# I'm in so much pain!!! "ground bees"



## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I went out yesterday evening just prior to sunset to move an old tarp out of the processing center and was attacked by what looked like ground bees. At least 12 of those bad boys stung me. 

I went in and swallowed 5 benadryl tablets and then started looking around for something to put on the areas, not really knowing what to look for. 

I coated it with a tea tree oil/water mixture, let it dry and then coated it with some aloe gel. Then I coated it with some Baking Soda, took a couple of BC powders and laid down. It was a sleepless night because those bites turned into light red whelps a couple over 5" long and 3" wide; and they were hard, hot and painful.

This morning I am feeling somewhat better, though I was not able to tend the animals as I usually do. (The goats are out there fussing at me now, the chickens are searching for the corn I usually throw out for them and my dogs know they've been cheated out of their half a raw chicken.) Three of those stings were around the ankle of my right foot and it is so very painful to walk and bend those hard/hot/painful spots. Two were on my right hand; and wouldn't you know I'd have to be right-handed............

I am hoping someone in here can give me ideas as to what I could have done differently that might have worked better. (I cannot afford to go to a doctor and I do think my body can handle this without a physician's Rx.) 

All suggestions are welcomed!


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## BigM (Mar 22, 2008)

Next time, check for stingers and scrape them out with a sideways motion to help keep venom to a minimum. Immediately apply some antiperspirant deodorant, it will help pull some of the poison out. After that, there are a number of pastes you can make, but honey is supposed to be wonderful for bee stings. 

Hope you feel better soon!!


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## K.B. (Sep 7, 2012)

plantain based salves work very well. Here is a recent thread:
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/co...-health/519309-plantain-tinctures-salves.html


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## Nyxchik (Aug 14, 2012)

I agree with plantain- takes out the sting fast and keeps swelling and residual pain to a minimum. Salve is nice but not absolutely needed. As soon as you get stung, grab a plantain leaf out of your yard and chew it a little (I know, gross, but it breaks down the plant material quickly), then plaster it over the sting. Reapply as necessary. Plantain is very common, both the broad leaf and narrow work interchangeably. 
Sorry you are in so much pain- hope you feel better soon!
~nyx


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Thanks all of you for responding so quickly. I have both types of plantain growing in my garden now....running out to get some!

I've been sitting a lot (mostly due to my ankle being so stiff and sore from the stings but also because I placed some cold compresses on the worst spots and that benadryl has made me groggy...took a couple more this morning); so I'm feeling much better now. (I know my animals think I'm bad for neglecting them this morning!  )


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I can almost promise you those "ground bees" were hornets.. or yellow jackets.. 

When they sting you, they don't leave the stinger, and they can sting you multiple times... You're lucky that's all you got.. they can be vicious... 

I personally wouldn't have used the tea tree oil... It's actually a mild toxin... It's pretty tough on the skin, and for tender skin, it can be worse.. 

One of the best things you can do is mix a paste of meat tenderizer... the salt and MSG in it pulls the venom out.. The Aloe is good to keep on it afterwards.. it may help with the itching some...

I've experimented with the tenderizer, and chewed tobacco and by far, a sting that has tenderizer on it is much less worse for me than one with tobacco or one with nothing. I swell up HUGE when I get stung...


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Thanks Semi,
I am now trying to figure out how to get rid of them. I know it would need to be done at night; however, I went out with a flashlight and got stung again as they were attracted to the light. 

I'm pretty sure they are in the ground where I had stepped because my ankle got the worst of it; however, since I pulled that tap over onto the ground, I now have to find a way to remove the tarp so I can get to the hive to destroy it. Any suggestions?


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I'd wait until the middle of the night... not just after dark... I'd go out, grab the corner of the tarp and start running and leave... 

Go back the next day and stand near the area and watch.. You'll see them come and go and be able to figure out where their hole is.. 

Then wait until that night just after dark and take a small jar or can and put some gas in it. Then go pour in on their hole... No need to light it.. it will kill them..


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

I have yellow jackets too and am severely allergic to them. I keep killing off a nest every year, but the next year they have a new one. It's a never ending battle.

If you don't have an Epi-Pen, most ERs recommend:

50-100 mg of Benadryl (generic diphenhydramine hydrochloride)
400-800 mg of Tagamet (generic cimetidine) *OR *150-300 mg of Zantac (generic ranitidine)
400-800 mg of Motrin *OR* Advil (generic ibuprofen)

depending on how bad the reaction is or if you're a very large person. I have to take the largest doses and then head to the nearest ER because I have severe anaphylaxis. If you have problems with your throat swelling shut after stings, liquid medicines are better if you can get them because you can get them down easier.

Remove any jewelry or tight clothing from the affected areas immediately.

If you have stingers, as BigM said, scrape them out sideways with a playing card, credit card or driver's license, don't try to tweeze or pinch them in any way as this releases more venom. 

Apply 1% hydrocortisone cream to the sting areas, but do not rub it in, just dab it on fairly liberally (in the ER, they would give you oral prednisone, and this kind of takes the place of that).

Elevate and ice affected areas for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off for the first 24 hours. 

After 6 hours, gently dab with a cool cloth to remove any remaining hydrocortisone and start using pure aloe vera or aloe vera with lidocaine gel (this stuff is great) to reduce swelling and itching. Solarcaine is the brand I buy. You can reapply it as often as needed.

Only take cool to tepid (lukewarm) showers or baths for the first 48 hours. Very warm or hot water will exacerbate the symptoms.

If blood pressure is low or pulse is slow, place into the Trendelenburg position - this is on a slant with your head lower than your feet - for at least 1 hour. Sit up for a few minutes after each hour if longer time is necessary. Don't sit or stand up suddenly, but slowly.

Sorry for the length, but hope this helps you or someone else next time.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Semi that is great information. I will let my body recover from this before I attempt to take care of that hive and I cannot actually run anymore; but I can certainly hobble quickly. So dragging that tarp out and just letting it sit out in the open for a day or so I think I can do. I just want to make sure my body is healed from this round before trying again. (I've actually did what you suggested in times past where ground bees were discovered. Placing even a tablespoon of gasoline in the hole and covering that hole with a rock killed out a 7-layer hive a few years back...that's right. We found 7 layers of hives in that hole when it was dug up out of curiosity.)

Callie, I sure appreciate that information. I will call around to find out which local store has that "aloe vera with lidocain gel" and get some.

The ice packs have helped a lot and I can walk better now without so much stiffness/pain in my ankle where those bees stung me. I can tell the redness is going down in all spots; so I know the health my Heavenly Father put into my body is doing a good job healing. Even though, I can tell it will take a few more days before my body will be ready to risk the task of removing that hive.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

motdaugrnds said:


> I coated it with a tea tree oil/water mixture, let it dry and then coated it with some aloe gel. Then I coated it with some Baking Soda, took a couple of BC powders and laid down. It was a sleepless night because those bites turned into light red whelps a couple over 5" long and 3" wide; and they were hard, hot and painful.
> !


Ibuprofin is an anti inflammatory and will decrease the swelling. If I were you I would stay on it for the next couple of days.


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## mrs whodunit (Feb 3, 2012)

Lots of Vitamin C would be a great thing to be taking now. Sodium ascorbate is the best form of C.

I would take a gram or 2 every 15 minutes and then as the symptoms subside or Montezuma revenge comes I would drop back to every 3o minutes and then to every hour while awake.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Mrs Whodunit, I intinctively started taking Vit C. I have the Spring Valley brand of 1000 mg "with rose hips" and the primary ingredient is "ascorbic acid". Is this what you're referring to? I've been taking 3 tabs (3,000 mg) morning and evening. I don't know how many mg are in a gram. I'm thinking maybe I should be taking more than what I've been doing; so will start taking 3 tabs 4x day. Good?

My right hand is still swollen as are several other spots and my ankle is still stiff, hot and painful, though I can tell all is much better than it was. Off and on I've felt rather sick to my stomach; but it has not turned into anything more and does not last long. I've been drinking a lot of passion flower tea because that is a good relaxant for me. And awhile ago I soaked an old towel in the comfrey flower tea I had made as a fertilizer for the garden, thinking maybe the ingredients in that would be helpful. I wrapped it around my ankle and left it about an hour. It did make a difference; so will do that again. 

I've been taking both BC and Goodies powders alternatively for this almost constant headache; so that may have contributed to my nausea. I only took 2 benadryl tabs this morning around 8 am, which made 9 tabs in about 12 hours; so I thought I better not take anymore for awhile. The lack of benadryl may be contributing to the swelling still showing up. It's not getting worse, just not completely gone. The "pinkish" tint to this swelling is nearly gone except for my ankle and even that is not as bad as it was.

I was able to tend the animals this morning (just feeding grain and tending the water buckets); but that is all I've done...been resting most of the time. Not sleeping as my head won't turn off, but at least my body is not being expected to do anything.

I'm grateful to everyone for helping.


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## poorboy (Apr 15, 2006)

Don't like poisons, BUT I always keep wasp an hornet killer! Got stung this morning ,by a red wasp right behind my left ear, in an out building and first thing i done was go get a can and kill ever ---- one of 'em before I treated the sting..Sting me I exterminate 'em..:grit:


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## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

Motdaugrnds, you need to budget to get to a doctor and get an EPI pen. I know it is a lot of money, maybe a PA would be a cheaper appt. Folks can go for years getting stung and not react bad or the next week get stung and go into anaphylactic shock. I don't know how far you live from a hospital but sometimes there isn't a whole lot of time. 

The good thing is if you don't leave the pen in the heat or extreme cold they last for awhile. Please consider this advice.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

light rain, I will google that pin and see what it is and how it works. I think you're right in that one never knows when their body is going to say "enough is enough" and that pin could be needed. Thanks for urging me to get it.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

motdaugrnds said:


> Thanks Semi,
> I am now trying to figure out how to get rid of them. I know it would need to be done at night; however, I went out with a flashlight and got stung again as they were attracted to the light.
> 
> I'm pretty sure they are in the ground where I had stepped because my ankle got the worst of it; however, since I pulled that tap over onto the ground, I now have to find a way to remove the tarp so I can get to the hive to destroy it. Any suggestions?


Watch where they are coming in and out (from a distance). Then return later evening while there is still enough light to see and from a distance spray their entry hole real good with any hornet spray - these can be sprayed from a good distance back. Actually, it might be even more effective to spray during the day since they will go in and out and take the poison down inside, but in your case perhaps best not to. If you can, find a friend to help you on this so you do not risk another sting.

We have hornets too, but they do not seem as nasty as those down south. By us, if you get close to a nest, you might get one sting. I think our nests are just much smaller so there are fewer to sting you.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Michael, I went out today and stood outside that processing area to see just how much I could see. My nerves (fear still connected to recent stings) did not let me get near the gate nor open the door. This processing center was built so it would catch a lot of shade; so it is not as easy to see in their when sunshine is gone and there is no electricity as yet. 

Here is a rough draft of it. It is attached both to my barn as well adjacent to the garden and orchard (about 50 ft from my slaughtering pen). Hopefully you can see what I'm dealing with. There is that adjacent door (solid wood) that can be opened from the outside, which is probably what I will use to remove the tarp. [I've been going in and out that small gate (by loft steps) ever since this little PC was constructed without problems.]

I'm actually quite frightened just walking around there now, though I already killed out a small hive found about 10 ft from that PC...before I got stung. My body is taking its time healing and looks like it will be about a full week or more before it could take on another sting or two. My nerves will take a little longer; however, I'm quite use to doing what my nerves say not to...I just cry some and do it anyway ... rather childish I know. Still I do respect what my nerves have had to deal with since I've been on this homestead; so I don't beat myself up about my need to get some relief. (I'm drinking quite a bit of passion flower tea, which helps.)

I spoke with my pharmacist about these stings; and he let me know these bees were yellow jackets, that they do not leave stingers, can sting multiple times and the reaction my body gave is typical and not a bad allergic reaction. He advised me to continue taking Benadryl (4 tabs 4 x daily), Vitamin C (4 times daily), drink lots of my passion flower tea and give my body time to heal completely before attempting to destroy that hive. He told me I could get the EPI pin (a Rx from doctor) but it probably would just be a waste of money because of the way my body handled the bites I received. (Ice packs would be more helpful; and I have a couple of those.)

My body is healing. It is just slow. My ankle still hurts but the pain is significantly less; and all other pinkish spots are nearly invisible. All in all I'm doing much better and am getting anxious to go out there and kill that hive!!!!


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Update....

The pain in my ankle is gone and, though other spots still itch a little, they are not at all troublesome. (I'm continuing the Benadryl and Vit C and Passion Flower for a few more days.)

I went out this morning at sunrise and moved some wood away from the back door (the solid door to the garden) area, then opened that door and stobbed it so it would not close even if a strong wind shows up. That was all my nerves would permit; but that was quite a bit. 

Strange thing has occurred! I don't know it is connected to these stings, but it is quite curious to me. I've had significant pain in my right hip for years, using a mixture of apple cider vinegar (with mother) and raw honey to help me cope with it. When these bees/wasps stung me, I didn't notice the pain in my hip; and I figured that was because the multiple stings I had received were causing me pain that was more pronounced and constant. Yet, here it is about a week after the stings and the pain from these stings is gone....Still my right hip is not hurting. I can get out of bed, sit in a chair and even walk without...yes without...pain in my hip. I don't understand this!!! (I did run out of ACV/raw honey mix and have not prepared anymore ... ??)

Does anyone know if venim from yellow jackets is connected in anyway to the treatment of arthritic pain? (Will be doing some googling about this.)


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

When I was 14, I was out chopping weeds and stepped in a ground bee nest. They swarmed me and I ran for the hose, thinking the water would help calm them down (you know how Yogi Bear always jumped in a pond? ) My dad ran over and was picking bees out of my hair. :stars:v I must have been stung over 50 times. I had stings everywhere! My parents rushed to put me in a colloidal oatmeal bath, then doped me up with benadryl. Mom was on the phone with poison control and they said be very careful from now on when I get stung, because your body can become allergic (life threatening) at any time after something like that happens. I have been stung since, and haven't had any life threatening allergic reactions, but I do swell up pretty good at the sting site.


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## iti_oj (Jul 15, 2014)

mud!! its srange but true. Pulls sthe stinger and toxins out. Soothes and protects. I'm glad your ok. This happened to me once they bit my eyes.


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## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

I have heard of folks that let themselves get stung by honeybees to alleviate arthritis. I guess it has to do with tempering the immune system. But it is not without risk.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I'm thinking all of us who have encountered these bees/jackets have had experiences we would not want to have again. I was stung the first year I was here by 5 of the same bees coming out from under a rock I had mowed around. Then I was stung half a dozen times by "black" wasps when I got too close to their nest, which was on one of the bracer boards holding up a wall in my wood shed. That is all that has occurred to me since 1995; so I'm pretty fortunate! (I do remember this time hearing the sound of a lot of bees and I knew at the time I was disturbing something. I simply did the foolish thing and ignored that sound....*I won't do that again!!! *

I do think mother nature often warns us; and I plan to be a better listener from now on.....


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

Just a thought: It appears these hornets are inside. So could a bug bomb, set off after dark do them in?

And now I too am in pain due to an accident with a hornet as the cause!


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## VA Susan (Mar 2, 2010)

Hope the stings will be a blessing in disguise and cure your arthritic hip! Glad you are feeling better. I got stung last week while raspberry picking . I got off very easy. Only one of the yellow jackets stung me through my sock on my foot near my ankle. I was standing right next to the nest without realizing it. My husband later sprayed the nest with some yellow jacket spray and killed them all. No more problems.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Michael I'm so sorry you got hit by a hornet. I've been told they hurt even more than yellow jackets and wasps. I do so hope you are able to stop that pain and that you're not allergic.

I've actually been thinking of such a bomb as you mention. I have 4 of the "Raid" ones in my garden shed waiting to be used. Yes, the bees are inside with solid wood walls all around. However, there is space between the rafters, space between the purlins under the tin roof and that 4' wide opening next to the wooden outside door. I think I would need to close all those areas off; and though I could close most of them off with cloth from the outside, I don't know how to close off that 4' wide opening inside. I would need to throw some type of tarp over it and just doing so, gets me too close to the bees. 

Susan, I think getting stung while trying to pick your own fruits is the worse! Glad your husband was able to get rid of those for you...you are so fortunate!

I walked out there this morning to make sure there was sufficient room to drag that tarp out without it landing on top of something else. My nerves just won't let me even look inside yet.


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## VA Susan (Mar 2, 2010)

Maybe you could borrow a beekeeper's bee suit so you can spray them.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Susan, I have some "netting" I bought at the fabric shop to cover fruit bushes with. Will that do? Maybe I could loop it over my hat and tye it around my boot tops??


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## Lookin4GoodLife (Oct 14, 2013)

I saw a thing on TV one time where they were doing just that Motdaugrnds. They were holding the bees with tweezers and letting them sting people in the joints of their arthritic fingers and apparently it works wonders. *I* certainly wouldn't recommend it, but apparently there is some worthwhile research there.

As for your current problem, I would ask someone for a favor to get rid of these things. You said you can't run, but you can hobble..... the last thing you need to do is get out there hobbling around, fall and break something! Find a brave kid (with parental consent of course) or somebody who can at least get away from the main swarm if it happens and let them handle it for you. I'd do it for you if I was your neighbor.  I'd get the tarp out of the way first like was suggested and try to see where they are. If they're in your building, I'd throw a bomb in there, close the door and hightail it. Then come back looking to see if there's anything swarming out of the ground. I'd hit the ground dwellers in the middle of the night as suggested, but I don't really like gas, I just spray a whole can of whatever wasp/hornet/bee killer down in there. I've had some that I had to spray a second can in, but none I couldn't get rid of. Gas may be more effective, I don't know. Good luck with it and stay safe!


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Lookin4GoodLife, thanks for the encouragement. I've certainly thought about hiring someone to do it for me; however, I know if they got stung it might be quite costly. My finances are such I cannot risk this.

I have the "bomb" (a Raid product) however, the room where they are has netting (hardware cloth) along the bottom of the walls (for ventilation) and there are openings between the rafters as well as between the purlins. Then there is that 4' door to contend with. This tells me the bomb would probably just be wasted as most of the funes would escape. (I could push cloth betwen the purlins and rafters; and I could push something up against the hardware at the bottom of the two walls. I could also hang a sheet or something over that 4' opening...if I could get close enough to do it, which I doubt.

Thus, I'm pretty stuck with the option of suiting up, moving the tarp, waiting a couple of days and watching as best I can (Having cataracs is not helful here in that dark room.) to see where they go in and out. Then stepping up close enough to pour a little gasoline into that hole, placing a board over it afterward. Just thinking about doing all this is sending my nerves racing.........I know I need to get this doen as that hive will only get larger!


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## doingitmyself (Jul 30, 2013)

Weed burning Dragon torch lit and lay it so it blows across the hole, nothing will make it past the flame garranteed! 

I did pest control in a past life 20 years ago. We always did wasps, and hornets at night, we used seriously potent canned arisols, bee suits, and on occasion even gasoline. True the gasoline was not EPA approved but it worked well. 

For bees we had and honest to gosh bee guy, as it is illegal to kill bees in Illinois, so he would catch em if he could, or put excluders in the holes so they could only go out and not come back in. In some cases we just had to dust the areas with ficam, that killed evrything quickly.


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## Lookin4GoodLife (Oct 14, 2013)

Awe heck, if I take on a hornet's nest for somebody as a favor and I get stung, well that was the risk I took! LOL I hear ya though. And you're right, doesn't sound like a bug bomb would help in the shed without closing up those openings. I think I'd kill the ground nest first, then get a couple of those long range cans of spray and we'd dance.  Those are pretty good at dropping wasps in mid-air if you hit 'em. You might want to wear some goggles to protect your eyes both from the spray and getting stung. I wonder if a county extension agent or someone like that would have any resources that could help out.... are you a "senior"? That might help your cause as well with some type of "county resources". Just some random thoughts.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

doingitmyself, I sure like the idea of blowing fire across that hole, though I'm wondering how long I would need to stay there to do it. With the bees/jackets being down in the ground I suspect that fire would not get the hive, let alone the queen.

Lookin4GoodLife, sure wish you were near me! If I can get the ground nest killed out (doing it in the night), I doubt I'd need to do any dancing with a can of spray. I called my agricultural agent and she said she would check around and see if she can find anyone who could help me with this. I am to call her again in a couple of days to find out. ... Yes, I'm a senior, i.e. 73 yrs of age last March; and I doubt any county resource would aid me in this because I am not below the poverty line...barely above it but they don't take that into account.

I've been waiting for a time when my nerves tell me it is ok to look in and maybe grab the tarp and run as fast as possible. Yet, last night I was going to pop some popcorn just for fun and the wiring in that part of my kitchen went out. (I think I said above, when it rains it pours.) My refrigerator was on that breaker as well as my little chest-top freezer. About all I could do was cry. Now don't laugh! I know how silly that is; and when I stopped long enough to think, I checked the breaker. It was still on; however, I turned it off and then turned it on again and everything started working again.  

I know I need some wiring work done in this trailer as it is a 1972 Commodore, old enough to need some repair. So, one more thing to send my nerves racing. I'm just feeling overwhelmed. So I'm slowing myself down, thinking only of one thing at a time and pretending everything else is fine. (Being a workaholic all my life, this is quite difficult.) However, it is a lesson I need to learn; so will learn it. (Wondering if these bees/jackets are a blessing in disquise and wishing there were an easier way to be taught.)


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## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

2 summers ago I was cutting grass under a fruit trees and my ankle started feeling on fire. Several yellow jackets got me. The next day I went over and watched their coming and going. There was more than 1 entrance/exit hole. Just wanted you to be aware of that possibility. I went out at night and heavily sprayed the holes and threw a thick plastic sheet to hold the fumes and the jackets to a degree inside. It worked.

Last summer I fought with a yellow jacket nest in between the walls of our house. I got up on a ladder and saturated entrance holes and the whole area with wasp and hornet sprays. Ending up having MANY in our house over the summer. I got stung about 12 times. Finally got in touch with an exterminator and he came 2x and applied some kind of white powder and no more jackets and no more stings. I should have done it at the beginning.

These were German yellow jackets and two different sizes. Some the smaller size I remember from childhood and then others about 2 1/2 times bigger.


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## BlackFeather (Jun 17, 2014)

I had yellow jackets in the ground, tried lots of things, what finally worked was pouring 2 pots of boiling water down their hole, It steamed them to death, felt sorry for any worms that might have been in the ground underneath the nest. Of course do it at night.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Light rain, that is a terrible ordeal to have to go thru, especially the ones in the walls of your house. So glad you got those taken care of.

BlackFeather, I've considered pouring hot water in there. It is my nerves that are keeping me from getting close enough to do that. As yet I haven't been able to get the tarp off them.  Am in the process of creating me suit of "netting" to help me with this.


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

What I did one time was take a small bottle filled with kerosene, got in my truck after dark, and drove to where the ground nest was. Once I located it, I put down the window and dumped the kerosene. Quickly rolled up the window and left.

It seemed to work. Where I live, the ground wasps like to make their nests in mole holes.


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## [email protected] (Feb 24, 2005)

Liquid benedryl gets into your system faster than the pills according to a doctor I used to have. So I try to keep it in the house. 

I have heard that plantain is good too. I haven't had a chance to try it yet. Either a crushed leaf taped on or a salve made from it.


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## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

I always have a bottle or two of liquid Benadryl childrens strength for people and for animals. I also know of someone that has an epi kit and keeps Benadryl tabs to use along with the shot.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

....updating....

Got a "treble fishing hook" made. Had to put 3 hooks together using a small cork and some electric tape. Then added a rather large sinker. Tied all this to a fishing line and am now waiting until my nerves (and the weather) tell me to throw the hook in on top of the tarp. Then I'll drag it hoping the hooks catch the tarp and hold it enough to bring it out of the processing center into the garden area away from structures. So far my nerves are stopping this; but they won't win!!!

I figure once I get the tarp out of that little room and wait a few days, maybe I can stand near enough to see where the bees are.............


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

It has been raining off and on for days now with the last 48 hrs a constant drizzle. This gave me courage to go out and see what I could do to remove the tarp from off that bee hive. So I took the trebble hook I made and, with 3 throws, managed to get it to hook onto the tarp. Then I started pulling; and before the tarp mved even an inch, the fishing line I had connected to my trebble hook broke, leaving that hook with the tarp.  

Now what?? I guess I need to get a larger trebble hook and a brand new fishing line that is strong enough to pull the tarp...that won't be until next month. 

I am still contemplating the netting. I figure if I put on thick clothing and solidify the netting around my ankles and wrists, I can probably just walk in (on a rainy day) and take the tarp off, look for the hive and, when they all retire for the night, pour a bit of gasoline into their hole(s) placing a flat fock over it all...........


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## Lookin4GoodLife (Oct 14, 2013)

Sounds like one of my "plans".... LOL Back to the old drawing board!  You don't have any younguns in church or a neighbor or anybody at all who could pull that off there for you? How about the mailman?


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

LOL I did get the "fishing hook" idea from a friend on these forums....I just neglected to test the strength of that fishing line, which is at least 40 yrs old.

I have the head gear created now. I took a piece of "netting" (fabric from store) and fixed it with a draw string to go over my wide-brimmed hat. I wanted thickness so I, also, placed my winter hat under that hat. The netting is long enough to come down around the collar of whatever I'll be wearing.

Now my plans are to wait for another rainy day, then very early in the morning while I can still see, put on my *hopefully bee-proof clothes. *I plan on pushing thick towels into my jeans down around both legs and my butt/stomach areas; then put on my "winter" coat with the hood, place that home-made head gear over that and pull the drawstring tight. Then I will add my knee boots and a couple of pairs of work gloves. ROFL I'm hoping I can still get around with all this on!

Then I'm going to walk in, grab that tarp and make a "bee-line" (You'll understand the pun!) out that door, taking that tarp all the way into the garden area. Then I'll wait a couple of days for another opportunity to look into that processing center and, hopefully, see the bees going to and from.


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## Lookin4GoodLife (Oct 14, 2013)

Please take a picture of this outfit for us! :hysterical:


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

updating..........

Well, this morning as dawn came and I could see inside the processing center enough to walk around. I put on all the above-described gear and walked outside, entered that PC, took hold of that tarp and walked it all the way out of the PC and into an empty part of the garden. Then I walked away about 20 ft and watched the tarp, thinking some bees may have followed it out. 

I did not see any bees and decided it would be wise to spread that tap out a little; so I walked back over (with full gear) and just as I neared the tarp I saw a large greyish spot. (I have cateracts so I do not trust what I see at a distance; so I walked up closer.) It was a bee hive. It looked like a round dobber house but it was not elongated; and upon inspection I saw several bees on it. I then walked back to the barn and got my Raid Wasp & Hornet spray. I sprayed that hive and then straightened out the tarp a bit wondering if there were any more hives. I didn't see anymore. Then as I was exiting the gate (not the one inside my PC), I bent over to fix the latch and got stung on my side right thru my winter coat. This is the only time I got stung.

I brushed off all those clothes so as to, hopefully, not carry bees into my house, put that spray can back in my barn and went into the house. Taking off all that padding did NOT turn up anymore bees. So, I put some aloe vera (with lidocaine) on that one sting, took a couple of benadryl and sat down to stop shaking. So far so good!!!!

Now I'm going to wait a few days and then see if I can find out if there is another hive still inside that processing center. (I'm thinking, there must be one in the ground there because so many had attacked my ankle when I initially stepped in to touch the tarp.) If I find another, I will at least not have to pull a tarp off them. 

Oh, sorry, I actually did attempt to take a picture of my home-made bee suit and was unable to find my camera. I found it later and will see if I can get some pics, at least enough to give you all an idea of how creative I am. ROFL


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## Lookin4GoodLife (Oct 14, 2013)

Well, step 1 complete. Glad you got the tarp out and only got stung once!


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## tab (Aug 20, 2002)

I wish I had seen your post sooner. After much research, I learned that putting red cellophane or some sort of wrapping paper to make a flash light give off red light, keeps yellow jackets from attacking at night. I then have done "battle"! One time, they were in the garage wall, I used brake cleaner as it was pretty toxic fumes, worked great. Another time they were in the ground. I blocked one entrance and put gas down the main one. Waited a bit, carefully shoveled away some earth and used some more. That hive turned out to be huge. I may have used some wasp spray, too. Another time, a huge nest was in the eaves of the shop. Used lots of wasp spray on multiple openings. All of these were done with red light and well after dark. I mostly leave insects alone but these were too close and massive to ignore. I think the red light saved me from big trouble with the nest in the eaves as they were coming out all over. 

How did you make out with finding the nest or was it only in the tarp?


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Tab, I sure wish I had known about putting red paper over my flashlight. It might have kept me from getting stung the second time as they certainly did follow my flashlight. I had to drop it to run.

I suited up and dragged that tarp out, then put some maple syrup in a plastic bottle and some raw ground meat in another plastic bottle (at different times), both bottles with lids off and laying on their sides. Nothing was attracted to either of those bottles. Still I was too cowardly to walk in to test my own body to be sure. However, one of my does got in there. She was walking all around and not one bug was flying around her. This actually gave me the courage to walk into that processing center....into the very area where the tarp (with the bees' hive attached) had been. I was able to clean off the tables in that PC without any trouble at all. Not one flying insect bothered me.  

All this told me the only hive had been that one on the tarp! (I don't mind telling you though, all this has made me extra cautious when I enter an area I do not frequent that often, such as the loft of my barn where all my hay is stored.) I move slowly, listen and watch with a can of Raid in my hands. ROFL ...as though a spray would do me any good should a hive attack again ... So far the only thing I've seen is a "medium" sized black snake living in that loft; and he isn't hurting anything. Seen quite a few wasp nests but nothing that looks like a yellow jacket hive in there...knock on wood!


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