Bees just got me

[tallyho8]

I was cutting the grass behind my barn when all of a sudden I noticed a swarm of bees attacking my tractor, then buzzing me. I jumped off my tractor and ran to my house swatting the bees with my hat the whole way.

It's over 1/4 mile to my house from where I was and I didn't think I could still run that far and halfway there I was more worried about having a heart attack than I was about the bees but I kept running.

Amazingly I only got stung about 6 times because most of the bees were attacking my tractor.

I have lots of honey bees around my house and have never been stung by them but these bees must be the Africanized ones because regular honey bees would never chase you so far. I phoned the Louisiana Department of Agriculture to report them but I have to wait for them to phone me back to see if they will come check them out.

I went back in my car and took photos of them through the windows and they were attacking my car the whole time. They are in a hollow tree on the fence line and I believe that I might just burn this tree down.

I will go back after dark to get my tractor but right now I'm going to bed because my back is hurting me so bad from the long run. Fifty years ago I could have outrun those bees.

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

You were lucky that's all the stings you got. I'm allergic they likely would kill me.

Be careful. At least we know all the bees aren't dead!

 

[HCJtractor]

I first thought you disturbed a nest of yellowjackets, which I encounter frequently, until I saw your photos. That is strange. The "Africanized" bees were in the news so much some years ago, but I have not seen too much about them recently. It will interesting to find out what the bee experts say about this swarm. Glad you are o.k. Let us know how this turns out!

 

[Car Doc]

Those may well be africanized (sp) bees you may have gotten of luckier than you realize and I think you got real lucky?!

I may watch too much scary tv who knows. :laughing: Watch out for the poison ivy all over that tree btw.

 

[crash325]

I would leave the tractor until you get rid of the bees. Dark will not stop them.

Improvise a bee suit, gloves, jacket, hat with a brim and some kind of screen cloth.

If you have bee & wasp killer that will shoot a stream, shoot the hole in the tree. If you can get away with burning it, go for it.

Good Luck & be careful.

 

[Mousefield]

Crash325 has some good advice.
Just starting up your tractor, even at night, might be enough to get them going again.
Glad :thumbsup: you didn't have a heat attack, I probably would have had one.

 

[lockhaven]

Africanized honey bees have the same habits as plain old European ones. That look like a swarm, they may be gone in a few hours to their new home. They are slowly spreading into new areas. They also could be just European, my uncle had a hive years ago that would chase you, he fixed it by replacing the queen with a gentler one. The queen is what makes the hive.

 

[jinman]

I have a tree near my house that is full of honeybees. They swarmed once and split the hive. I leave them alone because they are good for the garden and have not been aggressive. Just a couple of weeks ago, I was on my mower and about 20' from the tree when one hit me on the cheek. I don't think it got its stinger in me good because the sting was less painful than a paper wasp sting. After the bee stung me, I looked up at the tree and where an old limb had broken off there were about 30 bees acting agitated. I warned my wife to stay away and I did too for the rest of the day. Since that day, I have mowed all around the tree twice and walked by it probably 10 times and notice the bees seem docile. I'm just not sure what put them on the alert the day the one bee got me.

 

[lockhaven]

European honey bees are not hostile for the most part. when my uncle would take supers off the hive nothing happened. when he had to do work in the broad chamber "bottom of the hive, the big thick box" it really got them in a bad mood they would attack at a much farther distance from the hive. perhaps the limb breaking off disturbed the main chamber. Usually you can walk right up to the hive touching it and not get stung as long as you do not get in the flight path directly in front of the hive, that will get you stung every time.

 

[dave1949]

Dang, that's no fun. Well, take it easy until your heart has gotten over the sprinting and bee venom.

I wouldn't expect euro honey bees to attack your car like that. Be interesting to see what the Dept. of Ag people say if they come.
Dave.