Need Help Identifying MASSIVE Bee Type

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 8:16 am

Every morning I kill several of these massive bees. They don't kill easy either. The odd thing is, they seem to not be able to exist during daylight. They vibrate and lay on the ground. Ava walked on one and cried for most of the whole

day. They've been at the front door and swarm any lights left in outside at night.

This morning I noticed a bunch crawling up the barn board at front of house and OMG! They've made 2 massive holes in the barnboard.

I googled but can't seem to pinpoint it. Carpenter bees are small and black. Any help is appreciated so I can get to work on eliminating them.
Think they are a threat to my honey bees?

Post by **WLLady** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 8:27 am

those look like european hornets......wasp spray will work on them. they can sting multiple times, and yes, they chew through wood and will use the wood to make their nests inside-usually just behind the flashing. they're horrible, and make big hives, and best off spraying right into the holes and the stuff steel wool into the holes. They are predatory and will kill and eat other bees, including honey bees, wasps, etc etc.

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 8:51 am

Yes, Thank You!! I just googled again before I saw your response, and found a picture and suspected they are European. Crap! I sprayed into both holes and will repeat several times today!
Makes sense why they hang out at the lights, they eat moths, spiders etc.

Ugh! I would like some boredom please. Just a little bit for a little while.

Shnookie · Post by **Shnookie** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 10:04 pm

Yikes! Those are scary! I hope we don't get them.

Post by **poultry_admin** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 10:29 pm

yeah, those are second on my most hated list. First is the black hornet variety. They love to hover in front of me or above and managed to sting me twice in the vertical lower arm while falling (not landing) past it for no good reason.

Those europeans are just impressive! Still stinging while dead and when they fly you hear it for quite a distance...

Good luck getting rid of them!
Wasp spray is good!

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 11:02 pm

This wasp spray smells and feels like WD40 or is it WD30? Whatever .. It smells and feels like it.

Ava is determined to have a go at them all tooooo often. One stuck in her pad tonight and she ran and screamed bloody Murder and trying to catch a scared puppy to help her was not fun. In the dark. Finally Drake grabbed her and pinned her. It's like he knew she needed help.

These things are huge! I'm going to measure one after I kill them in the morning. Always a bunch at the front door first thing. And I'll be leaving miss Ava in until the war zone is cleared.

I thought they were June bugs they make so much noise flying, you're right Poultry Admin.

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Fri Sep 09, 2016 5:08 pm

Look what I found this morning!!! And another 2 in the works. Holy

Guess what I'm doing after dark tonight. If you never hear from me again it's because I was attacked and killed by all of them. This picture does NOT convey the massive city they have built . OMG! I'm

myself at the thought of dealing with these. In the dark.

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Fri Sep 09, 2016 5:39 pm

holy crap Sandy! at least you have a bee suit. I was cleaning out the evestroughs the other day, I was standing on the lower roof inspecting the trough above, I had a hammer in my hand and was about to start nailing the trough spikes back in. I had the hammer cocked and ready to go... then I thought I better check for bees cuz I'll end up jumping off this roof... I looked and there were tonnes of mud wasp nest right under my face and all along the facia... yup I postponed cleaning out the eaves until winter. LOL.

Good Luck!!!

Flat Rock Farm · Post by **Flat Rock Farm** » Fri Sep 09, 2016 5:57 pm

OMG!!!!!!!!! Sandy!!!!!! That thing is HUGE run!!! :running-chicken:

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Sat Sep 10, 2016 7:37 am

Yes huge. Made some headway on it though. Soaked the outside last night with foam and had hundreds flying around us pissed right off ... Lots dead on the ground this morning, I removed a shovel full.
Was able to penetrate the hive in 3 spots this morning and spray inside. Problem is the stupid cans don't let you spray upside down.

I'll attack the hive again tonight! A big ladder is coming here tonight to get up to the other one and we'll start on that one.

Weird Al, I never thought of my bee suit. haha!