# Ground Bees ?



## 1959JD435 (2 mo ago)

When the season for Ground Bees is finally over, like about this time of year in SW Virginia, will the same swarm use the same opening next spring? Or do they die out over the winter?

Thanks


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Nice to meet you!

Which bees are you referring to? Bumblebees? Or yellow jackets, which are wasps?


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## 1959JD435 (2 mo ago)

Ground Bees I believe are the Yellow Jacket kind.


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## 1959JD435 (2 mo ago)

Here is what they look like and I only read the article quick, but it does give a lot of info:









Be aware of fall’s ground nesting yellowjackets | Anson Record


ANSON — Hidden yellowjacket nests can become a real nuisance in the landscape this time of year, particularly when it comes to mowing or cleaning the garden. Appearance-wise, these wasps are often…




ansonrecord.com





Every year these little devils get me at least once. Although sometimes 3 or 4 times at once. And I am becoming more and more allergic to them.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

1959JD435 said:


> Here is what they look like and I only read the article quick, but it does give a lot of info:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


OUCH

Sucks to hear about the allergies, dunno what to do about that. Maybe see an allergist? 

But, they're wasps, ground hornets; hard to say if they die out or persist another year in Virginia. 

You know how nasty they can be on the attack. When I was about 9 I got tackled into a nest got stung, lips, nose tongue. Yes.

Ouch.

This is the time of year the colonies in the north begin to dissolve and die, and the workers run off and die. But in the south they persist from year to year. Where in VA are you? County/city is enough.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Trying to help. 

Be safe.


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## 1959JD435 (2 mo ago)

I'm in SW Bedford County, Virginia. About 22 miles SE of Roanoke.


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## 1959JD435 (2 mo ago)

DoomsDave said:


> OUCH
> 
> Sucks to hear about the allergies, dunno what to do about that. Maybe see an allergist?


I have Benadryl handy and I recently bought an Epi-Pen.

Sorry to hear of your mishap. I have a fear of getting stung on the tongue or the throat.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Have to think about this.

Back tomorrow, if I don't get back, give a nudge.


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## BayouRunner (Feb 5, 2016)

Good chance they will be there next year. At least that’s the way it is here. I just take about a half cup of gas and throw it over the hole. Don’t light it. There will be a few stragglers that weren’t in the hole for a couple of days. Then you will be done with them


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## roofermann (Nov 18, 2013)

1959JD435 said:


> I'm in SW Bedford County, Virginia. About 22 miles SE of Roanoke.


Hi neighbor! I'm in Roanoke


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## notnew2diy (Sep 1, 2017)

During the warm season, at night, I use spray. I've heard some have good luck w/powdered sevin.
Once I spray, I always plug the hole w/a rock of a similar diameter. Pound the rock down a bit. 

HTH...good luck...Don.


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

Smith mtn lake? 

I was cutting the grass last year, stepped on a soft spot in the lawn. Whoops. Was lucky to only get 2 stings.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

I use gas, too.


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## 1959JD435 (2 mo ago)

Appreciate the replies. Yes, I also use old Gas, old Kerosene or old Diesel Fuel. All I do is to wait till night time, dump about a quart or two down the hole and quickly cover it with a shovel full of dirt. 

But these particular bees are in an area where I can't get to them. I can see them coming and going, but I'm not able to see the opening that they are using. If they die out over the winter time, I won't have to be concerned about it, but if they do survive there, I may have to somehow find it. This swarm was also pretty pesty and sure enough, one recently got me. The little devils, lol.


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## 1959JD435 (2 mo ago)

roofermann said:


> Hi neighbor! I'm in Roanoke





Half-fast eddie said:


> Smith mtn lake?


Right, close to the lake.


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## BayouRunner (Feb 5, 2016)

I can tell you if the nest isn’t in the ground. Like in a tree or in a wall the gas doesn’t work for that. It only works if the nest is below the hole. If they go up as they go in you need a powder type spray. I’ve been stung so many times over the years. Unfortunately I’m a little more experienced in killing them than I’d like to be


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## 1959JD435 (2 mo ago)

Although I can't see the hole as mentioned, I'm pretty confident that is where they are at. I can see as low as 1 Ft from the ground. But good point to check into.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

@1959JD435 it appears that you're in a place where it's iffy as to whether the yellow jacket colonies winter over or not. In a place like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, etc., no question, they're gone by the end of the year.

Hooray! Dance the hagah nagillah . . . . . 

Not so fast. 

Even if your colony has gone kerflooey for the winter, it will still serve you well to try and figure out exactly where it was, if you can, so you can fill in the cavity they occupied or otherwise bar their return. Because they will return, like General McArthur with stingers, attracted to the pheromones the previous colony left behind unless you prevent them from doing so. 

Ouch, @BayouRunner hope you're not allergic! 

You're near a lake, so it might be warm enough for a colony to overwinter. 

One good thing about cold weather is, if the colony is still there, the wasps get sluggish and won't be able to attack like they could in warmer weather. They'll mostly sit and shiver if you tear their roof off. (Unless it's one of those "unseasonably warm" winter days.) They can nest in a wide wide range of cavities, including hollow trees, dog houses (abandoned by the dogs), old cars (oh yeah!), the space between siding and a wall, in between the joists in a wall, especially in a basement, and on and on.


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## notnew2diy (Sep 1, 2017)

DoomsDave said:


> They can nest in a wide wide range of cavities


Had a huge nest within the leaf litter of my arborvitaes near my back door. That one took a bit to spray and dig up. 
FWIW...Don.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

notnew2diy said:


> Had a huge nest within the leaf litter of my arborvitaes near my back door. That one took a bit to spray and dig up.
> FWIW...Don.


A major "ground hornet" case in point. Hope you didn't get stung.


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## notnew2diy (Sep 1, 2017)

DoomsDave said:


> Hope you didn't get stung.


No. Went thru another door more times than not. By the time they got bad, much more aggressive, was in the fall. Nights were much cooler. Sprayed 2 cans over 2 nights. 3rd night was dig out time. There were a lot still alive, deeper reaches of the nest. Leaf litter under the AV is deep. Nest was maybe 6" down before it turned into a "complex", almost basketball in size. Knock wood.... they have not returned.


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