how do I get rid of ground bees?

tickle

I dont think they would be bees, but wasps or from the family of wasps. There are sprays you can buy to eliminate them.

True bees dont hang round the ground but only visit gardens for the pollen and then travel back to their hives.

tick

Catsmine

We do need to know if these are ground nesting feral honeybees (often mistakenly referred to as yellowjackets), bumblebees, or digger wasps of various types.

Ground nesting bees can be dangerous to try to take care of yourself, since each nest has at least two exits.

Digger type wasps are normally solitary insects that only cause cosmetic damage with the dirt they dig up.

Which do you have?

Stephaniet

They actually do exist. I had an exterminator out to spray the house and thought it was a termite nest. No way! It was a mud bee nest! Not only that but the yard is overloaded with them. He said not to worry as they do not sting. After a long session with my son on the swings, we learned that he is right, they do not bother you or sting. Amazing.

They also seem to make red cacoons, like little red eggs and when you dig in the soil, you find them there. These are the next generation. I would have thought they were game pieces for the kids if not for the exterminator.

Now we all go in peace. Still leary of the other flying insects though.

Clough

Hi, All!

I know that the original question is somewhat dated now, and I hope that dpjwest returns!

But, I think that it would also help to know the source of where the bees were emerging in the original question. For instance: on a slope or maybe where an old tree had been cut down.

Just as a note too, I had some type of bees living in a hole next to the stairs on my front sidewalk. One time, a number of years ago, I disturbed them when I was weeding. Some of them followed me all the way through from the front to the back of my home, and they did sting me.

Thanks!

Catsmine

Those do sound like yellowjackets, Clough. The easiest way to tell the difference is the hair or lack thereof on the abdomen. If it's a fuzzy bee, call a beekeeper, if it's smooth and shiny, call me(or a closer exterminator).

Edit: I do leave these threads open a long time, there's info everyone can use in a lot of them.

Clough

Hi, Catsmine!

These "things" that stung me did look like bees. They were very small. Or, perhaps there might be different varieties of Yellow Jackets of which I'm not aware?

Thanks!

Catsmine

Possibly. There are several different wasps and hornets referred to as "yellowjackets." The hornets I normally call by that name look just like honeybees except honeybees are fuzzy while these are smooth.