Bees in the City

[Nickelodeon]

I’ve had to take out half a dozen bee’s nests this summer; three of them this weekend when I was working around the house. All of them were in eaves troughs or tucked into window corners of the house.

Unlike mosquitoes, mice and other vermin, I like bees. They seem to make a positive contribution and pollinate flowers and other plants around the property. But I didn’t want to walk through a swarm of them to get from my front door to the car.

Suggestions as to peaceful co-existence, eg. can I create a safe zone with turning myself into a weird apiarist?

 

[tboy]

It all depends on what kind of "Bee" they were. Were they bumblebees? Wasps? Hornets?

Most won't sting you unless they are threatened in some way. I see people all the time swatting away whenever one comes near.

Bees build nests whenever there is a queen present. What you could try is moving the nest instead of destroying it (cuz the queen is probably inside). That way the bees will follow her and continue building the nest around her.

First thing I'd do is do an online search.

I read somewhere that there is a real problem in the US with crop pollination due to disappearing bees....maybe you can sell your nests? lol.....

 

[oldjones]

My bet is you had wasps (they have wasp waists, bees are 'fat' from tip to tush), not bees. Bees don't colonize as widely as wasps. Wasps have a place in the ecology too, but they aren't vital to pollination and under threat from colony collapse. If you karma can stand it, you can wage war on wasps w/ a clean conscience.

 

[Perry Mason]

The bee is such a busy soul
It has no time for birth control.
And that is why at times like these
There are so many sons of b's.

 

[Nickelodeon]

Thanks all....I'll try to man up and be less sensitive.

 

[Mencken]

The locations you describe are wasp nest hangouts. Unless they are close to a door or somewhere a kid might step on one you can usually ignore them. Unless you or someone close has an allergy to stings...then nuke them with the wasp killer stuff.

 

[Dartman]

I saw on 60Minutes that there is a shortage of bees now

 

[jerbear]

The locations you describe are wasp nest hangouts. Unless they are close to a door or somewhere a kid might step on one you can usually ignore them. Unless you or someone close has an allergy to stings...then nuke them with the wasp killer stuff.

Use my big Texas Fly swatter on those little bastards.

 

[Kyra.Graves]

Google Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) when you have time, it's a very interesting and worrysome story about the dissapearance of the bees.

http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=15572

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_Collapse_Disorder

 

[RayFinkel]

I find any local Bar is good, any beer will do me just fine.

For the most part, I go to the Beer store they have a great selection.



Ohhhhhh! sorry. I thought you said Beers in the city.

.........

 

[Macator2003]

Google Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) when you have time, it's a very interesting and worrysome story about the dissapearance of the bees.

http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=15572

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_Collapse_Disorder

Wow Kyra, amazing pictures of you on your website (by left clicking) and great article on the bees or collapse thereof.

Blue, as indicated, the nests noted are probably hornet or wasps. If they are bee's nests, call your local bee keeper. They'll be quite happy to pay you a visit and take the occupants of the bees nests to a safe area.....

 

[Macator2003]

Next year Blue, go to Canadian Tire in April and pick up a couple of fake wasp nests and hang them like chinese lanterns around your yard.

When the real wasps start looking for a home, they will see the nests and choose to set up shop elsewhere....

 

[21pro]

When the real wasps start looking for a home, they will see the nests and choose to set up shop elsewhere....

i did this and it didn't work. probably didn't hang enough of them.