I HATE bees!!

[superjunior]

Done some crazy stuff in my time. Climbed some trees and rigged some gnarly stuff in my younger years that others wouldn't, and I wouldn't today. Had some close calls and had the crap scared out of me more then once. But nothing, and I mean nothing rattles my chains more then running into a bee hive up in a tree. It happens and oh man does it suck! Had a guy working for me a few years back that was trimming a big shag bark. I was walking into the backyard and heard him screaming bloody murder. I look up and he was getting nailed by bald faced hornets. His line was tangled in a limb above him so he was pretty stuck, he got it about 30 times with several in the face. About 12 years back I was rigging down a silver maple. Down to the pole and I was dropping logs at the base of the tree when I noticed a hollow spot I didn't see on the way up. I kicked the area to see how punky it was when it happened..European hornets started pouring out and faster than I could say OH S##t they were on me. I was only buck strapped in about 25 ft up so I tried sliding down like a fire pole, with the buck strap catching bark every few feet of course. Got to the base of the tree and unhooked, went running across the yard, chainsaw bouncing on the ground behind me, still getting stung..
Last week, just ascending a tree, got to the top of the ladder and just flipped my buck strap around the tree and ZAP - got it in the hand. Hornet nest a few feet from the ladder..Set a new speed record for getting down from a ladder..
so how about you guys? Any horror stories resulting from these evil little bastages?

 

[ducaticorse]

Done some crazy stuff in my time. Climbed some trees and rigged some some gnarly stuff in my younger years that others wouldn't, and I wouldn't today. Had some close calls and had the crap scared out of me more then once. But nothing, and I mean nothing rattles my chains more then running into a bee hive up in a tree. It happens and oh man does it suck! Had a guy working for me a few years back that was trimming a big shag bark. I was walking into the backyard and heard him screaming bloody murder. I look up and he was getting nailed by bald faced hornets. His line was tangled in a limb above him so he was pretty stuck, he got it about 30 times with several in the face. About 12 years back I was rigging down a silver maple. Down to the pole and I was dropping logs at the base of the tree when I noticed a hollow spot I didn't see on the way up. I kicked the area to see how punky it was when it happened..European hornets started pouring out and faster than I could say OH S##t they were on me. I was only buck strapped in about 25 ft up so I tried sliding down like a fire pole, with the buck strap catching bark every few feet of course. Got to the base of the tree and unhooked, went running across the yard, chainsaw bouncing on the ground behind me, still getting stung..
Last week, just ascending a tree, got to the top of the ladder and just flipped my buck strap around the tree and ZAP - got it in the hand. Hornet nest a few feet from the ladder..Set a new speed record for getting down from a ladder..
so how about you guys? Any horror stories resulting from these evil little bastages?

My drill sergeant made me dig through a yellow jacket nest in order to build a fighting position once in FT benning Georgia. That' all I have to say about bees.

 

[superjunior]

My drill sergeant made me dig through a yellow jacket nest in order to build a fighting position once in FT benning Georgia. That' all I have to say about bees.

your more man then I.
I would have deserted

 

[ducaticorse]

your more man then I.
I would have deserted

No you wouldn't have. I rather'd take a likin' from the bees than my DS.........

 

[beastmaster]

Have a step-Son, couldn't get em to go to school, wouldn't get up for work, would argue about everything I asked him to do, he didn't seem to have any respect for anyone. He joined the Army. That DS straightened him up. Its all about yes Sir, no Mam. I don,t know what happens at boot camp but they sure got his attention :smile2:

Back to Bee and hornets; I started working up in the mountains again, and love it, but I forgot about yellowjackets. They live in the ground and you don't see them tell your getting stung by a mess of them. I hate it when a job is delaid because of a little insect. Funniest thing I ever seen(after the fact)was a big guy in a bucket hit a bee hive, they were all around him stinging the s_ _ t out of him, he brought the bucket down to about 6ft from the ground and jumped out, but forgot to disconnect his fall arrester and it did its job. He was dangling there a few feet about the ground screaming as bees had their way with him. Poor guy was stung hundred of times. It took a few seconds to rescue him.
Another time we dropped a big pepper tree at a golf course, in the parking lot. We had a big crowd watching from what we thought was a safe distance. After the tree hit the ground a massive pissed off hive went hell bent on revenge. The fire dept. had to come out and spray the tree with water to subdue them. Can't even say how many people got stung. I carry a bee hood in my Kit, and have a smoker at home. Really hate to kill honey bees though. Wasps and hornets not so much.
Thinking about advertiseing bee and hive removal in the future. There not so bad if you understand them. Beastmaster

 

[TimberJack_7]

Back in 07 I was working for Davey Tree. They had sent me and another guy to Lakeview Cemetary over in Cleveland to trim deadood off all the big trees in certain areas. We had been there all week and it was now friday about 2:30 in the afternoon. I decided to bang out one more tree and jumped in the bucket truck to tackle a big Beech tree that was in a state of decline. Well I got into a good cutting position and started cutting out deadwood. As I am cutting, I see something flying towards me, like its slow motion or something. This bald faced hornet manages to get right between the bottom of my helmet and the top of my safety glasses and pops me right between the eyes. The next thing I know, I feel like I am catching on fire or something and now realize that I am right next to a hidden hornet nest and that I am under attack. At this point if I was watching myself I would be dying laughing because I was spazzing out and beating myself like a maniac trying to get them the F off of me. My first thought was to jump from the bucket which was about 25ft up and sounded like a good idea but I was unable to get the safety belt off and continue to beat myself at the same time. I quickly grabbed the control, swung away from the hornets nest and as soon as I was within 10ft of the top of the truck, jumped and landed on top of it, then jumped from there and rolled onto the ground. I looked up and saw the hornets still swarming the bucket. Somehow when I dropped the saw, it fell in the bucket and was still running. I called the other guy I was working with (he was on the other side of the cemetary) and told him what happened. He starts asking me questions like how old are you, what do you weigh, any allergies and I say wtf are you asking me all these questions? "In case you aren't conscious when I get there...." Oh.

In the end I was ok and got hit about 20 something times. Yeah I hate flying stingy thingys too.

tl;dr - I got into a hornets nest and go stung 20 something times.

 

[k5alive]

palms around here are infested with wasps, hornets, honey bees ect... i get em all the time

 

[superjunior]

but forgot to disconnect his fall arrester and it did its job. He was dangling there a few feet about the ground screaming as bees had their way way with him

:msp_lol::msp_lol::msp_lol: don't mean to laugh, but that had to look hysterical! brutal man, good thing he didn't get hurt

 

[AT sawyer]

Had bees getting into my house, went outside and found a bee hole up near the ridge board of my attic. Got a can of Raid hornet killer, duct-taped it to the end of my pole saw, and then duct-taped a golf ball tight across the plunger. Even though I lost a half can of spray getting the pole into position, I was able to direct the remainder into the hole and kill the bees. Zero stings.

Gotta love Raid products, as they work. Once bought a can of "Eliminator" at Wal Mart because they were out of Raid. That product was a complete FAIL.

 

[superjunior]

Back in 07 I was working for Davey Tree. They had sent me and another guy to Lakeview Cemetary over in Cleveland to trim deadood off all the big trees in certain areas.

In 07 Lakeview was looking to cut some corners in grounds maintenance and was taking bids on the tree care. I put a bid on that contract but I guess they stayed with Davey.

 

[thepheniox]

Yeap hate hornets. Found out I was allergic a few years ago when I was standing on a nest. Ended up passing out at the hospital and putting my glasses through my eye brow. I remember hearing everyone around me freaking out and asking why I was there. Then felt someone move my hand off my eyebrow say oh my god look at all the blood then put my hand back on my brow. Maybe one day I'll go over the whole story but yes hate them. Now I am ok when I get stung as I get shot with venom monthly to build up an immunity.

 

[TimberJack_7]

In 07 Lakeview was looking to cut some corners in grounds maintenance and was taking bids on the tree care. I put a bid on that contract but I guess they stayed with Davey.

I would say the work they had done was pretty minimal. All we did that year (IIRC) was trim the big deadwood out of a lot of giant oaks and other large trees along the main drives. It was kind of weird because Davey only sent one guy per bucket truck and chipper. I found it strange that a large tree company would let us work alone.

 

[troythetreeman]

i cut into a beehive once
they were so thick i couldnt see 3 feet
i pulled my saw up to my face, kept the engine wound tight and slowed my movements to fluid and got below the nest and sent it to the ground, never got stung once
i did one time take a job that involved removing a large paper wasp nest
i wanted to keep the nest
i stood on the deck with the pole saw, had my groundie directly below with a large trash bag
i got stung 5 times, groundie managed to close the bag before getting stung
i left it in the bag for a week, then i took it out and stuck it in the bush in the front yard
roommate came home that night drunk and burned it
been stung twice otherwise

 

[superjunior]

i cut into a beehive once
they were so thick i couldnt see 3 feet
i pulled my saw up to my face, kept the engine wound tight and slowed my movements to fluid and got below the nest and sent it to the ground, never got stung once
i did one time take a job that involved removing a large paper wasp nest
i wanted to keep the nest
i stood on the deck with the pole saw, had my groundie directly below with a large trash bag
i got stung 5 times, groundie managed to close the bag before getting stung
i left it in the bag for a week, then i took it out and stuck it in the bush in the front yard
roommate came home that night drunk and burned it
been stung twice otherwise

curious, what did you want to keep the paper wasp nest for?

 

[troythetreeman]

it was huge and they look cool, i would have hung it from the ceiling

 

[sgreanbeans]

My drill sergeant made me dig through a yellow jacket nest in order to build a fighting position once in FT benning Georgia. That' all I have to say about bees.

Bahahaha!

A few weeks ago, was taking out a busted up maple, using the bucket, I rotated to one side, started cutting the hair away from my face with my hand saw, 6" hornets nest is on the little branch I am cutting, bucket truck has one speed, and its really slow when yur getting nailed! I look down, one of the little bastards it hitting me in the arm, so what do I do in my moment of greatness? Hit it, only problem was, I should have put my handsaw down, now I have a nice little scar from my silky, but the bee met his maker!

 

[superjunior]

Bahahaha!

A few weeks ago, was taking out a busted up maple, using the bucket, I rotated to one side, started cutting the hair away from my face with my hand saw, 6" hornets nest is on the little branch I am cutting, bucket truck has one speed, and its really slow when yur getting nailed! I look down, one of the little bastards it hitting me in the arm, so what do I do in my moment of greatness? Hit it, only problem was, I should have put my handsaw down, now I have a nice little scar from my silky, but the bee met his maker!

ouch!

 

[superjunior]

I've got lots of them.
Last summer I was cutting my grass. First sweep mowing the outside perimeter where the lawn meets the woods when the top of my head felt like it caught fire. I jumped off my mower and started running (these days I just know, one sting is all it takes - time to run). Problem is my mower is an older bunton and the saftys on the handles don't work, so I went running one way and the mower went heading into the neighbors yard. Lucky it got pinned against a big pine tree and not his car. So I go and shut the mower down and start looking at the crime scene and sure enough - bald faced hornet nest the size of a basketball about 8 ft up a tree where I was cutting. holding my head in pain I retreet into the house to prepare for battle. I come back out with 2 hoodies on, full carharts(top and bottom) gloves, duct tape around cuffs and neck, dirt bike helmet and goggles, armed with my handy dandy remington 870 loaded with turkey shot. Figure this would give me a little more reach then a can of bee spray Got about 15 yards from it and pump two rounds at em.. No more hornets, nest, just gone. Who needs an exterminator?

 

[AT sawyer]

Bald-faced hornet stinger. 'Nuff said.

 

[ducaticorse]

I've got lots of them.
Last summer I was cutting my grass. First sweep mowing the outside perimeter where the lawn meets the woods when the top of my head felt like it caught fire. I jumped off my mower and started running (these days I just know, one sting is all it takes - time to run). Problem is my mower is an older bunton and the saftys on the handles don't work, so I went running one way and the mower went heading into the neighbors yard. Lucky it got pinned against a big pine tree and not his car. So I go and shut the mower down and start looking at the crime scene and sure enough - bald faced hornet nest the size of a basketball about 8 ft up a tree where I was cutting. holding my head in pain I retreet into the house to prepare for battle. I come back out with 2 hoodies on, full carharts(top and bottom) gloves, duct tape around cuffs and neck, dirt bike helmet and goggles, armed with my handy dandy remington 870 loaded with turkey shot. Figure this would give me a little more reach then a can of bee spray Got about 15 yards from it and pump two rounds at em.. No more hornets, nest, just gone. Who needs an exterminator?

LOL, nice you live in a place that you can fire 12 gauges at bees nests.....