Oh, I hate this time of year when the stinging bees, wasps, yellow jackets, whatever are out in full force. And at ankle level.
We have a few potted flowers around this teeny tiny patio and we get a lot of visitors. It's not safe to let the boys play out here. And, I had to take down the hummingbird feeder as the bees were swarming it! I don't ever remember that before. Honestly, I thought they preferred BBQ meat!
I have flying bug spray and citronella but I finally broke down and bought a yellow jacket trap. Who knew it would work this well? And Braeden is enthralled with checking the death count every day. Jesse put it up on the carport to draw them away from the patio.
Summer is coming to a close ....
What a lifesaver you are! I am going to put yellow jacket traps up now, too. YJ's are vicious in my yard. As I mowed my lawn three days ago, one stung me- right on my ring finger knuckle! I ran into the house, washed it, took off my ring, maxed out on Benadryl, and finished mowing the lawn. My hand swelled up like a rubber glove full of water. Next morning my forearm was swollen, too, so I headed to an immediate care clinic. Got Prednisone and that did the trick. Now I'm wondering if I should carry around an EpiPen. It's not like I can stop mowing my lawn. Ha! Traps are going up today!!!
ReplyDeleteLast week when I was stung on my pinkie, I looked online and saw a suggestion to put an aspirin right on the site. First I stuck my finger in my iced coffee while I looked online ... then put on the aspirin, finally taping it on my finger for over an hour. My finger swelled a pit ... but that was it!
DeleteIn the past, I had YOUR experience from a sting on my foot that swelled up my leg to my knee!
I'm trying your remedy next time! So glad it worked for you. I have a question. What kind of trap are you using? I bought 2 Raid YJ traps, installed them using juice, soap, lure and bits of meat, like the directions said. They are ignoring it. Then I created a DIY trap, via online instructions, with red wine and soap. They are ignoring this one, too! Help!
DeleteI'm allergic to bees so I understand the fear for your grandsons. I don't have hummingbird feeders for that reason.Yellow Jackets are nasty and I have no trouble blasting their hives. But I would never kill a honey bee unless it was my life or its. The bees in this country are disappearing at an alarming rate and with them our ability to grow crops is severely in trouble. The AGR industry is quite worried about it.
ReplyDeleteGowitheFlo: You should go see an allergist and get tested for bees. You can be allergic to some types, but not others so much. EpiPens are very expensive and need replacing every year. If your throat and breathing were not effected that's a good sign. Still, reactions to bee stings get worse over time, never better. The next one could be worse and if a doctor says you're severely allergic you might want to think about getting a lawn care service. I'll bet it was a ground bee that got you. They are nasty, too!
The trap said that it does NOT catch honey bees ... maybe they don't like to squeeze in the opening. So far, just yellow jackets are in there!
DeleteMy insurance used to cover EpiPens but they are now able to be made generic so Epi raised the rates and insurance will not cover! CRAZY! And the injection system is not generic so we are stuck with high prices for a while. Mine had a two year expiration ....
Good idea, Jean. I see my regular Doctor this fall and will ask him to suggest an allergist. Yes, it was a ground bee. If I could find both entrances to their nest, I'd head out at night armed to do battle. The clinic Doc did give me a prescription for an EpiPen, just in case, since I live alone. Ha! I gagged at the price - couldn't fork over $200+
DeleteDon poured gas down a ground bee hole and lite it on fire. I wouldn't recommend that. LOL
ReplyDeleteP.S. That's interesting the traps down attract honey bees. I may have to check them out.
ReplyDeleteTheir sting can be deadly. We just had a man, playing golf in Michigan who got stung 20 times and died. I hate them and I have them around!!! Last year, my grandson stuck a stick down a hole in the ground and out the Yellow Jackets came. He got stung 3 times and was in real screaming pain. We does him up with Bendryl and made a paste of aspirin and water to put on the sting marks.
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