We have ground bees (they look like bumble bees who live in the ground) next to the foundation of the house. Usually I would just ignore them, but this location is also right where we have to walk to turn on the hose. I seem to have inadvertently awakened them, and I think they're trying to tell me something when they subtly dive-bomb my head! Generally I think bees are our friends, but I'd also like to turn on the hose to water my newly planted lettuce, onions and radishes. Anyone have any advice about how to get rid of them or how to peacefully co-exist with them? Thanks.

LOL! I'm envisioning dietary supplements--dried, encapsulated, ground bees. :^O

I don't have any experience with this. Do you know what kinds of soil conditions they seem to appreciate? Could you create those conditions elsewhere in your garden, and "uncreate" those conditions around your hose? If you do this during the day while they are out feeding and mating, perhaps they would choose to go build new homes.

Are they bumblebees with yellow? Those will only be there one season, are mild mannered, and will leave you alone if you leave them alone. Give them space and they'll be gone by the end of the season, they won't come back, and your patience will be rewarded. They don't have the bad attitude of yellow jackets. Since they are in the ground it does sound like bumblebees.

Or are they black and furry with no yellow? Those are wood eating bees, and they will get into your walls and eat your 2 x 4's, your siding...they are not what you want. And they don't have an annual hive that they abandon, they keep laying eggs in the same place, usually in the walls....unlike most other bees who move from place to place.

They loved the south facing wall of my bathroom. Fill any tiny openings in the siding of your house with steel wool pushed in with a screwdriver to keep them out. Put window screen material over any vents they might be able to get through.

I am not a proponent of killing bees, because most will only stay the season and not come back, and they are necessary for the balance of good things. If you've ever watched a yellow jacket build a paper nest, hour after hour, day after day, week after week, going back and forth in 1/8 inch lines that create the perfect temperature and airflow with serious architecture by just spitting up chewed up wood, you can't help but be respectful and amazed.


But...the first time I came across bees in my field, I waited until they are all in the hive at night, and used a bee bomb. There was a horrible roar, and we ran like crazy. I hate the thought of it, because after I did it once, I swore I would do whatever it takes not to do it again.

You could do a hose holder thingy where you use a short length of hose, and connect it to both ends: one in the faucet, the other at teh holder, and then attach your main hose to the stand....Ugh...I need a pic to explain it...

The only bees that nest in the ground are solitary, you would only see one, not a whole flight. I would suspect what you have are wasps, the yellow jackets. In the spring a queen flies around seeking am optimum nest site and she builds that nest and lays eggs and shortly the workers hatch and start looking for protein to eat and feed the queen, who is busy laying more eggs. These gals are just plain nasty and mean and the best way to control them is to put some carbaryl on a platform they must land on to enter the nest so they drag it down into the nest where it will kill all those in the nest. Carbaryl is not normally something we should use for any reason, but this is a special case.

I had some bees in the ground last year that looked something like honey bees - striped, but not as bright colored as yellow jackets, and they did not bother me at all, even though they kept coming and going from a hole where I was near all the time when gardening. There was nothing underground as far as wood from the house-it was 15 feet away from a concrete foundation - and I didn't try to destroy it, since I was not attacked, and I saw them in my flowers frequently. I haven't seen them yet this season, but it's still early.

Dave

We have those here in the north, ground bees.
If we have some in an area that we frequent and they start attacking and stinging, we wait until night, then cover the exit hole with a bucket and leave it like that for awhile.

We have ground-nesting bumblebees in our yard and while they are solitary, they do tend to nest near each other, and they tend to forage in the same areas, so there are parts of our yard where five or six might be buzzing around each other.

As for the wasps, did you know that they are among the most intelligent and nurturing of insects? I used to hate them until I read a piece by a guy who studied them and discovered that they not only learn very quickly, but they each have a distinct personality. Additionally, most won't attack unless they feel threatened. He wrote with great tenderness about the wasps he grew to know.

Since then I have seen them in a new light, and am always very respectful. They come in our house from time to time, and we always just gently encourage them out. They sense emotion, and remaining calm helps them remain calm too. We've never been stung.

:x

I remember years ago before Chemlawn my parents had these ground bees that were a dark metallic green. Almost like a metal flake paint job on a hot rod. They were beautiful. Don't know what they were and haven't seen em since. Anybody know these critters?

Maybe it's different around the country, but whole hives of bumblebees and yellow jackets live in the ground where I live. There's approx. 200 per hive not far from a water source, a dripping faucet or sloppy mud. There are always a few guard bees at the opening waiting for intruders. Once I know where they are, I don't bother them, and they don't bother me. But if my mower finds them, then I get my butt kicked when 20 of them come out and chase me a good 150 feet, but I'm so used to it I figure it goes with the territory.

Zone 5, here in IL. We had big, fat, 'bubblebees' last year, like you said, right next to the foundation, AND the faucet. I was absolutely fascinated, here are these big, bulbous bees and they would scaaawheeeze themselves into this little hole behind the cement steps. (Sure doesn't work that way when I try to get jeans on).

I just talked to them like "I just wanna turn on the water for my plants..." Honestly, they never chased or bothered any of us. And, I haven't seen them this year (yet) so maybe it is just a 'one year' deal.

Kitt

Thanks for all the insight into the ground bee experience. My gut tells me to leave them alone, and they ARE fascinating....I think I may have disturbed them last weekend and they came out in full force to do what looked like a combination ritualistic dance/dive bombing. Hopefully we can get into a routine of peaceful coexistence. Thanks!