How do I get rid of bees?

[mantis]

This weekend we noticed that we have bees that are living under our deck. They are flying in and crawling between the slats to get under the decking. The sides of the deck go all the way to the ground, so I can get at it from underneath.

Any recommendations?

[Roy]

This weekend we noticed that we have bees that are living under our deck. They are flying in and crawling between the slats to get under the decking. The sides of the deck go all the way to the ground, so I can get at it from underneath.

Any recommendations?

You just reminded me that I have some hornets back in a hole portion of an old oak tree that I need to get rid of. The reason I say "back" is that about 5 or 6 years ago they were in the same hole and I had to get rid of them. These are not the docile honeybee, but some real nasty ones that will chase you for a few hundred feet and love to sting the heck out of you.

I can't approach them in the daylight. I got stung 7 or 8 times (twice--I'm an idiot that didn't learn the first time) during each episode.

Here's what I do. I put some dirt in a buck and mix in some water to make mud. I look around and try to find some markers to be able to find the hole in the dark. Then an hour or so after it is dark, then I take my flashlight out to where the hornets are "holed up". I use the flash light briefly for few seconds to find the exact location. Don't keep the light on too long or they will think it is daylight and they will come out and chase the sun (your flashlight beam). Spray hornet insecticide in the opening and them plaster the opening shut with mud. The mud will keep them inside and will also keep the fumes inside to kill the hornets. I've tried to just spray them with the hornet spray, but all it seems to do is to kill some of them and they don't all die or they will just move to another location in your yard and you have the same problem but in another location.

Now if you really have honeybees, not the African/European cross version, then they are pretty docile and rather than killing them, perhaps you could kind of smoke them out so they would go somewhere else.

Now to your deck question. What about getting a tarp and use it thusly. Get some wasp/hornet/bee spray and spray a lot of it in the cracks between the boards. Cover your deck with the tarp. The tarp would keep the insecticide fumes from going upwards and would keep it where the bees are. Of course you need to do this at night and also on a calm night.

[rfgpitt]

If you can pinpoint the location by somehow seeing or hearing, would it be possible to remove a board or two at night?

I always sprayed my old deck with insecticide in between some of the slats just in case. Might be harder for you since most (or all) of your deck is covered and the rain won't wash the poison away from your kids.

[mantis]

Good idea with the tarp, Roy. I hadn't thought of that.

The bees moved in because they were in my neighbor's house, but the neighbor got an exterminator to get rid of them. Guess they found a new home under my deck.

rfgpitt - I thought about removing a board, but I'm scared I'll pull one up and get swarmed. Maybe I'll try the tarp idea, and depending on how successful that is I'll have to get brave and pull up some boards. I have a pretty good sense of where they are, so I can loosen the screws, and then go to the opposite end of the deck to pull off the boards (boards run full length of the deck, so I can be ~16' away and still uncover the area of interest). I'm not too concerned about the poison, because right now the bees are keeping us off the deck anyway. I figure once the bees are gone I can pressure wash the deck to get rid of any nasties.

Thanks for the ideas.

[marcat]

Mantis I have more experience with bee's than I would wish on my worst enemy. First they are nesting low to the ground which is a good sign that they are aficanised. Do not mow or make loud machine noises around them......Now the good news. Swarms are easily killed by soapy water but what you have sounds like a hive and hives because of their structure are tougher. I recommend a hose end sprayer after dark with a mix of liquid soap and Sevin. Read the label on Sevin dust (or the liquid) and you will notice all sorts of warnings about it being bad on honey bees. Now I like bees but after being swarmed twice in one year now I am allergic and have to keep an epee pen handy just in case. I may take several applications.
I have tried all sorts of insecticides and no others work. Heck I had a hive in a fifty five gallon drum once and put two bug bombs in it and sealed it up and it didn't even phase them.
Again I recommend hose end sprayer liquid soap and Sevin.
PM me and I will send you my Phone# if you need more detailed info. And remember 95% of the bees in South Texas are Aficanised.

MarCat

[Streetman_Buddy]

I say have them removed!
I live in a small East Texas town and have a small neighborhood market. Every morning the "older" men gather for coffee. One day the topic was killer bees! In short it was stated by all that we would never have to deal with them because it got too cold here!
John was stung 48 times mowing his pasture, not three weeks later!
Note John was healthy, 240 pounds and had a good heart!
You have kids that play in the yard!
Call someone to remove them, I know this will sound wrong but let them take the stings, they are better prepared!
Bud

[mantis]

Well they are honey bees... they are very mellow, and have no interest in people. I hate to kill them, but have no idea how to get them to move out of my yard peacefully.

[Bamboo Outlaw]

How long have they been there? If it is a swarm, they usually move in a day or two on their own. Seven works good, Cutters Bug Free Backyard would do it too. If they were exposed they may be worth harvesting, but taking the deck apart sounds like too much fun. Even with smoke they may be too much for the neighbors if someone tried to harvest them. You have to worry about getting someone stung messing with them.

[marcat]

If you go for them your self do not forget the soap it knocks them down fast. Oh I got a bee suit that I use now . Dan't take a chance now that I might be allergic.
Outlaw the honey you gave me is great allmost out..rats.
Mantis be careful with them the nasty ones act pasive till something triggers them Like lawnmowers. I do think the mower has to be close to them Twenty feet maybe. Just a guess.
MarCat

[Bamboo Outlaw]

Marcat, you should have gotton more. I moved 3 more hives to the house last weekend. We also forgot your grader blade I have for you.
I worked a hive of bees last weekend we collected in Rosenberg last year. We did not smoke the wild hive and they were mean as all get out once disturbed. The chased the truck down Band Road for nearly 2 miles when we pulled out. When I smoked them and worked slow last weekend they were as gentle as the store bought hives.

[Roy]

Tonight was the night I had to do something with my hornets in one of my tree trunks. It was very windy today and the hornets always seem to be a little bit more agitated when it's windy. I had to give them more space today because they were flying all over the place.

About an hour after Mother Nature tucked them into bed, I took my hornet spray and bucket of mud and got to work. I sprayed in the hole in the tree truck and then quickly took my bucket of mud and covered up the opening. That always seems to do the trick. The last one I had to do was about 10 feet off of the ground and that was a little bit tricky climbing a ladder with a bucket of mud and spray at night. If they would have come out on me, then with my bad wheel, I would have been stung to death before I could get down from the ladder.

[ghmerrill]

around here we mostly have "yellowjackets" a small, obnoxious little piece of flying pestilence. We dont have too bad of a problem on our property, but my parents, and all our inlaws places are bad. you cant eat outside without a swarm of the little suckers inviting themselves to the picnick. I was complaining about the skunk population around our house, and was told by a Fish and Wildlife guy that the skunks keep the yellowjackets down by destroying and eating the nests.... I am not sure which is worse!

come home and not be able to stand being in your house becuse of the critters living under it, or getting stung by the bees..... I tried live traping and relocating the skunks, but the only one I caught happend into the trap while I was not home, and the wife and kids were at the grocery store... the kids went running up to the trap thinking I had caught a kitty....

Perhaps you would be interested in a skunk to go with those voles I will send you, hmmmm?

mantis?...... mantis?....... hey, where'd he go?

[Bamboo Outlaw]

Yellow Jackets here too. Look very much like bees but live in the ground. Armadillos eat the nests, only thing they are good for. I ate an armadillo once, he was too hard to peel.

[mantis]

Perhaps you would be interested in a skunk to go with those voles I will send you, hmmmm?

mantis?...... mantis?....... hey, where'd he go?

We already have enough skunks. I can send you an armadillo...

[rfgpitt]

Mostly Yellow Jackets here in the summer, although I did play pinata with a big paper nest once. I almost always use gas and burn them at night. Sometimes the nests can be quite extensive under ground. I had some move into a former critters place and I would not have been able to tell that they had more than one way out had it not been for the smoke. Several times when cutting the grass I've gotten stung high in the teens. If I get bit or pricked by anything now while cutting the grass, I immediately start running like heck just to be safe.

Gene,
Do your in-laws have fruit trees near by? That could be the big draw. If the bees are that bad getting rid of the trees (apple especially) should help or rid you of the problem. I've seen/been at a few places like you described and every time it was an apple tree nearby.