Bees!!!

rockcat

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There are bees swarming around our front (and only) door! My husband put long sleeves on and went to the store to buy bee killer. Is there even such a thing?

Some of our windows don't close properly and our screens don't fit well. I just got done taping around the edges because I saw one trying to get in. I sprayed him with Ultra Oxygen Cleaner through the screen first. I figured anything would kill it if I sprayed it enough and it worked.

I have hairspray ready to paralyze a bunch of them if it comes to that. I can't even imagine what we would do if a swarm came in the apartment!

Serious suggestions, please!
 
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rockcat

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My husband got back and sprayed into the hole they are going in and out of. Then he went into the restaurant under our apartment and called me. He said they should start dissipating soon.

I never saw that happen. He just looked again and they found a new hole! It's higher up and he doesn't know if the spray will reach. He is on his way back to the store anyways.

Meanwhile, I'm sitting inside with long sleves and long pants, a t-shirt ready to tie around my head, armed with hairspray and a sheet in case I need to run outside and rescue my husband. It sounds rediculously funny, but I feel like I'm in a horror movie.
 

natalie_ca

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Bees can be pretty aggressive when in swarms. Not the standard honey bee, but the African Killer Bees.

I wouldn't mess around with bug spray and try to get rid of it that way. They have a nest deep inside somewhere and you need to contact an exterminator to come and deal with the problem professionally.
 
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rockcat

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Thanks! My husband and our landlord sprayed, but they keep finding different holes. Oliver already found one in the house! It was almost dead though. I hope he didn't get any bee poision on him! He seems normal.

Any prayers would be appreciated!!
 
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rockcat

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Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Bees can be pretty aggressive when in swarms. Not the standard honey bee, but the African Killer Bees.

I wouldn't mess around with bug spray and try to get rid of it that way. They have a nest deep inside somewhere and you need to contact an exterminator to come and deal with the problem professionally.
I appreciate that idea. Thanks. I would much prefer an exterminator deal with it, but it's Sunday. Besides, we had a hive in an abandoned house earlier this year (out back) and could not find a bee exterminator. The only number we had for one failed to return our phone calls. We may have to look again for one tomorrow if we can't get rid of them, but we can't wait and let them get established.
 
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rockcat

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Whew!
They seem to be thinning out. Thank God!
 

calico2222

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What kind of bees are they, can you tell? If they are burrowing into wood on your porch, they are probably carpenter bees and if so most do not sting. Do they have a hive built that you can see? Carpernter bees build their nests inside wood so if you can't see a hive there is a good chance thats the kind they are. They are very big and noisy and tend to hover and basically freak you out.

The best thing to do with any kinds of bees is wait until after sunset. There is bee spray that you can spray directly into the hive or hole. They sleep after the sun goes down so they aren't as aggressive. But, if you do that, spray and run, don't stick around. But usually that works. If it is carpenter bees, DH uses regular caulking to fill up the holes (there were about 10 of them), again after sunset. That took care of them, but we did have to replace the porch after that because they did too much damage. At least they were all dead when we tore it apart.

Good luck! I hate bees too, and I would be just as freaked out as you were!
 

strange_wings

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Please don't kill bees, people! Especially honey bees. There's still a serious shortage with hives dying off. Call a local bee keeper to come and remove them, or at least to advise you to a less damaging solution.
 

butzie

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

Please don't kill bees, people! Especially honey bees. There's still a serious shortage with hives dying off. Call a local bee keeper to come and remove them, or at least to advise you to a less damaging solution.
I absolutely, positively agree! The decline in the honeybee population in the world is alarming. What is going to pick up their niche in pollenating?

We had a beehive under the eaves of our upper deck in a hole in the garage wall (little hole). I called a beekeeper. He came and, sure enough, they were honeybees. He and his wife smoked them out and put them in one of those hive trays and took them back to his bee boxes. He then plugged up the hole for us. He actually charged me for this, but I get free honey for life.

The point is, I would still pay for it to save the bees.

Please see if you can find out what kind of bee it is and find a local beekeeper or call your county extension.
 

gailc

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Are you sure they are bees and not wasps?? Wasps are looking for nesting places this time of year. Just look up the pics on the internet to make sure.
Any bees are benefical to have for pollination due to their declining numbers.
If they are wasps a pest exterminator should be able to treat for them. They don't like to be disturbed and will sting if agitated (from prior personal knowledge).
If you do get stung make sure you have benedryl the tablets or the lotion o hand to treat the areas.
 

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a few years back on a sunday afternoon a swarm of bees invaded the tree next to the garage. my husband and i finally found someone in the yellow pages that offered to move them, not kill them. i did not want to kill them. the guy came out monday to take a look and told us to leave them be for a few days. he thought it was a new queen looking for a permanent place and they would probably be gone in a couple days. and that's what happenend. i saw the whole swarm take of thursday afternoon. the guy didn't even charge us for coming out.
that's the only experience i ever had re: bees
 
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rockcat

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They are back. There is no hive, just bees flying all around the wood siding and around our only door. They are apparently trying to find a place to make a hive. My husband and our landlord have already sprayed bee killer into the holes. They had to get on a ladder because we are on the 2nd floor.

If our landlord can find a professional to remove the bees - great. My husband is calling him to ask him to deal with it while we are in work today. It will be up to him how he procceds. I just pray and hope whatever he does works.

They don't seem to be agressive. Thank God no one has been stung. They are persistent though.

This is not the first time we have seen them. About 2 years ago I think, there was a huge congregation of them clinging to a branch in our yard for 2 days. They left on their own.

The touchy thing about this group is they are at our door! Otherwise I would be a little more patient.
 
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rockcat

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Originally Posted by GailC

Are you sure they are bees and not wasps?? Wasps are looking for nesting places this time of year. Just look up the pics on the internet to make sure.
Any bees are benefical to have for pollination due to their declining numbers.
If they are wasps a pest exterminator should be able to treat for them. They don't like to be disturbed and will sting if agitated (from prior personal knowledge).
If you do get stung make sure you have benedryl the tablets or the lotion o hand to treat the areas.
Thanks, Gail. They look like honeybees to me.
 
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rockcat

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

Please don't kill bees, people! Especially honey bees. There's still a serious shortage with hives dying off. Call a local bee keeper to come and remove them, or at least to advise you to a less damaging solution.
I would prefer that method. Yesterday was Sunday, and we had to do something. If our landlord decides to deal with them that way, I would definately prefer it; however, my priority is safety. We are currently taking chances every time we go in and out of our apartment.
 
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rockcat

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Originally Posted by calico2222

What kind of bees are they, can you tell? If they are burrowing into wood on your porch, they are probably carpenter bees and if so most do not sting. Do they have a hive built that you can see? Carpernter bees build their nests inside wood so if you can't see a hive there is a good chance thats the kind they are. They are very big and noisy and tend to hover and basically freak you out.

The best thing to do with any kinds of bees is wait until after sunset. There is bee spray that you can spray directly into the hive or hole. They sleep after the sun goes down so they aren't as aggressive. But, if you do that, spray and run, don't stick around. But usually that works. If it is carpenter bees, DH uses regular caulking to fill up the holes (there were about 10 of them), again after sunset. That took care of them, but we did have to replace the porch after that because they did too much damage. At least they were all dead when we tore it apart.

Good luck! I hate bees too, and I would be just as freaked out as you were!
Thanks for all the info. I didn't know about carpenter bees, so I looked them up. Unfortunately, they look like honeybees to me. One got in the house and Oliver caught it, so I got to see it close up. I killed 2 on the way in (between the window and the screen) too.
 

wingss2fly

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The man who lives across from the school I work at has a hive in his roof. He has had 3 professional bee people come and move / kill/ get rid of his bees. He was advised to have his roof taken off and all of the honey comb removed, and new wood installed, because the bees leave faramones (sorry if the spelling is wrong) So other bees hone in on the sent and bring the old hive back to life. Now mind you I am talking about honey bees. And this hive creats problems at my school for the kids, so you think the school district or city would help this poor man, but NOPE!
So he has given up and now has a hive about 16 feet by 18 feet in his roof of his garage. They have laid honey comb in between the joists of the roof. It is not going to be a selling point if he wants to sell.
K.
 
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rockcat

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Originally Posted by wingss2fly

The man who lives across from the school I work at has a hive in his roof. He has had 3 professional bee people come and move / kill/ get rid of his bees. He was advised to have his roof taken off and all of the honey comb removed, and new wood installed, because the bees leave faramones (sorry if the spelling is wrong) So other bees hone in on the sent and bring the old hive back to life. Now mind you I am talking about honey bees. And this hive creats problems at my school for the kids, so you think the school district or city would help this poor man, but NOPE!
So he has given up and now has a hive about 16 feet by 18 feet in his roof of his garage. They have laid honey comb in between the joists of the roof. It is not going to be a selling point if he wants to sell.
K.
Wow. That's an excellent reason to get rid of them before they get established.
 

mer636

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eek I hope their not wasps those things are evil and LOVE to bug people
and they won't leave!!
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by Rockcat

I would prefer that method. Yesterday was Sunday, and we had to do something. If our landlord decides to deal with them that way, I would definately prefer it; however, my priority is safety. We are currently taking chances every time we go in and out of our apartment.
Since it is a safety issue he has to correct it, and soon. Tell him that he will be reported if it isn't.

Good luck getting them removed safely and soon.



I'm just glad that there are people advocating better forms of removal.
Too often people just choose the most convenient way to get rid of something in their way.
 
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