Call me a chicken, I'm ok with that.

Was just out watering flowers around the well pit cover, all of a sudden I was surrounded by swarming bees. Took off like a mad man, knocked my glasses off trying to get them away from my head. Somehow, I didn't get stung. Regrouped, got a can of wasp spray, and let them have it. Can is empty, and there are still a few swarming around. Man I hate those things, am not allergic, but they sure as heck can make an old chubby guy run! I am guessing it would have been a humorous site, but no one is home but me.

I found some last week. Moving some PVC pipe in the barn. Us fat boys can move when we have to.

Did that last week and there is nothing like those ground bees. DO NOT want to mess with them!

Seems like every time I go out in the field to disk or cut the rye down, I run over a yellow jacket nest. This year so far, it is Bumble Bees....

Its more fun if you just stand there and take it LOL ! not! Maybe a year ago, was clearing in an over grown field around the perimeter and I stood on the "landmine" while cutting a small tree down, one they lived in the base at the trunk, I did not see the hole. Cutting away, saw going, ear protection on, I feel these stings, not sure yet, then it becomes obvious, drop the saw and leave it running, lost count of the stings after 2 dozen, basically got lit up, small yellow ground wasps, in great numbers. Had knee high tube socks on, with those and the denim jeans, they could not sting through it, I had to pull a bunch off my pants, they just cling and sting repeatedly. Braved the swarm and got my saw back, but that pheromone got me nailed again, figured the smoke from the now loading up saw would have mellowed them, nope. Little ones like these were not so bad with the sting, had they been full size wasps or yellow jackets, this would have been ugly. Next day while in there, the pheromone was still on my gloves, I was not close to the nest and 2 landed on my gloves to attack, the loader bucket was then employed to destroy that nest, big ole paper one under there. I'm sure it looked hilarious but there was no one around to see it this.

I'll 2nd that ! ! on the ground bees. found a nest in my yard
once while I was mowing with a push mower. They like to use a 'clump' of grass to hide the hole. I pushed the running mower over that and went in the house ! Later, there were no bees around.

My wife was working in the flower bed this spring just doing some clipping and weeding and sat down right beside a yellow jacket nest in the ground. They lit her butt up she had 4 stings on the cheek of her butt and had one on her boob. I hated to laugh but it was kinda funny when she went running thru the yard toward the garage. She wouldnt go back out there till i burn them out that evening LOL.

A week ago, went to fire up the tractor to do a little brush hogging. Some bees/hornets came out from under the hood on the side. Figured there was probably a nest but that the heat might drive them out. Turned the key and "click", then nothing. Uh, oh, had to open the hood to check the battery. There was a softball size nest right next to the + terminal. I grabbed the only can of wasp killer I had with me and emptied it on the nest. Boy were they mad! They were still buzzing around so I got a stick and poked it to knock the nest out of the engine compartment. That didn't make them any happier. :lol: Luckily the leather gloves and long sleeve shirt kept them off of me some. The stick hit the - cable and I saw it was loose, so I pushed it down and twisted it to get the tractor started. Ran it for 2-3 hours and checked under the hood when I was done and there were no more nest remnants.

Got stung by a loner yesterday on the driveway. Never saw it, felt the sting on the inside of my elbow (darn, wearing a short sleeve shirt this time). Wasn't too bad, must of been a youngun. Wife was PO'ed that I didn't swell up like she does. :lol:

You fat boys must be just sooo sweet , them bugs just go for you. Skinny harden old farmers like me, I never seem to be bothered by them at all, just to bitter I guess. Or it could be living in this harsh north climate, makes us Canadians have poor taste.

Skinny boys can run, too. I bales all day yesterday. I had an order for 900 squares. I got out of the tractor to check the counter on the baler. I had parked the 24T with the big tire literally right beside a yellow jacket ground nest. They lit me up before I knew what was going on. I guess they couldn't appreciate the old baler KaChunking and rocking back and forth beside their home. I had already baled that swath. I wonder how many are flattened in brome bales.

Last week was raking hay, stopped to set up for the road, cranking the rake up when I noticed a cloud of what I thought were flies buzzing around me.

Didn't occur to me that they were bees till one stung my hand.

)(*## that hurts.

Swatting them with my hat while I ran away. I don't know how I didn't get stung 100 times more than that one. There were a LOT of bees.

There were about ten of them on my pants trying to sting me, but not getting through.

Came back later, drove the tractor away and found it was covered with bees that started swarming around again - threw it into road gear and drove. No stings.

Could have been so much worse.

HATE bees.

Former bee keeper so
#1 call them what they are likely to be not BEES but wasps.
#2 bee and wasps are 2 different insects and with out bees we will all be dead.
#3 learn to tell the difference in the 2 because bees are good and we need them wasp have there place but more then likely you had a yellow jacket problem which is a form of a wasp.
So yes you and other get me upset calling thing by the wrong name and if I could I would still be a bee keeper.

If there is no video of it, it didn't happen. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Lol

funny stuff
those earmuffs, glasses, and vibrating machinery posts..funny
first couple stings ya don't notice right away cuz of the vibration.....then pain, but ya ignore it...just a muscle 'stinger' from holding the saw too long...right?
then...realization...and running....LOL

Very true. We need the bees and I won't harm a real bee's nest. But the yellow jackets can get annoying and I have vacuumed up a few of their colonies when they nest in or around the house or work areas of the yard. One stung me on the fact last week while I was out in the bush picking Saskatoons. Lucky I did not lose my glasses while swatting it away and making my escape through the bushes. Felt like a bad head/tooth ache for the rest of the evening but no serious swelling.

I got a photo from a friend at midnight last night, he just got nailed above the eye, I think he sent it because its got some humor to it, like it could go viral, looks like he got sucker punched, one eye closed, but no black eye, some parts of the body sure swell like heck. I guess you have to find the humor in things at some point LOL !

When I got lit up, it was more annoying than not, needles and such don't bother me, so ok, it hurts, but the darned things itch for awhile.

Then there is the education aspect of it, think I'll even cut another tree down again without poking or checking around its base ? Won't ever forget to do that from now on !!!

Neighbor had some tree work done, had his great grandaughter run the lawn tractor while he rode the hitch towing the small trailer with wood, as he hauling it all to my pile. He either disturbed a nest in my pile or, one of the trees cut had a nest, same small wasps as I got nailed by, buzzing about, but not a one came after any of us, will be very careful when I open up that pile to run the blocks through the splitter.

Bees are not that agressive. Must have been wasps.