Bees!! Help!

[Mmathis]

A few hours ago we noticed the cats going crazy, trying to catch something on the window. There was a bee that had gotten inside the house. Got rid of it, but then noticed that there was a swarm of bees just outside the window!! [and a few more bees on the inside by this time] I had just been out, maybe 30 minutes to an hour before and there were no bees. We watched, and they were were doing a lot of flying around [was that their "bee dance?"], then they would eventually fly under the fascia board. The house is brick, so the fascia board [I guess that's what it's called] is attached to the brick.

So, @addy1, were they looking for a place to settle in, or have they already done so? Was this a scouting party? This is the first time to see this activity, period, in fact I haven't even seen bees [maybe a 1/2 dozen] this summer.

I certainly hope they aren't planning to move in! I love bees, but....... With our chimney where it is, we are always getting wasps that squeeze through and end up in the den. With 5 very active and curious cats, I am really worried that the cats are going to get hurt! Oh, yes, and I'm worried to have a swarm of bees settling in, as well, but kinda more worried for the cats at this stage.

 

[Marinegrunt]

Be careful that they aren't yellow jackets. They look very similar. How do I know? For the previous week I had swarms of what I thought were bees in my garage and around the trash. I didn't think anything of it until I accidentally found their hole in the ground at the edge of the yard by the woods. There were thousands of them! After doing some research I found out that this is the time of year they are very active reproducing so the workers are out searching for food. I guess they are a tad smaller than bees. They also have a black stripe across their head. They weren't aggressive until I started messing with their hive. I normally let things. live but our daughter might be allergic to them. She once got stung by a wasp and her foot swelled up the size of a football. Well, not quite that big but it was huge. Yellow jackets are a member of the wasp family so I wasn't taking any chances. Being where they are I would guess you have yellow jackets too. If you mess with the hive, and they chase you, they definitely are!

 

[Meyer Jordan]

You may need to call a bee relocation person. Your county extension office should be able to direct you.

 

[Lisak1]

IDing your visitors is important. Can you get a picture?

 

[Mmathis]

@Marinegrunt Thanks for the warning, but I think they were bees.

You may need to call a bee relocation person. Your county extension office should be able to direct you.

We'll have to do that IF they are trying to nest. If this was just a "search party," maybe they won't come back. And FYI [just to be picky...] we have Parishes in LA, .

IDing your visitors is important. Can you get a picture?

If we see them again, I'll sure to my best. They were all moving pretty fast, but they weren't aggressive at all, as I stood there for a while watching them. But they were obviously on a mission.

 

[peter hillman]

Possible yellow jackets, heard stories from up at the lake they're so bad right now folks can't eat outside. Was at my parents last night and asked what the rotting smell was. "It's our yellow jacket trap". They put a decoy away from the house so they could enjoy a bit of outdoors in peace.

 

[Lisak1]

Yellow jackets become a real problem here at this time of year. They are really aggressive in their hunt for food. We have to stop eating outside at all or risk being attacked. Within minutes there will be dozens swarming the table where there were none just seconds earlier. I walk the yard daily checking for nests in the grass. I stepped in one years ago and got stung about 40 or 50 times on the ankle and shin in a flash - I dragged my foot around for a week before I got any feeling back. Don't ever want that experience again! I got stung in the lip earlier this year - my face swelled so fast I was really afraid I was going to need medical help. Thank goodness my daughter was here and could run get me some Benadryl. They are vicious beasts!

But unfortunately people complain about the "bees" - they don't realize these aren't bees. A bee can only sting you once - they die in the process. Wasps and hornets can sting you all day long, so they don't hesitate! Can you tell I hate the little buggers??

 

[Lisak1]

@peter hillman - they aren't messing around! What's in the decoy?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

And FYI [just to be picky...] we have Parishes in LA, .

Oops!

Sounds like a queen has moved and the workers are building her a new nest.
Google "bee relocation (your city)". There is surely someone in your area.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Yellow jackets become a real problem here at this time of year. They are really aggressive in their hunt for food. We have to stop eating outside at all or risk being attacked. Within minutes there will be dozens swarming the table where there were none just seconds earlier. I walk the yard daily checking for nests in the grass. I stepped in one years ago and got stung about 40 or 50 times on the ankle and shin in a flash - I dragged my foot around for a week before I got any feeling back. Don't ever want that experience again! I got stung in the lip earlier this year - my face swelled so fast I was really afraid I was going to need medical help. Thank goodness my daughter was here and could run get me some Benadryl. They are vicious beasts!

But unfortunately people complain about the "bees" - they don't realize these aren't bees. A bee can only sting you once - they die in the process. Wasps and hornets can sting you all day long, so they don't hesitate! Can you tell I hate the little buggers??

And Yellow Jackets only nest underground.

 

[Mmathis]

Oops!

Sounds like a queen has moved and the workers are building her a new nest.
Google "bee relocation (your city)". There is surely someone in your area.

OH NO!!!!! I hope not!

 

[Meyer Jordan]

The exact same thing happened at my last house. Sometime just before I moved bees found a way into the attic crawlspace and moved their nest indoors. I was never aware of it. The new owners quickly discovered this and had to call a Bee Relocator. The hive was safely moved.

 

[addy1]

Watch the hole for a while, if they have moved in you will see a lot of activity. If it was a scouting group, put some caulk, stuffing, anything in the entrance hole they were scouting out. They will look for a better place to live.

The scouts will check out the area for a few days to a week before they actually move in.

 

[Mmathis]

Watch the hole for a while, if they have moved in you will see a lot of activity. If it was a scouting group, put some caulk, stuffing, anything in the entrance hole they were scouting out. They will look for a better place to live.

The scouts will check out the area for a few days to a week before they actually move in.

Thanks! Will keep an eye on things and might stuff the hole this evening. Within 30 minutes, they had disappeared.

 

[addy1]

Thanks! Will keep an eye on things and might stuff the hole this evening. Within 30 minutes, they had disappeared.

Scouts, make it so they won't be happy with the new home. They may have decided they don't like it already.

If a swarm is moving in you will see a cloud of bees, 1000's