A reminder about bees in trees

11boo

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Messages
2,461
Location
Grand Jct, CO
Last year was fun, except for one incident. Imagine you are at the end of the day, hoping to rake an elk in.

There’s a tree and you have a stick. Check the tree before you rake. The one I chose to rake seemed innocent enough. The bees had gone inside a small crack for the night. Probably a hive in there.
Do I need to say what happened when I started to rake? They were pretty upset, I only got one sting and ran like a little girl, thus ending the evening hunt.
 
OP
11boo

11boo

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Messages
2,461
Location
Grand Jct, CO
Lil bugger got me on the cheek too. I guess better than a mosquito bite on the butt, which I have also gotten.

Have fun this year guys.
 

wytx

WKR
Joined
Feb 2, 2017
Messages
2,317
Location
Wyoming
Yep. Also be aware of hornet nests in the ground.

I was stomping, raking and the hornets came out of the ground.
We were walking in , in the dark one morning and the spouse said hornets run!
He stepped on the nest in the ground.
I flew up the hill, he got stung under his facemask, up his sleeves, and pant legs.
I took one hit.

Every hornet and wasp on the mountain checked us out all day and he got light headed. Now I know he has issues with bee stings. Benadryl in the pack now.
 

eddielasvegas

WKR & Chairman of the Rokslide Welcoming Committee
Classified Approved
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Feb 2, 2020
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3,755
Location
Scottsdale, AZ
Glad you came out of it the wiser and you got lucky IMHO.

At least a couple times a year in this area, a person is stung to death by bees/hornets/wasps/yellow jackets.


Eddie
 

Wrench

WKR
Joined
Aug 23, 2018
Messages
6,370
Location
WA
Yep. Also be aware of hornet nests in the ground.

I was stomping, raking and the hornets came out of the ground.
I stepped on a HUGE nest. I could feel the heat as soon as it happened. I told my partner to run now and then I pulled my foot off and bailed. I didn't get stung....but it was purely a miracle.

The nest must have been at least 15* warmer.
 

mxgsfmdpx

WKR
Joined
Oct 22, 2019
Messages
6,122
Location
Outside
Yep. Also be aware of hornet nests in the ground.

I was stomping, raking and the hornets came out of the ground.
This happened to me last year and I thought I had stepped in a cactus. Felt like 100 needles instantly poking my leg. Ran like hell and they chased me for a good 500 yards.
 

Pacific_Fork

Well Known Rokslider
Joined
May 26, 2019
Messages
1,263
Location
North Idaho
Driving my topless jeep in one year to camp, drove over a large hollowed out log and collapsed it. Instant swarm of the most pissed off bees, leaped out of the jeep and ran a mile with it still running luckily I was fast/smart enough to throw in neutral (5 speed manual). Probably had around 5 sting me. Waited a good hour before I could slowly get in the jeep put in gear and haul ass outta there.

Any kind of vibration or loud noise gets them riled up. One day in the back of the house I was just banging a skillet out to clean it 5-10 ft from another log and they came out stinging me. I didn’t even touch their nest, just made a loud noise.
 
Joined
Apr 8, 2019
Messages
1,992
Already hit 2 yellow jackets with the mower this year... trimming trees at my camp and didn't see a nice nest of Whiteface hornets they got me too...throw in a couple battles with fireants...typical summer.
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2024
Messages
453
Location
Gulf Coast
N. Ga. Trout fishing, looking for a stream on a map.
Stopped to look down a hill and put my foot up on a downed tree.
Saw the stream, looked down at my foot right next to a hole in the log
that had 10 Bazillion little black wasps coming out right next to my foot.
Took off running, dropped the rod, lost my hat, shirt and hiking stick.
Got me 23 times. Was bleeding from both temples, pulled stingers from
inside my lips, both eyes swelled up.
They were still after me after running 5-600 yards to the truck.
10 miles down the road, they were in the truck.
Bad little dudes.
 
Joined
Dec 2, 2017
Messages
1,167
Location
Northeast Pa
2 weeks ago in my area a guy died from multiple bee stings. I got hit with yellow jackets in the ground while weed-whacking in the yard 2 years ago. I got hit 12x....not fun.
 

COJoe

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 22, 2023
Messages
272
Location
Southern Colorado
I saw yellow jackets going into a ground nest along the trail two years. Sure glad I didn't disturb them and end up like some of you did.😠
 
OP
11boo

11boo

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Messages
2,461
Location
Grand Jct, CO
IMG_0606.jpeg
While on the subject, bee sure to check your open can of beer for intruders. That one hurt.
 
Joined
Sep 13, 2016
Messages
2,446
Location
Idaho
I don't miss getting into those rotten bastards working in the woods. When you are running a saw, you don't even hear them coming. Running a skid cat is like being stuck in a cage while they sting the $h^! out of you!
 

LostArra

WKR
Joined
May 9, 2013
Messages
3,677
Location
Oklahoma
I've brush hogged ground hornets/bees twice. First time I got about 6 pops to the head and the same to arms and hands.

Last week I saw them attack the tractor while I mowed so I bailed earlier and only got two hits. Dog got hit the next day. I've got to eliminate this recent nest because it's on the edge of the yard. I finally found a good use for my spotting scope to locate the nest entrance so I can attack it at night. In 100 degree heat it's hard to put on a hooded sweatshirt under a hooded rain jacket with a head net and Carhart gloves.
 
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