Yellow Jackets, Wasps and Bumblebee - OH MY!! HELP!

[colebarnhart]

Will vinegar do anything to wasps? I'm wanting to use something other than RAID in my coop

 

[poultryand bees]

Quote:
Bumble bees can be killed with soapy water. You don't want to go near a ground nest of them without a full bee suit however (says the beekeeper who didn't wear a full suit and was stung several times on her black jeans beneath the white bee jacket) since they can be very agressive and in my experience, their venom is of a different variety than honey bees and much stronger. One cup blue Dawn dishwashing soap mixed with one gallon of water, put it into a pump sprayer and spray directly on the bumble bees to kill them.

Since bumble bees don't make much honey, it is unlikely that a beekeeper would try to rehome them - in my personal opinion. Yes, they are good pollinators for some of the plants that honeybees are unable to pollinate. That said, they tend to make their nest in piles of compost or dead leaves/grass on the ground and will have at least two entrances to their underground home. Colonies tend to be rather small - about 20 - 30 bees. I watched a beekeeper toss a piece of red fabric on the ground just outside the opening to their nest and then spray the bumble bees with soapy water as they attacked the red fabric. That was after I got severly stung though my black jeans and he told me that they are also attracted to the color black.

 

[WillieBoy]

I have honeybees, but its the bumblebee that pollnates my blueberries, tomatoes, raspberries and strawberies.I see a few of my honeybees, working around my place, but most fly high and away to a prefered source of nector or pollen I usaually find one or two inground bumblebee nest eac year on my land.I love bumblebees, never been stung by one.Never seen them nest anywhere but in the ground.I know you need to get in and out of your barn safely, hopefully you won't have to kill them. Your sure they are not carpenter bees right...? They are aggressive/crazy , love barns, any wood building,actually,where they can bore holes in the wood for nest.