![]() ![]() The colony becomes established early in the season but won't bother you until it gets strong in late summer. Run a lawn mower over them in August and they'll chase you quite a way. The most common South Carolina yellow jackets nest in the ground. Most people who report being stung by a "bee" are actually stung by yellow jackets, which are wasps, not bees. One South Carolina species, Bombus pennsylvanicus, will defend its nest with great vigor, but it is not common. Most solitary bees will flee their nests when threatened rather than try to protect them.īumblebees can pose more of a threat because they can build nests in unexpected and easily disturbed places like a birdhouse or a mouse hole. The female, who could sting, is so busy working in the flowers or at her nest, that she will ignore you. Even the huge Eastern carpenter bee, which often gets in your face, is simply a curious male who has no stinger. Little "sweat" bees might sting, if they are on you and you accidently pinch them, but it's not much worse than a mosquito bite. If you still are scared, pick your produce before or after the bees do their job.įew wild bees pose a stinging threat. If you are worried about stings while picking your produce, wear latex gloves, which their stingers can't penetrate. This is because when a honeybee stings, tiny barbs on the stringer latch into the animal being stung, tearing the stinger from the bee, killing it. Honeybees among the flowers haven't the slightest interest in stinging you, unless you grab one in your hand - and then it's a reflex. ![]() He'll take the stings and you'll have the pollination. But honeybees sting to guard their nest, so if you fear them, you might entice a beekeeper to place some hives in a wild area near your home. If you keep your own beehives, you certainly can expect to get stung - that's the first big hurdle for beginning beekeepers. Jul/Aug 2008But bees will sting me! by David L. ![]()
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