Bees....

[begleytree]

Did you really cut a hornet nest in half with a saw?

Top to bottom. No lie. (and it wasn't on purpose, nest was hidden in vines) Everything that moved got stung. I froze with the saw off. nothing.
Have cut brush from the front of others built at ground level. brush falls over revealing the nest. freeze. again, no worries.
If you ever find yourself up close unintentionaly with a nest, try it. If it doesn't work, you can always run! But you'll be fine if you freeze. And don't blow on them when they get on your face, the CO2 is what sets them off.
-Ralph

 

[treeman45246]

On a side note, if anyone knows how to order bee supplies (hives) pass it on to me please. Have finally moves to the country on my own property, and am wanting bees.

http://www.glorybeefoods.com/gbf/Shop_List.cfm?PC=3&PSC=&ProductCat_Name=BeekeepingSupplies

 

[darkstar]

Ralph you come on down here and cut through a pale face hornets nest and ill put 1000 us dollar " we gonna see ralph run" ... dark

 

[begleytree]

Dark, perhaps you missed the 'not on purpose' part. I don't routinely go looking for trouble.......
are the pale faced the same thing as our paperface? I'd hate to take your money, you worked hard for it.
OTOH, How much would we have to pay a few guys to be there to run and draw the bees away? I might not make as much as a guy would think...

btw, pouring rain here today, so not working. I promise to have a groundie take pics, someone may have to post them up for me.

Oh, I'm reminded of a nut I worked with a few years ago, we came up on this BIG hornets nest, about 12 feet off the ground. I give it a wide bearth, this guy take the pruner, walks up to it and cuts the limb, the nest hits the ground, he takes the pruner, pinches the limb, throws it over his shoulder and walks off, hornets everywhere. I swear he was not touched, I froze, BTW. regardless, no one was stung. I'd have never pulled that stunt. He said he'd get good money for the nest. I told him he could have it.

-Ralph

 

[darkstar]

ive never seen a pale face hornet not sting erery one involved ... but hey the money is your for the taking ..im bringing my video camera if you opt in ... last nest i touched ....OUCH ... and nearly had a heart attack from running they chased me for ever ... oh and i ran,,,, especially when one swarmed up my shorts ...luckily i smashed that little bugger .... bad juju dark ps that guy was crazy

 

[Pilsnaman]

I was about 50 ft up once and didn't know a hornet nest was 5 ft away from me, really well hidden in the tree. I had just put my lanyard around the trunk to recrotch when I felt something punch me in the head and I heard the loudest buzzing in my life. You better believe some choice words came out, I got my lanyard off and was zipping down so fast my hand was burned holding my knot. Got 4 stings but only two really hurt, either the other two were from the same hornet, packing less punch after a couple stings, or someone smaller. Once away I looked at the tree and the hole ???? think was alive, don't think I would have been if not tied and ready to go down. I don't mess with things that move fast then me and can kill me.

 

[begleytree]

Well, toady I got the tree down, it was infested with Y Jackets. Owner said that the bee guy didn't show up to get all he could, so the guy threw a gas soaked rag by the hole in the tree.
So, we had the whole nest to deal with today.
Had to break out the secret weapons, bug bombs! threw 3 in the crack, and covered it with a gas soaked towel.
Hive ended up being about the size of a volleyball inside, with 5 layers of larvae/pupae.
Was able to get the queen, a drone, and a few of the sisters all together (dead) posing for a pic, along with most of the nest. Seemed to be a young hive, not more than probably 200 dead sisters on the ground under the nest.
Biggest hassle was the ones that got caught outside when I picked the fight. Carb cleaner dropped them long enough to be stomped.
Happy to report no stings on anyone.
-Ralph

 

[darkstar]

Bee Whisper'er

 

[begleytree]

No, Bee Bomber!!

-Ralph

 

[Jim@turf]

Hi Jim Kendrick, publisher of TREE SERVICES here.

I'd like to use this thread in the upcoming November issue. It's an unusual topic ... but one that I believe will interest our 26,000 readers nationwide.

Any objections?

(By the way ... if you'd like a free subscription to TREE SERVICES, go to www.mrpllc.com

If you have any comments, email me at [email protected]

Thanks!

 

[bottlefed89]

So where's that pic??

 

[BostonBull]

Jim thats a great idea!!

 

[begleytree]

What, me, actually have a post published in the mag? No way!

Pics as soon as the missus downloads them from the camera, she's volunteering extra time while they're short handed at work.
-Ralph

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Bees are unpredictable, according to one noted expert.