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Urgent!!! How to get rid of Bees...

69K views 17 replies 10 participants last post by  TJLongIslandNY 
#1 ·
Hi Everyone,

Recently, I discovered there are Bees building home inside the concrete steps of the front door. The bees get in through the intersection between the last steps and the floor meeting.

I used concrete to cover up the line and hope whatever inside cannot get out and whatever outside cannot get in...

The bees then are so persistant, they try to find space they can get in arround the steps... and even they cannot get in, looks like they try to build a new home close by the steps on the side of it..

Does anyone who have a good suggestion to handle the bees...? The best way to keep them out of the house... etc.

Thanks.
 
#5 ·
I think the species giving me problems is called "Yellow Jacket" not bees and they choosed to live under the ground in my case... It gives me a lot of headache... However, my nice neighbour last night gives me a hand and I felt very good now. Here is what we did:

- we movee all the big square stones up which seat besides the stairs where the "Yellow Jacket" going in... We suspect the nest may even under these stones. So we prepare two big pot of boiled water and ready to use them when lifted up the stones if we see a nest... It end up the nest is not under the stones... though, the nest is in fact inside the last step of the concrete stairs which is hollow inside , there is a gap between the group and the step which allows the "Yellow Stones" go in and out... I used some "Yellow Jacket" Foam chemcial and feed them from the gap... Unfortunately, I only have very little left because I use most of them up before lifting the stones... anyhow... luckily, the "Yellow Jackets" didn't come out instead, they retreat into the deeper inside the hole... I was a bit secare when I saw them at the edge of the gap... my friend though, is very brave and he suggested me to use concrete to seal the gap and let them inside forever... I am smart enough to purchase a strong bond concrete mix that morning thinking I might need them for this ... My friend then help me to seal up the gap and that is it... This morning I checked, no more Yellow Jackets flying around... Even there is... I am much more comfortable to kill them as they are now all confined in the hole... applying more foarm killer will sure kill them all if I need to...
 
#16 ·
I think the species giving me problems is called "Yellow Jacket" not bees and they choosed to live under the ground in my case... It gives me a lot of headache... However, my nice neighbour last night gives me a hand and I felt very good now. Here is what we did:

- we movee all the big square stones up which seat besides the stairs where the "Yellow Jacket" going in... We suspect the nest may even under these stones. So we prepare two big pot of boiled water and ready to use them when lifted up the stones if we see a nest... It end up the nest is not under the stones... though, the nest is in fact inside the last step of the concrete stairs which is hollow inside , there is a gap between the group and the step which allows the "Yellow Stones" go in and out... I used some "Yellow Jacket" Foam chemcial and feed them from the gap... Unfortunately, I only have very little left because I use most of them up before lifting the stones... anyhow... luckily, the "Yellow Jackets" didn't come out instead, they retreat into the deeper inside the hole... I was a bit secare when I saw them at the edge of the gap... my friend though, is very brave and he suggested me to use concrete to seal the gap and let them inside forever... I am smart enough to purchase a strong bond concrete mix that morning thinking I might need them for this ... My friend then help me to seal up the gap and that is it... This morning I checked, no more Yellow Jackets flying around... Even there is... I am much more comfortable to kill them as they are now all confined in the hole... applying more foarm killer will sure kill them all if I need to...[/QUOTE
What is the name of the 'yellow jacket foam chemical" you use? I'm having a problem with bees swarming around a front step post-part of the aluminum siding. Think there forming a nest and need something that can get into cracks. Thanks
 
#2 ·
2 litre pop bottle, cut the top of it off and flip it over, tape in place , then fill half way with real orange juice, and a handfull of uncooked ground beef. place in a location close but outa site. bees wasps ect are atracted to it crawl down the bottle neck to reach the spooge inside but cannot get though the opening again and drown , i catch 7-8 queens ever spring this way. you could also go to any R.V. store and buy some "dummy" nests , stinging insects are very territorial and if you put a "new" nest by them they will move.
 
#3 ·
ls1chris said:
2 litre pop bottle, cut the top of it off and flip it over, tape in place , then fill half way with real orange juice, and a handfull of uncooked ground beef. place in a location close but outa site. bees wasps ect are atracted to it crawl down the bottle neck to reach the spooge inside but cannot get though the opening again and drown , i catch 7-8 queens ever spring this way. you could also go to any R.V. store and buy some "dummy" nests , stinging insects are very territorial and if you put a "new" nest by them they will move.
If they drown, why put the raw HB meat in it? Bees don't eat meat?
 
#6 ·
Can you believe Yellow Jackets can dig a underground tunnel?

and that is exactly what they did and they survived my cement block... I am so surprised after a few days, this morning, I found a number of yellow jackets flying out from a almost invisible hole on the ground... that means they dig a tunnel to bypass the cement block me and my friend put in four days ago.... what a stubborn/aggessive insects... so I bought two cans of nest injection from Depot... and going to let you guys enjoy it tonight...

I willl drill four or five holes on the cement and inject the perfume for them... then screw the tapcon screws onto it. in case I need to inject more in the future .......
 
#8 ·
couldn't find my miltary pants... well, just have to ware jeans, got my badminton shoes, socks, gloves, hood jacket, flood lights, hammer drills, tapcons, wires, cordless drill and 2 cans of "insect perfume"... originally try to use one can and refund the other... after the finish the 1st one, kind of want to be guarantee, use the second one as well, drill 4,5 holes across, didn't border to put in the tapcons as the holes are so small don't believe the YJ can fly out from there.... anyhow... this morning only see one flying around, seems to be one didn't come home last night.. I put an end to its life... then didn't see no more... I think this should be the end of the story...
 
#9 · (Edited)
The battle is not ended yet

Looks like that way at least, I still found there are left over warrier fly back to the nest once in a while, definitely not as frequent as before... but they are still there... and I found out the specie is in fact not "Yellow Jacket"... but some sort of bees... but I don't know if bees live under ground... but they looks bigger and fatter than "Yellow Jacket"... reasons I know is I finally saw a lonly yellow jacket got caught inside my trap and it looks different from these fat bees... these fat bees are black in color mainly... please don't tell me these species are the more dangerous, poison, agressive, as compare to "Yellow Jacket", and please do not tell me that they do not change their nest every year like "Yellow Jacket" does... I am hopping at least the cold weather in Toronto will finish them in the winter and I won't see any of them next year if I end up lose this battle this year... Does anyone out there know who am I dealing with.... I just worries about my 10, 2 and 1 years old...
 
#10 ·
Sounds like the "fat" bees you might be dealing with are what we in the northeast call"carpenter" bees...aggressive, mostly black fat bees.. known here for drilling a perfectly round hole in wood, (houses, dead trees etc) drlling in deep for a nest..I found the only way to get rid of them is to wait/follow them to their hole (mostly hidden behind other things like downspouts) and spray a heavy dose of foam bee/hornet killer in the hole...might be your problem along with YJ's living in ground nest
 
#11 ·
I think it is bumble bee instead

After searching for "carpenter bee" on the web, I think the bees I am facing is more likely be the bumble bee instead.... well, the web seems saying these are very nice insects...etc. but unfortunately, I couldn't house it in the front porch where everyone need to go pass their nest in the stairs, so I put more cerment on the ground and one more can of perfum last Friday... didn't see anyone can get out no more... but do see a couple of them from outside try to visit their friends and unsuccessful but flying away... this time I will wait a few more days before putting the big rectangular stones back on the floor...
 
#13 ·
Kinda long , but useful!

Wasps and hornets are valuable predators of insects, so we shouldn't indiscriminately wipe them out. If a wasp colony is in an area where you can simply avoid it, do so. Mark the spot and just stay away. If you decide you must eliminate a colony, the first step is to locate the colony and clearly mark it. For ground nests, use red wire flags or strips of white cloth, laid in an arrow pointing to the entrance *** not too close! You can spot ground colonies by watching the workers fly in and out of the entrance. For colonies in a tree, tie flagging on a branch that is somewhat close by (be careful!). Once the colony is marked, you are ready to treat it. Buy a pressurized can of wasp and hornet jet spray. The brand you choose is not important, but be sure to buy the kind that sprays a solid stream of insecticide spray that will reach 10 feet or more, rather than a fine mist that will only go a foot or so. Such products usually are called JET sprays. Treat at night when most all the workers will be in the nest, and inactive. To see, use a flashlight with a red filter over the bulb. Wasps can't see red light well. At least two hours after dark, quietly and carefully approach the colony and thoroughly spray into the entrance. Don't give a quick shot; spray for several seconds to make sure the spray penetrates deep into the nest. After spraying, don't linger nearby. Walk away immediately and stay away for a full day. For ground colonies, carry a shovelful of soil with you to cover the entrance before you walk away. If you follow instructions above (two hours after dark, red light, gentle steps, etc.) you may not need special clothing. For situations where you do want extra protection from wasps, here are tips on clothing to wear: Coveralls can be helpful, especially if they are slick, smooth material that is worn over other thick clothing. Many people choose Tyvek. Boots will give you much more protection than regular shoes *** wasps may crawl over shoes and sting your ankles. You may want to seal the pant cuffs securely over the boots with tape or rubber bands. If you have two-piece coveralls, you may want to securely tape or tuck them together at the waist. You can protect hands with leather or heavy rubber gloves, but sleeves need to be securely sealed to the gloves at the cuffs. A secure beekeeper's hat and veil will keep wasps away from your face and neck, but it must be securely fastened to the clothing around the neck and shoulders. Don't think that protective clothing makes you invincible.http://www.diychatroom.com/images/smilies/no.gif :no: Sprays directed into the burrow will kill the occupant. A better idea is to plan ahead; discourage wasps to nest near your home. A good way to do so is to change the problem area's soil surfaces, so that the little bastards will nest elsewhere. One method is to apply a layer of mulch to the kinds of surfaces that attract them (well drained, sandy soil, with sparse vegetation). Standard bark mulch works well, unless you apply it so thinly that the soil is still visible. Another technique is to thicken the grass or other vegetation emerging from the soil surface with a lot of watering. In addition, fertilizing and planting will do wonders for the undesireablility-for-wasps factor. Also, when wasps are nesting in a lawn, sometimes it helps to raise the mowing height. And do be careful with the lawn mower.** Colonies inside walls of buildings pose a special problem. They can sometimes be eliminated with jet sprays, but spraying often causes many agitated wasps to emerge inside the building and threaten people. Also, treating a large colony may cause a foul smell to linger for many days afterwards as the remaining brood decays. You might prefer to wait until the season is over and then seal things up.To reduce the chances of yellow jackets nesting inside walls of buildings, do a good job of caulking and sealing cracks in the spring. Remember that, as difficult to it is to imagine such a thing, wasps are valuable insects. So don't automatically eliminate them. A rule of thumb is to leave them alone unless you plan to work, or children might play, within a foot or two of the nest. **Did you know that there are approximately 180,000 lawnmower accidents per year -- 75000 requiring an emergency room visit? Additionally, 360 young children are seriously wounded by these machines per year. It's hard to understand how it is that so manyhttp://www.diychatroom.com/images/smilies/censored.gif :censored: people cannot seem to understand the dangers posed by a large, loud chopping device.
 
#17 ·
Re: Kinda long , but useful!

Wasps and hornets are valuable predators of insects, so we shouldn't indiscriminately wipe them out. If a wasp colony is in an area where you can simply avoid it, do so. Mark the spot and just stay away. If you decide you must eliminate a colony, the first step is to locate the colony and clearly mark it. For ground nests, use red wire flags or strips of white cloth, laid in an arrow pointing to the entrance *** not too close! You can spot ground colonies by watching the workers fly in and out of the entrance. For colonies in a tree, tie flagging on a branch that is somewhat close by (be careful!). Once the colony is marked, you are ready to treat it. Buy a pressurized can of wasp and hornet jet spray. The brand you choose is not important, but be sure to buy the kind that sprays a solid stream of insecticide spray that will reach 10 feet or more, rather than a fine mist that will only go a foot or so. Such products usually are called JET sprays. Treat at night when most all the workers will be in the nest, and inactive. To see, use a flashlight with a red filter over the bulb. Wasps can't see red light well. At least two hours after dark, quietly and carefully approach the colony and thoroughly spray into the entrance. Don't give a quick shot; spray for several seconds to make sure the spray penetrates deep into the nest. After spraying, don't linger nearby. Walk away immediately and stay away for a full day. For ground colonies, carry a shovelful of soil with you to cover the entrance before you walk away. If you follow instructions above (two hours after dark, red light, gentle steps, etc.) you may not need special clothing. For situations where you do want extra protection from wasps, here are tips on clothing to wear: Coveralls can be helpful, especially if they are slick, smooth material that is worn over other thick clothing. Many people choose Tyvek. Boots will give you much more protection than regular shoes *** wasps may crawl over shoes and sting your ankles. You may want to seal the pant cuffs securely over the boots with tape or rubber bands. If you have two-piece coveralls, you may want to securely tape or tuck them together at the waist. You can protect hands with leather or heavy rubber gloves, but sleeves need to be securely sealed to the gloves at the cuffs. A secure beekeeper's hat and veil will keep wasps away from your face and neck, but it must be securely fastened to the clothing around the neck and shoulders. Don't think that protective clothing makes you invincible.http://www.diychatroom.com/images/smilies/no.gif :no: Sprays directed into the burrow will kill the occupant. A better idea is to plan ahead; discourage wasps to nest near your home. A good way to do so is to change the problem area's soil surfaces, so that the little bastards will nest elsewhere. One method is to apply a layer of mulch to the kinds of surfaces that attract them (well drained, sandy soil, with sparse vegetation). Standard bark mulch works well, unless you apply it so thinly that the soil is still visible. Another technique is to thicken the grass or other vegetation emerging from the soil surface with a lot of watering. In addition, fertilizing and planting will do wonders for the undesireablility-for-wasps factor. Also, when wasps are nesting in a lawn, sometimes it helps to raise the mowing height. And do be careful with the lawn mower.** Colonies inside walls of buildings pose a special problem. They can sometimes be eliminated with jet sprays, but spraying often causes many agitated wasps to emerge inside the building and threaten people. Also, treating a large colony may cause a foul smell to linger for many days afterwards as the remaining brood decays. You might prefer to wait until the season is over and then seal things up.To reduce the chances of yellow jackets nesting inside walls of buildings, do a good job of caulking and sealing cracks in the spring. Remember that, as difficult to it is to imagine such a thing, wasps are valuable insects. So don't automatically eliminate them. A rule of thumb is to leave them alone unless you plan to work, or children might play, within a foot or two of the nest. **Did you know that there are approximately 180,000 lawnmower accidents per year -- 75000 requiring an emergency room visit? Additionally, 360 young children are seriously wounded by these machines per year. It's hard to understand how it is that so manyhttp://www.diychatroom.com/images/smilies/censored.gif :censored: people cannot seem to understand the dangers posed by a large, loud chopping device.
Very good advice. You sound like you have a lot of knowledge about this. Can you provide any advice for killing bees/yellow jackets swarming around/under the edge of a front porch post (aluminum siding). Their proximity affects everyone coming to my house - especially me!! Thanks
 
#14 ·
My wife agrees with you when I told her I found out the species is Bumble Bee and it is a good and kind insects... she immediately responses what should we do... did we commit some murdering...etc...I have to explain to her we have no other choice as our we need to entry/exit from our front door, and we cannot afford our children step over their nest from time to time...

I found out the jet spray is not that effective in our situation though...as the step capacity inside probably large and I think the bees has a protection nest within the capacity... so when I jet the spray,... didn't know where those chemical is actually going... it might just kill a couple of door guards of the colony... as I use two cans the first time and it didn't do the job... the second time which is until now seems working... the main difference is I used concrete cement to seal all the holes on the ground besides on the vertical side of the wall... poor guys they have to live inside forever until all their reserve food are spent... I think they may be able to dig a little tunnel but when you seal the ground for a few more inches... they cannot dig the long tunnel... it looks this way so far...

well... solution is kind of different on different situation I guess...
 
#15 ·
how did you finally get rid of them?

Just wondering how you finally fix the underground Bumble bee problem.
I have the same problem which I discovered in the spring. I found bumble bees burying themselves into the soil on a section in my front yard, just in front of my porch. I have not tried anything yet, other than pulling out a shrub plant close to where I see them going in. The plant was unhealthy anyway, so I pulled out it out, all the way to the root ball and threw it out. I then tried to fill out the soil and compact them as hard as I can. But of course that did not work. They just started to burrow new holes in the soil. Problem is I was not able to locate the nest, so even if I want to try the spays, I don't know where to begin.

Any good suggestions?
 
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