About a month ago I was weed whacking a path to the forest behind my house. I happened to bother what looked like honey bees. Tons of them hovering around. They didn't look like wasps as they had the fuzzy look. Very small, not bumble bee size. They did not bother me and I went around them.

Today I was riding the new Quad down the path and just in an area where I dump grass clippings the same thing, only a few of the bees chased me and got in my hair but did not sting. I ripped out of there fast so didn't get a great look. Coming back I was able to see hundreds of them hovering around the spot. I tried to get a pic but they are too small and I was not getting close.

Anyhow if they are honey bees I'd leave them bee (see what I did there). But if not I'd just as soon spray them so they aren't a bother as I'm riding.

Yellow Jackets frequently have dens/nests underground. I have found more than a few with a lawnmower.

They usually get the gasoline treatment.

These are definitely not yellow jackets. Small bees that look like honey bees.

I've seen bees like that nest in the grass around here, but not in the hundreds.

We have what we here in Wis. call ground bees. Look similar to honey bees but smaller. No honey just mean bees. The sting at first not too painful. But it becomes more sore as time goes by and last for hours. Also tough to kill.

There are solitary bees that nest in the ground, sometimes grouping their individual burrows into close proximity.

If it looks like a bee, it's a bee.

Maybe sweat bees.

This worked excellent on yellow jackets.
http://www.spectracide.com/pro...foaming-aerosol.aspx

I had some bees that built a nest under a old pallet on the ground up at the lake place. I went to go pick the pallet up because I wanted to burn it. As soon as I put my hand under I got bit damn hard. I pulled my hand out and the bugger was biting me not stinging me with a stinger. He was right between my thumb and forefinger and damn he bit hard right up until I smushed him with my other hand as I was quickly leaving the area.

I just warned the wife and everyone else about the location and to stay away. The weather has been cold enough now that they bees do whatever they do when it gets cold. I pulled the pallet up last week with no resistance offered to find they had built a good sized paper nest under the pallet. I thought the whole time it was a ground nest.

I've seen "digger bees" as we've called them, but usually more common in the spring.

If you have a late blooming flower, they are possible this late though.

If they are fuzzy as you say, leave them be as they are beneficial... but if you see a smooth yellow jacket, kill it with furious vengeance... I got stung last year and it was NOT fun.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
These are definitely not yellow jackets. Small bees that look like honey bees.

yep,

yellow jackets would have not hung around, they would be lighting you up, and chasing,


mean bastages

Honeybees can nest in a cavity in the the ground, in a valve box, a culvert pipe, etc. anyplace the conditions suit them. They don’t like to get too hot. The ground insulates them somewhat from extremes of temperature.

We had a guy killed by Africanized honey bees here a year or two ago, when his dozer hit a hive built in a fissure in the ground.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: arfmel,

Locate the entrance to their nest, a hole in the ground.
Wait until around dark. Sneak up and pour a half cup of gasoline down the hole. problem solved, until you find another one.
Repeat until they are all gone.

Mason bees

I believe you have ground bees... actually a type of wasp.

They are vicious attackers should you threaten their below ground nest. They have a very nasty sting. Because they are wasps, they each can sting you as many times as they care to.

I speak from experience.

I’m not going to hazard a guess without a pic or two.

I have sandy soil. We have what we call sand bees. They dig little holes in the ground. Look like a honey bee but not aggressive and don’t bite. There can be hundreds of these little holes and bees going in and out.

a few weeks ago I read up on 'bumble bees' and was amazed to discover there's "7" species in Oregon, 3 or 4 of which are ground dwellers.

I haven't read much lately on honey bees, although suspect there are some varieties that live in the ground too.

Ground Bees

Seems like these guys might be what you have.

I knew of a hive of honey bees that nested in an old underground cistern that had broken open and was partially exposed to the open.

Maybe it is something like that - they found some hole or structure underground.

Or maybe they aren't honeybees, proper.