For whom the bell tolls. It tolls for bee.

[tourivers83]

As I was home alone today and it was so beautiful I was out fooling around in the yard. I inadvertently made first contact with a Yellow Jackets nest. For anyone unfamiliar with them they are a beautiful, industrious, hard working little bee that builds its nests in the ground or in that old car you sometimes see up on blocks. The classic that is going to be restored…someday.
The bad thing about them is they swarm and attack when angered. And can be dangerous. I, due to a quick surrender of the ground as rapidly as possible was only stung by the insurgents twice. Both times on the butt. But now I have a dilemma on my hands. They are in a somewhat out of the way place so, do I just warn Amanda where they are and let them live in peace?
Or do I go out in the garden tonight and attack with chemical warfare and fire?
A lot of lives are in the balance. What do you think?

:nopity:

[brendan120678]

1. Lock and load...

[kimi]

2. I've never actually considered them bees

When the bee population in our area was being decimated by whatever virus was and possibly still is going around, I saw maybe 4 bees all summer, and they were flopping on the ground. The yellow jackets were thriving, and yes, swarming. I did know where their nest was in the garden, and handled it by avoiding it assiduously. I may be wrong, but they ain't no bees, IMO.

ETA: Nope, just checked on Wiki. They're in the wasp family. Nasty little buggers. Again, IMO.

[Kali]

3. bees ants and wasps are all related (Hymenoptera)

but you are correct yellow jackets are in the wasp category

[kimi]

4. Ah, thanks

I always had thought that they were different from bees, just wasn't sure how. And I do know that there were gazillions around when the poor little honeybees were vanishing, which was sad. Yellow jackets just scare me. We have hornets around here too, and those suckers really bother me, I'll leave the garden and go in when one comes along.

[sarge43]

7. One of the big differences

Wasps can sting mammals repeatedly. Honeybees can't. They can sting only once and when they do, the stinger stays in the animal's body and the bee dies from the rupture.

If you don't have kids or pets and your yard is fenced, leave them alone. If not, no prisoners.

[tourivers83]

5. See you on the beach.

Thank you for the ammo.:toast:

[hedgehog]

6. Now, I wouldn't recommend this, and we do get quite a lot of rain,

but when my husband found such a nest, he waited until night when all the hornets were home. He then poured gasoline down the hole and led a trail back. Then he lit the gasoline and watched the flame shoot out to the nest and incinerate it.

Again, we live out on 60 acres, our yard is practically a swamp and the grass was cut low enough to ensure that there would be no brush fire.