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Discussion Forum

Getting Rid of Bees

user-310309 | Posted in General Discussion on July 9, 2004 01:38am

As the subject heading here announces, I’m interested in getting rid of bees.  They’re in one section of the brick wall that surrouds my porch.  They’ve crawled in through the cracks in the mortar and are in the hollow section of the wall.  I’d hate to put poison in there.  Does anyone know of alternative ways to get rid of bees.

thanks

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  1. User avater
    Sphere | Jul 09, 2004 02:30am | #1

    what KIND of bees..yellow jackets, honey bees, wasps, hornets, mud daubers?  it depends on what ya got.

     

    Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

    Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations. 

    1. User avater
      CapnMac | Jul 09, 2004 07:33pm | #10

      mud daubers

      Daubers are usually only annoying when you disturb their nests.  Ok, that does not cure the "willies" that shape can induce, but, generally they are benign.

      http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/iiin/bmuddaub.html

      Although, for scary-looking, few things beat a cicada wasp.  Legs big enough to wrap around a big bug, all hanging down--not a good combo.  The males defend territory by flying at threats, but have no stinger.

      http://wasp.cicadayear.com/

      Red-faced wasp, now, there's some aggression.  Tough enough to colonize paper wasp nests, too.

      http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=0001018

      http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/margaret/203/id25.htm

      (Kerr County is about 225 miles to my WSW)Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)

      1. User avater
        Sphere | Jul 09, 2004 10:06pm | #11

        Oh yeah, I seen em all..used to be an exterminator..

        got zinged a few times last week from the damn red paper wasps on this roof job..

        I can peacefully co-exist with mud daubers..my house is full of them

        now, ground nesting yellow jackets..REALLY suck. As do bald faced hornets..them hornets will kill ya

        When I was a bug man, we got a call for a bee's nest in a guys barn..partner and I show up, (the guy was at work) and look around..don't see any nest. Then I was looking at the framing, and it was rafters on 4' centers..I said to my partner, "why ya think they insulated that 4' x4' area near the ridge?"

        That's when we realized it was a baldface hornets nest!!!..we called the guy at work and explained it may cost a little more than what we quoted on the first call...he said go for it. Donned our "bee suits" and cranked up the outdoor sprayer..basically a pressurewasher that shoots chems outta a 55 gallon drum in the truck. Loaded up a good mix of sevin ( we had chlordane in there from a termite job too, thats how long ago it was) and began to shoot up at the nest..man it was like a horror movie..we bolted out and hid in the truck till the swarm succumbed enough to reel up the hose..and split. LOL..lucky we didn't die. 

        Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

        Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations. 

  2. random | Jul 09, 2004 02:56am | #2

    Bees set up temparory housing where ever they go. Mobility is an asset to survival and they never go back to destroyed nests. I saw some making a nest in a cicada hole by my bus stop, darn those bees. Be gone then! 

  3. ed2 | Jul 09, 2004 03:56am | #3

    don't have to use poison, any petroleum product will work in very limited application

    use wd-40 or a penetrating oil in an aerosol can with a straw dispenser on end for neat application      i keep a can of the 20' spray cans of wasp killer...    this time of year they inhabit puntures in the frame rails of dumpsters

    wait til night, all in nest, less active    spray entry ways

    only concern is neat application to avoid stains on brick   maybe someone has more organic, water based material to use

  4. maverick | Jul 09, 2004 05:02am | #4

    leave a shop vac running for a couple of hours with the hose propped next to the hole. you'll get 'em all. then spray the bee killer into the hose.

    and BTW, dont open the canister for a couple of days

    1. UncleDunc | Jul 09, 2004 05:26am | #6

      >> and BTW, dont open the canister for a couple of days

      I read about a guy who vacuumed up a bunch of wasps, then got concerned about what would happen when he turned the vac off, so he sprayed a bunch of insecticide up the hose. I don't remember if the explosion killed him or just maimed him, but whichever it was, it was worse than a few wasp stings would have been.

  5. User avater
    901Hal | Jul 09, 2004 05:25am | #5

    If you remotely suspect that they are honey bees, find a beekeeper and they'll be happy to come and try to relocate the queen for you. Bees do a wonderfull thing when they aren't so close to humans. Contact your local extension agent to help you find a beekeeper.

  6. florida | Jul 09, 2004 02:28pm | #7

    Getting rid of the bees is just part one of your problem. Assuming you're referring to honey bees just killing or removing the current ones won't solve your problem as other bees will show up to get the honey that's left. Once they are gone make sure you seal up every crack and crevice or they'll be back.

    1. user-310309 | Jul 09, 2004 05:52pm | #8

      thanks a bunch.

      the use of the power vac minus the insecticide is the first path  i'll take.  yet another use, it seems to me, of the shop vac.

  7. User avater
    CapnMac | Jul 09, 2004 07:15pm | #9

    I'm interested in getting rid of bees.  They're in one section of the brick wall that surrouds my porch

    Honey bees will follow their queen, move the queen, the hive follows.  Hive lives or dies around the queen, too.

    Have to wonder if they are carpenter bees.

    Check locally for bee keepers (the County Ag agent can tell you).

    If there is the least chance that they are africanized, get a pro.  The africanized bees are aggressive (reports of chasing people 1/2 mile), and they do not like high-pitched noises (like vacs).

    Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
  8. JRuss | Jul 09, 2004 10:53pm | #12

    If they are bumble bee's gas in a thumb pump oil can becomes great anti-bee ack ack fire. And of course it will also will shoot down in their hole and destroy them. However, make sure you don't let one of the roving scouts slip through your air cover, or you could end up looking like you went 10 rounds with Joltin Joe.

    Never serious, but always right.

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