I have a fear of bees/wasps (1 Viewer)

[CrossEyed]

Opened up my storage bin this spring where I keep all of our deck furniture cushions for the winter to find a big ol' yellow jackets nest and the were not happy. Two of then stung me right through my socks. I got out of there in a hurry and returned with an industrial sized can of raid. Bees and wasps don't usually bother me and aren't nearly as aggressive. But yellow jackets are bad news.

Got stung last night by 2 ground wasps while mowing the grass last evening. My thigh and foot look like I have some kind of elephantitis now. Can't even slide my foot into a sandal. Dr. put me on doxycycline and prednisone. Never had a reaction like this and I've been stung a number of times before.Evil, evil creatures.

You've had an interesting few months.

Yes..yes I have. What's interesting is that the first sting caused very little swelling and by the next day didn't bother me at all. Right now I can barely bend my ankle and the only thing not swollen are my toes. Not to mention the 6 inch long red, swollen patch on my thigh.

 

[Ranethe]

Got stung last night by 2 ground wasps while mowing the grass last evening. My thigh and foot look like I have some kind of elephantitis now. Can't even slide my foot into a sandal. Dr. put me on doxycycline and prednisone. Never had a reaction like this and I've been stung a number of times before.Evil, evil creatures.

I'm the biggest wuss in the world when it comes to bees, specifically wasps and yellowjackets, though I don't like any of the bastages.I have a diy little patio consisting of basically just a sand bed with inlaid 8x8 white stones. It is infested with little holes populated by tiny little wasps. First year I've ever seen them. I watched them dig holes all over. Unknown if they sting, will report back when that info becomes available.I once mowed over a nest in the ground at a campground I worked at when I was younger. Didn't know it until I felt about a hundred red hot needles in my ankle (well it felt like a hundred, probably more like 25 until I realized what it was and ran) and saw all the yellowjackets swarming my ankles.I have also seen these particularly evil and demonic looking wasps (at least I think they are wasps) of some sort around my house. They are almost completely black with an iridescent rainbowish sheen to them. Their ### end dangles about 1/2 inch lower than their front end and they make an abnormally loud buzzing sound. I've never seen their nest and don't know what they are, but if their sting is anything like their appearance, I'm keeping far away.

 

[Hugonel]

A bit of bee knowledge might help.

Fear yellow jackets. They are aggressive and don't need much reason to sting. They are also carnivores and you won't often see them on flowers.

If you have these put up traps. We cronically have the yellow jackets and traps seem to only catch maybe 50 bees during the summer but miraculously they appear to control the population. We get our traps at Walmart for about $14.

Most bees (like the humble bumble) are quite docile and you'd have to grab one to get stung. When gardening last year I planted a TON of cat mint and other flowers just to ATTRACT the right type of bees to my garden. I even created two bee houses (one has been used). This hasn't increased the yellow jacket population and the greater number of nice bees and "solitary" (non hive) bees hasn't been a problem at all (no stings at all). You get used to them.

 

[Parrothead]

A bit of bee knowledge might help.

Fear yellow jackets. They are aggressive and don't need much reason to sting. They are also carnivores and you won't often see them on flowers.

If you have these put up traps. We cronically have the yellow jackets and traps seem to only catch maybe 50 bees during the summer but miraculously they appear to control the population. We get our traps at Walmart for about $14.

Most bees (like the humble bumble) are quite docile and you'd have to grab one to get stung. When gardening last year I planted a TON of cat mint and other flowers just to ATTRACT the right type of bees to my garden. I even created two bee houses (one has been used). This hasn't increased the yellow jacket population and the greater number of nice bees and "solitary" (non hive) bees hasn't been a problem at all (no stings at all). You get used to them.

bumblebees are cool.. the other morning I was watering the garden and hit a flower with a jet of water and didn't see the bumblebee.. he flew right at me, slowed down and kind of hovered, gave me a WTF look, and went back to the flower..

 

[Arizona Ron]

They're back, I just ran like a school girl through the parking lot...

No idea why I'm so scared of these things, it's like they can smell fear on me or something.

 

[CrossEyed]

They're back,

I've been too busy killing stink bugs to notice.

 

[Arizona Ron]

They're back,

I've been too busy killing stink bugs to notice.

Tons of stink bugs in VA but I think I'll take them over the bees/wasps if I had to pick.

 

[Maik Jeaunz]

what's the deal when the bees want to come over and inspect me, and seem to want to get all up in my face? if I just stand there, will they sting me? I'm unsure, because now I either start doing a Bruce Lee impression, or run like I just heard an air raid siren.

 

[CrossEyed]

what's the deal when the bees want to come over and inspect me, and seem to want to get all up in my face? if I just stand there, will they sting me? I'm unsure, because now I either start doing a Bruce Lee impression, or run like I just heard an air raid siren.

Wasps, yellow jackets, hornets...yes.Honey bees, bumble bees...no.

If they look fuzzy, you're safe...if they look smooth, sound that siren.

 

[GDogg]

what's the deal when the bees want to come over and inspect me, and seem to want to get all up in my face? if I just stand there, will they sting me? I'm unsure, because now I either start doing a Bruce Lee impression, or run like I just heard an air raid siren.

Wasps, yellow jackets, hornets...yes.Honey bees, bumble bees...no.

If they look fuzzy, you're safe...if they look smooth, sound that siren.

Depends on the wasp. Paper wasps and mud daubers won't mess with people. Even with that knowledge, I take out the nests they build beneath the eaves of my house every weekend.

 

[Dr. Gobbler]

They're back, I just ran like a school girl through the parking lot...No idea why I'm so scared of these things, it's like they can smell fear on me or something.

It's not the fear they smell, it's your gigantic vajayjay.

 

[goldenchild]

what's the deal when the bees want to come over and inspect me, and seem to want to get all up in my face? if I just stand there, will they sting me? I'm unsure, because now I either start doing a Bruce Lee impression, or run like I just heard an air raid siren.

Wasps, yellow jackets, hornets...yes.Honey bees, bumble bees...no.

If they look fuzzy, you're safe...if they look smooth, sound that siren.

Depends on the wasp. Paper wasps and mud daubers won't mess with people. Even with that knowledge, I take out the nests they build beneath the eaves of my house every weekend.

I've been dealing with THESE over the last few years at my house. Is that type of wasp the kind that is aggressive and will attack unprovoked?

 

[Parrothead]

what's the deal when the bees want to come over and inspect me, and seem to want to get all up in my face? if I just stand there, will they sting me? I'm unsure, because now I either start doing a Bruce Lee impression, or run like I just heard an air raid siren.

Wasps, yellow jackets, hornets...yes.Honey bees, bumble bees...no.

If they look fuzzy, you're safe...if they look smooth, sound that siren.

Depends on the wasp. Paper wasps and mud daubers won't mess with people. Even with that knowledge, I take out the nests they build beneath the eaves of my house every weekend.

I've been dealing with THESE over the last few years at my house. Is that type of wasp the kind that is aggressive and will attack unprovoked?

yep.. be afraid

 

[CrossEyed]

what's the deal when the bees want to come over and inspect me, and seem to want to get all up in my face? if I just stand there, will they sting me? I'm unsure, because now I either start doing a Bruce Lee impression, or run like I just heard an air raid siren.

Wasps, yellow jackets, hornets...yes.Honey bees, bumble bees...no.

If they look fuzzy, you're safe...if they look smooth, sound that siren.

Depends on the wasp. Paper wasps and mud daubers won't mess with people. Even with that knowledge, I take out the nests they build beneath the eaves of my house every weekend.

I've been dealing with THESE over the last few years at my house. Is that type of wasp the kind that is aggressive and will attack unprovoked?

Look like yellowjackets to me. Those are the evil little creatures that had me on serious antibiotics last summer.

 

[GDogg]

what's the deal when the bees want to come over and inspect me, and seem to want to get all up in my face? if I just stand there, will they sting me? I'm unsure, because now I either start doing a Bruce Lee impression, or run like I just heard an air raid siren.

Wasps, yellow jackets, hornets...yes.Honey bees, bumble bees...no.

If they look fuzzy, you're safe...if they look smooth, sound that siren.

Depends on the wasp. Paper wasps and mud daubers won't mess with people. Even with that knowledge, I take out the nests they build beneath the eaves of my house every weekend.

I've been dealing with THESE over the last few years at my house. Is that type of wasp the kind that is aggressive and will attack unprovoked?

Look like yellowjackets to me. Those are the evil little creatures that had me on serious antibiotics last summer.

Those look like paper wasps. I base that on the nest since paper wasps and yellow jackets look pretty similar. Paper wasps build exposed nests that are shaped like upside down umbrellas. Yellow jackets build nests that are closed.

 

[jwb]

what's the deal when the bees want to come over and inspect me, and seem to want to get all up in my face? if I just stand there, will they sting me? I'm unsure, because now I either start doing a Bruce Lee impression, or run like I just heard an air raid siren.

Wasps, yellow jackets, hornets...yes.Honey bees, bumble bees...no.

If they look fuzzy, you're safe...if they look smooth, sound that siren.

Depends on the wasp. Paper wasps and mud daubers won't mess with people. Even with that knowledge, I take out the nests they build beneath the eaves of my house every weekend.

I've been dealing with THESE over the last few years at my house. Is that type of wasp the kind that is aggressive and will attack unprovoked?

Yes, those are the bad guys. Destroy on sight.

 

[CrossEyed]

Those look like paper wasps. I base that on the nest since paper wasps and yellow jackets look pretty similar. Paper wasps build exposed nests that are shaped like upside down umbrellas. Yellow jackets build nests that are closed.

Well since his picture looked like he just pulled it from the internet, I assumed that he was just using it for the example of the wasp itself. If you're not sure, I'd suggest you kill them at the first opportunity.Oh, and from Wiki:

Unlike yellowjackets and hornets, which can be very aggressive, polistine paper wasps will generally only attack if they themselves or their nest are threatened. Since their territoriality can lead to attacks on people, and because their stings are quite painful and can produce a potentially fatal anaphylactic reaction in some individuals, nests in human-inhabited areas may present an unacceptable hazard.

 

[GDogg]

Those look like paper wasps. I base that on the nest since paper wasps and yellow jackets look pretty similar. Paper wasps build exposed nests that are shaped like upside down umbrellas. Yellow jackets build nests that are closed.

Well since his picture looked like he just pulled it from the internet, I assumed that he was just using it for the example of the wasp itself. If you're not sure, I'd suggest you kill them at the first opportunity.

I don't disagree, but he was asking if they will attack unprovoked. The ones in his picture will not. Yellow jackets will, though.Like I said above, I get rid of the nests of the paper wasps and mud daubers that try to build nests around my house every weekend. I kill them primarily because the nests don't exactly look nice, guests get freaked out by them, and they will sting you (or, in my case, my toddler daughter) if you mess with it somehow (like accidentally closing your hand on one that you don't know is there).So, yeah, I agree with killing them, but I was more addressing the fear of them attacking unprovoked.

 

[GDogg]

Those look like paper wasps. I base that on the nest since paper wasps and yellow jackets look pretty similar. Paper wasps build exposed nests that are shaped like upside down umbrellas. Yellow jackets build nests that are closed.

Oh, and from Wiki:Unlike yellowjackets and hornets, which can be very aggressive, polistine paper wasps will generally only attack if they themselves or their nest are threatened. Since their territoriality can lead to attacks on people, and because their stings are quite painful and can produce a potentially fatal anaphylactic reaction in some individuals, nests in human-inhabited areas may present an unacceptable hazard.

Agreed. I even pointed that out in my previous post.For the most part, though, the ones I've encountered don't really want to get into it with me if they can escape. I had one fly down from the nest and fly right at me. The others usually fly out from the eave and up over the roof and try to flee. The wasp and hornet spray I use kills about 95% of the wasps instantly. The ones that get away are simply the result of me missing them with the spray.

 

[goldenchild]

what's the deal when the bees want to come over and inspect me, and seem to want to get all up in my face? if I just stand there, will they sting me? I'm unsure, because now I either start doing a Bruce Lee impression, or run like I just heard an air raid siren.

Wasps, yellow jackets, hornets...yes.Honey bees, bumble bees...no.

If they look fuzzy, you're safe...if they look smooth, sound that siren.

Depends on the wasp. Paper wasps and mud daubers won't mess with people. Even with that knowledge, I take out the nests they build beneath the eaves of my house every weekend.

I've been dealing with THESE over the last few years at my house. Is that type of wasp the kind that is aggressive and will attack unprovoked?

Look like yellowjackets to me. Those are the evil little creatures that had me on serious antibiotics last summer.

Those look like paper wasps. I base that on the nest since paper wasps and yellow jackets look pretty similar. Paper wasps build exposed nests that are shaped like upside down umbrellas. Yellow jackets build nests that are closed.

Well whatever they are my first time dealing with them was a nightmare. They built nests all around the eaves of my home and the roof was about 12-15 feet high. The spray I had barely reached them unless I was standing directly underneath it ... I ended up paying someone to come out and take care of them.From that point, I made an effort to inspect my eaves so often that the second I saw a nest developing I took care of it... nasy little buggers.

 

[mr. furley]

by bees do you mean dogs?

 

[Arizona Ron]

by bees do you mean dogs?

I mean 26 year old lawyers

 

[CrossEyed]

Opened up my storage bin this spring where I keep all of our deck furniture cushions for the winter to find a big ol' yellow jackets nest and the were not happy. Two of then stung me right through my socks. I got out of there in a hurry and returned with an industrial sized can of raid. Bees and wasps don't usually bother me and aren't nearly as aggressive. But yellow jackets are bad news.

Got stung last night by 2 ground wasps while mowing the grass last evening. My thigh and foot look like I have some kind of elephantitis now. Can't even slide my foot into a sandal. Dr. put me on doxycycline and prednisone. Never had a reaction like this and I've been stung a number of times before.Evil, evil creatures.

You've had an interesting few months.

Yes..yes I have. What's interesting is that the first sting caused very little swelling and by the next day didn't bother me at all. Right now I can barely bend my ankle and the only thing not swollen are my toes. Not to mention the 6 inch long red, swollen patch on my thigh.

They got me again. I was mowing the lawn Sunday evening and the next thing I knew I got nailed on the right ankle and just above the left elbow. Took off running and was able to swipe them off of me. Just when I thought I was in the clear, BAM, got nailed on the left thumb. Got in the house only to discover that one had hitched a ride on my shirt, but was able to squash him before he got me again.This time I treated the stings right away and went heavy on benadryl, ibuprofen, and loratadine, and they still swelled up pretty bad. Fortunately not so bad that I had to go to the doctor, but the whole back of my left hand is swollen and red, as is my elbow and ankle.Fortunately I was able to find their hole in my yard and I've doused it with about 3 cans of wasp spray.Take THAT you evil monsters.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

This time I treated the stings right away and went heavy on benadryl, ibuprofen, and loratadine, and they still swelled up pretty bad. Fortunately not so bad that I had to go to the doctor, but the whole back of my left hand is swollen and red, as is my elbow and ankle.

If this is already happening, you need to get an epipen so that it doesn't happen fatally in the future. The stuff you're doing only works so long. Talk to your doctor.

 

[cstu]

400,000 wasps found in an abandoned camper.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

i took a hit from 1 of THESE guys a while back while clearing brush. heard the wife yell, HONEY RUN! oh, i ran...just not fast enough. still have the scar. i thought he was going to be able to carry me away.

What the #### planet do you live on?those are the nastiest insects I've ever seen.

Cicada Killers (aka Sand Hornets) are terrifying, but just about the most peaceful creatures on the planet. You pretty much have to try to get stung.