Another reason for CLOSED CABS.

[GeneV]

Sheesh, between earthquakes, mudslides, droughts, fires, cost of living, and now killer bees...another reason not to move to California.

Just kidding. One time I was mowing out back, started feeling little pebbles or something hitting the back of my head. Before I knew it I had a bunch of ground nesting bees swarming on me. I hopped off the tractor and ran. I had something like 1/2 dozen stings on my head and neck. Usually those things are not so aggressive and could be left alone, but in this case, screw that! I came back with a can of gas, poured some in the 2 nests I found and I lit those little effers up.

 

[ericm979]

There are many beekeepers in South America who manage Africanized ("killer bee") hives. They are more productive than regular honey bees. They don't kill many people but they sure are aggressive.

I've been chased by them in central california. My wife and I went to pick up some feral hives a guy was giving away. They suited up to deal with the hives while I hung out. Soon there were a stream of angry bees chasing me away from the truck and about a quarter mile down the road. I waited a long time before I went back. I'd been around bee hives before and the bees ignore you unless you mess with them. Not these bees. Fortunately my wife decided they were too aggressive and we didn't get the hives.

 

[DarkBlack]

If they are yellow jackets, then they are not bees, and are not pollinators

 

[gwstang]

Pygmy wasps. their sting feels like liquid fire has been poured down the arm etc. I learned to watch the last row area when bush hoggin'. They would be swarming the ground.

 

[stuckmotor]

There's a story about a crawler operator near here who ran into a nest of some kind of stinging insects and was so anxious to get away that he backed over his pickup truck.
I'm glad those rascals didn't get you.

 

[Drstrangeglove]

I love digging up a yellow jacket nest. I can just sit there and give them the middle finger.

 

[kthompson]

cat_driver will join with all glad you were safe. I do agree there are more advantages to a cab than just comfort from weather. Had pressure hose pulled off of sprayer pump when making a tight turn and had it not been for cab and it closed would have been soaked. Was nitrogen and not a pesticide. We have ground wasp, was not aware of them till on open station tractor using a box blade. That time saw them before any issue. With mower they paid me back.

As least for our ground wasp learned at sun set could most easy spot them as they swam around the nest. Also used the long distance spray cans of wasp spray and worked well.

 

[saxnbees]

There are many beekeepers in South America who manage Africanized ("killer bee") hives. They are more productive than regular honey bees. They don't kill many people but they sure are aggressive.

I've been chased by them in central california. My wife and I went to pick up some feral hives a guy was giving away. They suited up to deal with the hives while I hung out. Soon there were a stream of angry bees chasing me away from the truck and about a quarter mile down the road. I waited a long time before I went back. I'd been around bee hives before and the bees ignore you unless you mess with them. Not these bees. Fortunately my wife decided they were too aggressive and we didn't get the hives.

They are more productive in hot humid climates like Brazil where they were first imported from Africa. Actually, what we have is a cross between the European honey bee and the African honey bee. The original intent was to produce a hybrid that would be more productive in hot humid climates but without the extreme defensiveness of the African bee. It turns out the defensive traits are dominant and reassert themselves after a generation or two of the cross. The Africanized honey bee has basically displaced/replaced the European honey bee in much of South and Central America as well as the North American south west, Florida, and some other southern states. They do not currently survive the longer colder winters of the North and that is why they are not seen in Washington and other Northern states.

Whether we like it or not, the Africanized honey bee is probably here to stay and they do provide pollination for a number of plants just like the European honey bee. It is important to be cognizant of the the potential threat they pose and give them a wide berth. But if they are near an area frequented by people, that needs to be considered and it may be necessary to relocate or destroy the colony.

 

[Cat_Driver]

Finally got around to taking a picture of their "hive" embedded in the old trencher. One picture shows a bee flying around and as I watched they were bees. Not as angry this time as I creeped up and never disturbed the hive and watched from a distance inside the cab of the tractor.