In our backyard

So, after work yesterday my fiancee and I were sitting outside at a table where he trims his plants. We noticed that there were a couple of bees there. I said, "thats ok, I'm not really afraid of bees." (me and my big mouth) Then I got up and noticed something hanging above Mouser's grave.




That beehive is swarming with bees. You really can't tell from the picture, but you can't see the hive at all. It is a mound of bees.

Ick - Bees. I hate bee stings and seem to get at least 1 a year! Looks like you have beautiful weather!

Call in the beekeeper! Are they normal bees or the killer African variety, just to make the situation worse.

Wiggies found a hornets nest this winter and helpfully pulled it apart. The hornets had all left for the winter, luckily.

That's a big hive!!

Hopefully the bees decide to stay around there instead of coming to visit you while you are sitting out!

I could not relax anywhere near that!!!!

Originally Posted by pushylady

Call in the beekeeper! Are they normal bees or the killer African variety, just to make the situation worse.

Wiggies found a hornets nest this winter and helpfully pulled it apart. The hornets had all left for the winter, luckily.

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Thank God the hornets were gone!
As far as the African variety - thats exactly what I'm concerned about. My DF wants to wait until they vacate and save the hive. He loves stuff like that. I, on the other hand would really like to get rid of it. I just think its a big risk. If someone should get them angry... that wouldn't be good.

Does anyone know how long bees will stay in a hive?

Are you sure there is even a hive there yet?
Looks like a newly relocated colony swarmed around a queen from the picture.

Oh boy, you need to read my bee story! I posted it a long time ago, I will see if I can find it. We had a queen relocate to our patio when we lived in the apartment. We had a giant ball of thousands and thousands of bees hanging on our 3rd floor balcony. They ended up getting inside the apartment through light fixtures and such. We had beekeepers come in giant white suits to get them out. They ended up setting bee traps.

I found my thread:
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=34060&

On a side note, I just read over it and I mention my boyfriend in it. I found that funny because he's my fiance now

I agree that I wouldn't want the hive sticking around, if they have made one yet. It would be much safer considering you want to be able to use your backyard.

My dad kept honeybees and worked with swarms for many, many years. I can't tell from pic is there a paper wasp nest there??? They usually do not survive the winter here in WI.. When dad got a call about a swarm he would suit up and at night if possible he had a smoker for the bees. Bees are calmer at night. If this is a wasp nest that DH wants to save-you have a couple of options. There is wasp killer stuff that comes in a spray can that you could again at the nest but the height would require a ladder perhaps?? This would be dont at night and he should be well covered!! Or buy Sevin insecticide powder form only and a turkey baster. Suck up some of the powder and squirt on the hive. Any insect will pick this up on their legs and bring it back into the nest. I would where protective clothes again and a face mask and do this at night. This might take a couple of weeks to kill all the bees/wasps.
If the nest is to be saved I would cut the limb off and bag the nest-(this is cruel)suffocating any remaining insects.

I just assumed that there was a nest underneath! I had no idea it could be ALL bees!



Gail, its definately bees, not wasps. Either way, I REALLY do think we need to call a beekeeper. As much as my DH wants to save the hive, I'd rather keep him safe!

Squirtle, I just read your thread

The bees gotta go!

I wouldn't want that beehive around either. Make DF a hive out of paper machÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]. Maybe he won't know the difference.

Originally Posted by Hydroaxe

I wouldn't want that beehive around either.

Make DF a hive out of paper machÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]. Maybe he won't know the difference.

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I might just do that!

I would be getting on the phone to someone pronto. I know that every creature has a right to live..but not take up residence is your backyard!!!. I would call a beekeeper right away!!, maybe they could re-locate them somewhere else

Too bad your not closer I would take them!!!

I don't understand how, but when I got home from work they were ALL GONE! Not a trace of them remained. I don't get it.

DF rode by around 10 AM and could see them from the street. It was a windy day, but I don't see what that would have to do with it since it was even windier (is that a word?) last night.

Well, I'm glad they're gone and hope they aren't hiding somewhere. I sure am puzzled though!

BEES!!! Run for your lives!

Originally Posted by kittylover4ever

BEES!!!

Run for your lives!

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Soooo funny Susie!!!


I think the bees were just looking for somewhere to build their hive,the tree branches weren't safe so they have gone to look for somewhere else.


I would check out your attic!!

Originally Posted by Rockcat

I don't understand how, but when I got home from work they were ALL GONE! Not a trace of them remained. I don't get it.

DF rode by around 10 AM and could see them from the street. It was a windy day, but I don't see what that would have to do with it since it was even windier (is that a word?) last night.

Well, I'm glad they're gone and hope they aren't hiding somewhere. I sure am puzzled though!

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Weird. Maybe the bees saw this thread and got scared away. Anyway, I'm glad they just left. Don't you wish other problems disappeared like that?

Difficult to tell in that pic what the nest looks like. You sure its bees?

I didn't know bees built nests that shape on tree limbs. Are you sure they're not hornets?

If they have no hair, look wasp-like, and have flat faces, you might have hornets. Hornets build basketball sized heart-shaped paper nests.



We had a Bald Faced Hornet nest a couple years back (pic of ours below). Had to get an exterminator. Funny thing, that. The first couple exterminators I called wouldn't touch it after I described the nest. Seems that their employees are too afraid of hornets. Bees fine. Wasps OK. Not hornets. When I Googled Bald Faced Hornets I found out why. Fiercest bug in the Midwest. Don't mess with them. Bald Faced Hornets catch living prey (wasps, etc) mid-air, bring them back to the nest alive, and then devour them.

If that's what you've got, or something similar, then call a professional.

Originally Posted by Bikeman

Difficult to tell in that pic what the nest looks like. You sure its bees?

I didn't know bees built nests that shape on tree limbs. Are you sure they're not hornets?

If they have no hair, look wasp-like, and have flat faces, you might have hornets. Hornets build basketball sized heart-shaped paper nests.

We had a Bald Faced Hornet nest a couple years back (pic of ours below). Had to get an exterminator. Funny thing, that. The first couple exterminators I called wouldn't touch it after I described the nest. Seems that their employees are too afraid of hornets. Bees fine. Wasps OK. Not hornets. When I Googled Bald Faced Hornets I found out why. Fiercest bug in the Midwest. Don't mess with them. Bald Faced Hornets catch living prey (wasps, etc) mid-air, bring them back to the nest alive, and then devour them.

If that's what you've got, or something similar, then call a professional.

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Bikeman, you must have missed my last post, so don't worry. They're already gone. Yes they were definately bees. We did not see any portion of the hive. All we saw was a huge clump of bees. I noticed 2 stray bees before I saw the whole bunch of them hanging from the tree.