We were setting up camp today on the Oregon Coast and a lot of Bumble Bees were every where swarming around trying to get in our TT. 10 to 15 got in where the elect cord goes inside the TT. Do they swarm and make hive or whatever? Will they sting like a Bee? I have been around well over 70 years and never had a problem with them before. Any one have dealings with them?
Bumble Bees are just like Honey Bees....... feed on nectar and gather pollen to feed their young.
They do 'nest' but in much smaller numbers due to their size.
They also can sting..repeatedly because unlike their cousin the Honey Bee, their stingers are not barbed.
Usually not aggressive but will go on defense.
Best to deal with them in the cool of the evening/early morning as they have to warm up considerable before they can fly......which we all know they aren't suppose to be able to fly
I'm fascinated by them......big, fuzzy almost furry.
A gentle sweep of the hand usually sends them on their way.....GENTLE not swat!
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are they bumble bees or carpenter(wood or borer) bees? Honey is fuzzy butts and carpenters are shiney.
If they are honey they won't do damage and will probably move on. Though they are easier to discourage moving in.
Carpenters I don't think will find much in a TT to make it worth while of building a nest. Carpenters live in colonies of 2-15 though usually only 1 male and a bunch of females who never leave the hole, though if you look in the hole you may see one hanging out at the entrance(females can sting and guard the hole). WD-40 is an easy fix then fill hole later with filler. If you hear a sound like a roden gnawing at like 11 at night this is probably the source, if you see sawdust under a hole it is carpenter bees(hing that isn't sawdust its poop).
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TGarrett wrote: are they bumble bees or carpenter(wood or borer) bees? Honey is fuzzy butts and carpenters are shiney.
If they are honey they won't do damage and will probably move on. Though they are easier to discourage moving in.
Carpenters I don't think will find much in a TT to make it worth while of building a nest. Carpenters live in colonies of 2-15 though usually only 1 male and a bunch of females who never leave the hole, though if you look in the hole you may see one hanging out at the entrance(females can sting and guard the hole). WD-40 is an easy fix then fill hole later with filler. If you hear a sound like a roden gnawing at like 11 at night this is probably the source, if you see sawdust under a hole it is carpenter bees(hing that isn't sawdust its poop).
Actually, carpenter bees don't eat the wood, they just chew it to get it out of the way to form their nesting chamber. So, no, it's not "poop", it's frass. Wood particles chewed and pushed out of the hole. Carpenter bees are very destructive if left go. What's worse is the woodpeckers that come after them after they've made their nest. The male carpenter bee is very aggressive to movement and color during the mating season. he's the one you see hoving about, guarding his territory. They do not sting and can be identified by the white dot on their head. It's easy to see once you get used to looking for it. You can catch them in your hand without fear of harm. The female is in the nest laying next years crop in her T-shaped hole. Not sure which bees specifically you're talking about.
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TGarrett wrote: are they bumble bees or carpenter(wood or borer) bees? Honey is fuzzy butts and carpenters are shiney.
If they are honey they won't do damage and will probably move on. Though they are easier to discourage moving in.
Carpenters I don't think will find much in a TT to make it worth while of building a nest. Carpenters live in colonies of 2-15 though usually only 1 male and a bunch of females who never leave the hole, though if you look in the hole you may see one hanging out at the entrance(females can sting and guard the hole). WD-40 is an easy fix then fill hole later with filler. If you hear a sound like a roden gnawing at like 11 at night this is probably the source, if you see sawdust under a hole it is carpenter bees(hing that isn't sawdust its poop).
Actually, carpenter bees don't eat the wood, they just chew it to get it out of the way to form their nesting chamber. So, no, it's not "poop", it's frass. Wood particles chewed and pushed out of the hole. Carpenter bees are very destructive if left go. What's worse is the woodpeckers that come after them after they've made their nest. The male carpenter bee is very aggressive to movement and color during the mating season. he's the one you see hoving about, guarding his territory. They do not sting and can be identified by the white dot on their head. It's easy to see once you get used to looking for it. You can catch them in your hand without fear of harm. The female is in the nest laying next years crop in her T-shaped hole. Not sure which bees specifically you're talking about.
Penn State University wrote: The male bee is unable to sting. It is the male carpenter bee, which is most often noticed. They hover in the vicinity of the nest and will dart after any other flying insect that ventures into their territory. A common behavior of the males is to approach people if they move quickly or wave a hand in the air. The males may even hover a short distance from people causing unnecessary panic. The female however, is capable of stinging but seldom does. She must be extremely provoked (i.e. handled) before she will sting.
Kentucky University wrote: Although carpenter bees are less aggressive than wasps, female bees provisioning their nests will sting. Treatment is best performed at night when the bees are less active, or while wearing protective clothing.
NC State Dept of Entomology wrote: The bees often eliminate their wastes before entering the tunnel. Yellowish-brown staining from voided fecal matter may be visible on the wood beneath the hole as seen in the picture above
mosseater wrote: So, no, it's not "poop", it's frass.
Dictionary wrote:
frass (frs)
n.
Debris or excrement produced by insects.
(German, feed, result of eating, insect damage, from Middle High German vrâz, from Old High German frz, from frezzan, to eat; see ed- in Indo-European roots.)
a rose by any other name is still a rose, and poop is poop.
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