Bumble bees? In the ground? Never knew ...

[beppington]

I've posted about the hornets & yellowjackets on my land here in N central FL. Both got me.

I learned during all that that yellowjackets live in the ground.

Well, doing some fencing this weekend, turns out the flyin' things in the pics also live in the ground. What are they? They look to me like what I've always thought of as a classic "bumble bee". I guess that's right based on the Wikipedia article.

Notice the first pic looks like just your typical rural piece of ground, with the beginnings of some fence work. Trust me, though, even though they don't all show in the pics (especially the zoom-out), this area was swarming with about 100 of these guys (camera doesn't catch the flying ones). They were flying low to the ground, make a pretty loud low-note buzzing; Kinda ominous. They neve attacked, & never actually seemed like they would; So we got the fencing done. They first came alive when the post hole digger pounded into the ground a few times. Apparently their home was being jostled.

 

[beenthere]

They are bumble bees, and yes, they often nest in the ground.

 

[valley]

Greetings, When I was digging for my gas line I felt a slight stinging on my bare leg. I had disturbed a bumble bee nest and she was telling me about it. I've read they have a single pot of honey that is filled by just a few of bees. I like these bees hate to bother them.

Richard

 

[brin]

Read the link below from our morning paper....We have never had African Killer Bees in GA. before..This is a first and this man died....over 100 stings clearing brush...be careful and it might pay to carry a can of OFF or some other insect spray just to be safe...I sure will from now on..> ‘Killer' honeybees caused man's death, state ag department says | ajc.com

 

[troutsqueezer]

A can of OFF or any insect spray ain't gonna save you from an Africanized Honey Bee attack, my friend. Nor would it from your standard Italian Honey Bee attack although those attacks are not nearly as likely. Best thing to do is run as fast and as far as you can while looking for shelter. They'll chase you for a good 200 yards before they quit.

 

[20 20]

A can of OFF or any insect spray ain't gonna save you from an Africanized Honey Bee attack, my friend. Nor would it from your standard Italian Honey Bee attack although those attacks are not nearly as likely. Best thing to do is run as fast and as far as you can while looking for shelter. They'll chase you for a good 200 yards before they quit.

I"ve been raising the italian honey bee, they are not near as mean natured as the africans. At most a few may sting or chase, but a person has to really hit a nerve with them. I had one go into my jacket the other day, she was PO'ed, I threw my jacket off, helped her out of it, she buzzed me face to face but finally just went back in the hive. Oh and I never wear any type of protective gear. In all reality domesticated bees do not want to sting, for them it's a death sentence, they have to feel threatened. Now africanized bees on the other hand have a very short fuse, they don't even want anyone/thing near thier hive. Even with their temper folks are still using them for honey. They are here like it or not, so some have figured why not make the best of it. With the north american bees dying off at alarming rates there may be no other choice for a REAL honey supply?????

 

[brin]

I will still carry my can of insect spray on the tractor with me since I would have no place to run....I will go down fighting !

 

[beppington]

I will still carry my can of insect spray on the tractor with me since I would have no place to run....I will go down fighting !

Yeah! At least make 'em cough a little while they're stingin' ya!

 

[Western]

Worse sting I think I've ever had came from a Bumble Bee. I was cutting in a hay field, they where in the ground, looked like a small tornado when they came out.

I have also seen them in hay stacks too... I give them allot of respect!

I watched a show on the Africanized bee the other night, they have been known to chase people over a mile!! talk about an attitude!! almost like an ex-wife finding out you won the lotto

 

[LostInTheWoods]

Wow, beppington. Bees, yellow jackets, snakes... Mother Nature doesn't seem to want to share your place. I'm expecting plagues of locusts soon :laughing:

We had a nest (hive?) on the ground here. Actually, it was on a little-used portion of our back patio (from walk-out basement), which is covered overhead by the deck that runs above. I had stored several cedar logs of various sizes there, along with some left-over treated lumber from the deck construction.

About a month ago, I was stirring through some of these logs, starting a tree fort project for the kids. I heard the loud... "rattle"...is the best I can describe it. Words your mother never wants to hear you say came out, and I jumped back, thinking rattle snake. But no movement. So, I go to (cautiously) poking around a little more. More rattling. "What the ????" Soon a few bees come up out of this pile of wood shavings and tiny branches they had woven together around their honeycombs. Whole thing was maybe a little larger than a football.

About 10 minutes of spraying with the garden hose, and the nest was pretty well broken up, and the bees moved on to another home (except for two our German Shepherd snapped out of the air when they were buzzing him). If you have a water supply, maybe you can "encourage" them to find different real estate.