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.

 

[BrokenTrack]

I am a boom mower operator for several towns here, and the tractor lacks an enclosed cab. For some reason hitting a beehive will stir up the bees, but while they fly all around the cab, bees/wasps/yellow jackets seldom fly into the cab area itself.

There have been a few times when I was wary about making the second and third passes in the area because they were still agitated, and I am allergic to bee stings, but as I said, they actually seldom fly into the open cab so I have always made those additional passes.

Now ticks...now that is another story. That is a real threat! You cannot change mower knives without seeing hundreds of them.

 

[groundcover]

Maybe we need to come up when a quick tach bee sprayer or flame thrower ! Should be a banner year for ticks after this winter BrokenTrack . Insect shield clothing is a good first line of defense.

 

[BrokenTrack]

Maybe we need to come up when a quick tach bee sprayer or flame thrower ! Should be a banner year for ticks after this winter BrokenTrack . Insect shield clothing is a good first line of defense.

Well I am a boom mower operator on public roads, so it is not like I do it naked! :laughing:

I do douse myself pretty good with tick repellent however, just to be sure.

 

[xrjohndeere]

Sounds like you hit a big yellow jacket nest. Mean little bastards. About the most aggressive stinging flying insect there is besides the Killer bee. Cab definitely saved your butt. I would find them, gas them, and send them to ****. Be careful.

 

[Cat_Driver]

shaeff if you lived close I'd say come on over and pick it up for free

 

[PJSprog]

Glad you're OK, Cat_Driver.

That is one of the main reasons we have a cab tractor. We have ground hornets in our pasture, and The Wife and I have both been stung out there. When it was time to shop for a new tractor, she insisted we get a cab, and used the ground hornets as her justification. She didn't need to push very hard. I don't encounter them every time I'm out there, but I'm not gonna lie, the few times that I have, I sat in that cab and blew raspberries at them while they were bouncing off the glass.

Well worth the additional cost.

 

[shaeff]

shaeff if you lived close I'd say come on over and pick it up for free

If I lived closer I'd take you up on that! It's a bit of a ride for me, though! 41 hours if I drove straight through!

 

[Smokeydog]

Wife and I came home to find a 40” oak tree as across the driveway. Our driveway is 1/2 mile long winding down thru the woods. Manage to cut a 4x4 path way around. The tree was being protected by huge hornets. We have never seen before in 60+ years. As big as hummingbirds. Called a tree service to cut the tree up, $1500 after someone gets rid of the hornets. Called an exterminator, yeah you don’t want to mess with them, we have a special suit because those have 1/2” stingers and they gang bang you. $250. Ok. Next day no show. Following day exterminator shows up but without a suit. Won’t touch it or help. ?!?! Very frustrating. Promised another day.

Waited to dark. Dressed my wife in my bee suit, me in my fastest shoes. The hornets come from truck about was 35’ up the trunk. From both sides we simultaneously doused with large coffee cans of gasoline. Then I went back a using an electric atv sprayer, sprayed 15 gallons insecticide. Daybreak sprayed another 10 gallons. Knocked a few scouts down.
That afternoon checked and no hornets. Bumped with tractor still no hornets. We cut the tree out of the way.
The nest was scabbed on side of the trunk about 4’ long. Dead hornets 100’s of them were Asia giant hornets, not native. Super Sci-Fi looking hornets. The tree fell with the nest toward the ground really made them mad.
Thankfully able to get work done without getting stung.
A cab tractor wouldn’t be bad idea.

 

[ovrszd]

Dang it Smokey, no pics???