Mycrossover
ArboristSite Operative
We have a raised deck that has a bench for a rail. We are using the deck as our container garden. There are 4 half barrels and several large pots growing tomatoes. There are window boxes of herbs and assorted flower pots on the deck and bench. We noticed little "flies" on the plants. The had the same body shape and were no bigger than a house fly but they were metallic gold with thin black stripes. Most of the time they were just on the tomato plants and not doing anything. However if we went near one outter corner of the deck they would come over the rail and swarm us. I got bitten on the nose....ouch. They looked nothing like my idea of a bee so I was confused. Then from the bathroom window I spotted the paper nest under the cap board on rhe outside of the deck rail. They had to go. I had recently destroyed a wasp nest on the front porch and it went easy. I bought a jumbo can of Raid flying insect spray and prepared for battle. Heavy athletic socks, camo pants with the ankles tied, a hoodie, my respirator with fresh organic vapor cartridges and pre filters. I had on my face shield and cloth backed rubber garden gloves. I attacked. I sprayed the nest and put up clouds of spray at the now furious swarm. I reached over the rail and scraped off most of the now soaked nest with a 4" putty knife. Then they found the weakness in my armour. The backs of the gloves were too loose a weave and I had several bees singing away on the back of each hand. I beat a hasty retreat. I applied bags of ice to both hands took a couple of benadril and smeared the swollen hands with 1% hydro cortisone. It was my smarter than me neighbor that informed me that I had just gone a round with killer or africanized bees. Before retiring from the battlefield I replaced the weak spot in my armour with the heavy rubber gauntlets I use at my grease sink. I went back and what was still swarming around could not get to me as I sprayed the rail some more and scraped off some of the nest that I had missed when they drove me off. By this morning they were gone and there were none still looking for the missing nest. The swelling is mostly gone, my hands are sore and a bit itchy. Too late, I found the difinitive article on identifying killer bees. The fact that they pollen hunt as indviduals rather than in groups, that they are smaller than a regular Italian honey bee and they like to build on structures like my deck all matched up completely with the now all too familiar illustrations in the article. The article ended by recommending that you have a pro remove the nest. NOW they tell me. I am sure some of you have had similar experiences and can tell me all the things I did wrong. Bring it on
Sore in NJ
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Sore in NJ
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