I see them, just to be sure.

I don't think we have bot-flies around here; at least I've never heard anyone mention having problems with them.

Steve


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## KLJcowgirl (Oct 13, 2015)

Hehe, like the title change!

I don't know why I came back to this thread, I'm looking over my shoulder all the time and watching where I step now! Ick. Noticed bazillions of wasps while camping this weekend flying around the creek... yuck, why are there so many!

So... My MIL did find some sort of stinging insect burrowing in her sandbox the other day... I think this thread jinxed me haha How would one get rid of the critters? Just destroy the nest?


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## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

sarahfromsc said:


> Are you sure the bees are not bots flies? Bots look a lot like yellow jackets.


Yep; little hornets/Yellowjackets, 1/2 or 3/4 of an inch long. I tried to get a foto, but they don't sit still long enough for my phone/camera to focus on 'em. I watched for awhile, and they don't seem to be doing anything but investigating, and only on the lower legs. The other critters have them, too, but less than George. None of them appear to take any more notice of the hornets than they do the flies, so I would guess they are reasonably inoffensive.

Steve
foto: out-of-focus hornet on Georgies leg:


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Looks like a yellow jacket. If it has been dry they may be going after the moisture in the wrap.


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## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

QtrBel said:


> Looks like a yellow jacket. If it has been dry they may be going after the moisture in the wrap.


A Yellowjacket, yes. What was it after? The answer will surprise you. (Or maybe not? Was a surprise to me.)

The flies were particularly obnoxious this afternoon, and there were lots of those small Yellowjackets buzzing around as well. George, in particular was being tormented.
I got out the Swat to do his ears, face, and the unprotected parts of his legs. While I was in the process of "Swatting" Georgies legs, I saw one of the Yellowjackets grab a fly and take it to the ground. Say What?!? I snatch-grabbed my phone and took several fotos in the hopes one of them would come out. Here you go, and Now You Know . . .

Steve

Foto: a "Fly Predator".


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Yep they liquefy them and feed them to the baby jackets... They really are beneficial if their nest is in a place where you won't disturb it. They also eat caterpillars, spiders and beetles. It's a shame they come with stingers.

I'm jealous. My phone won't take pics that fast or detailed.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

DH was rung the dogs this morning, and one of the dogs got into a hornets nest. <sigh>. 

DH thinks he only got stung once or twice --- I hope so ----- it's Sunday ------ the 24/7 emergency vet is 40 miles away ------


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Hope your pup is OK. I had one ride with me to the gas station and back on the mirror. Had to be on my side too. Must have had glue on his feet and smart enough to be sitting out of the wind.


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

george the mule said:


> A Yellowjacket, yes. What was it after? The answer will surprise you. (Or maybe not? Was a surprise to me.)
> 
> The flies were particularly obnoxious this afternoon, and there were lots of those small Yellowjackets buzzing around as well. George, in particular was being tormented.
> I got out the Swat to do his ears, face, and the unprotected parts of his legs. While I was in the process of "Swatting" Georgies legs, I saw one of the Yellowjackets grab a fly and take it to the ground. Say What?!? I snatch-grabbed my phone and took several fotos in the hopes one of them would come out. Here you go, and Now You Know . . .
> ...


This is amazing! Quite an achievement to get such a clear picture! 

But the news that they eat flies is also startling. Really like that something is helping with the fly problem, but don't know if the solution is worth it. 

What is worse; flies or bees? Or in George's case; BOTH 

Is it possible that large fly populations attract the Yellowjackets? Makes fly control seem more important than ever


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

QtrBel said:


> Hope your pup is OK. I had one ride with me to the gas station and back on the mirror. Had to be on my side too. Must have had glue on his feet and smart enough to be sitting out of the wind.


My dog is fine - thanks for asking. That was quite a ride, all the way to the gas station. Least he could have done was got off the mirror and stayed there

I have a 42" barrel fan that I run on low toward the hay. I have to be careful when I move it, as the wasps love to sit on the lip of the barrel enjoying the breeze:eek_color::eek_color:


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

walkinthewalk said:


> My dog is fine - thanks for asking. That was quite a ride, all the way to the gas station. Least he could have done was got off the mirror and stayed there
> 
> I have a 42" barrel fan that I run on low toward the hay. I have to be careful when I move it, as the wasps love to sit on the lip of the barrel enjoying the breeze:eek_color::eek_color:


Oh my! Wasps enjoying the breeze; maybe the bee that rode on @QrtBel car mirror was going on a joy ride! 

Walked outside to walk the dog and something flew in my hair making a buzzing sound :eek_color: I tried to brush it out with my fingers but the buzz would get so LOUD and SCARY. Was terrified I would get stung in the face and how horrible that would be!! 

It was finally able to get free when I kept shaking my head upside down. TG I wasn't stung as I am highly allergic!! 

Hope there isn't a nest in my yard :icon_frown:


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

AnitaAnne said:


> Oh my! Wasps enjoying the breeze; maybe the bee that rode on @QrtBel car mirror was going on a joy ride!
> 
> Walked outside to walk the dog and something flew in my hair making a buzzing sound :eek_color: I tried to brush it out with my fingers but the buzz would get so LOUD and SCARY. Was terrified I would get stung in the face and how horrible that would be!!
> 
> ...


^^^That is scary! Years ago, when I lived in PA, I was doing the trim with the push mower. I ran the mower over the remains of where a big tree stump had once been ------ whooooeeeeee, let go of the mower and RUN!

Thank goodness I am not allergic to bee stings because I saw around 20! My hair was in a ponytail and I was trying to pull them out of my hair. I was already taking Histmanol (sp?) for Fall allergies, which is probably what saved me from having to go to the hospital cause 20 bee stings is a lot.

Those miserable bees literally covered my push mower ---- covered it! When my son got home from work at midnight, all but two or three bees had gone back in the nest and he was able to reclaim the push mower and put it in the garage. 

I blew them up with Kerosene and a kerosene torch the next night. They were right next to the garage but it was an old cement block garage and I was so mad I didn't care if I did set the roof on fire ---- which I didn't, lollollol


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