<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1eHjOi_0wBNfMwU00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1eHjOi_0wBNfMwU00" width="980" height="653" ><figcaption>CANVA</figcaption></figure><p>A couple of weeks ago, I got a text from my bonus daughter that simply said, "Have you checked in with Grammy?" I had no clue what she meant until she filled me in: her grandmother, my mother-in-law Elaine Sollars, had run into some ground bees and ended up paying a hefty price.</p><p>She made a Facebook post about her ordeal:</p><p><i>This weekend I made the mistake of watering my flowers and made them very angry. They chased me around the outside followed me into my screened porch and got their revenge. Seven stings later - I've tried ice packs, rubbing alcohol, Bactine, Antibite cream, Benadryl, and Tylenol. Playing back my security camera gave me a chuckle as I tried unsuccessfully to escape them peeling off my clothes, running like a mad woman, because they were trapped under my dress. I am thankful for a privacy fence to spare my neighbors from my fruitless efforts. How was your weekend?</i></p><p>Thankfully, she’s okay. It could have been much worse if she’d been allergic. I remember when I was a kid, we used to go horseback riding all the time, but in the fall, we’d steer clear of campgrounds and trails known for ground bee nests because my friend Pam was highly allergic.</p><h2>Ground Bees</h2><p>I did a little "digging" into groundbees and found out they’ve been getting a bad rap. Turns out, ground bees are pretty docile and quite beneficial. They’re fantastic pollinators and, while they can sting, they generally won’t attack unless provoked. According to <a href="https://newgarden.com/notes/ground-nesting-bees">newgarden.com,</a> their nests are small mounds of soil just a few inches across. They might make a lawn look a bit rough, but they don’t harm the grass or soil—in fact, their nests help aerate the ground, improving water and nutrient absorption. If you need to relocate them, just water the area where they’ve built their nest, and they’ll move along.</p><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=26TJ2K_0wBNfMwU00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=26TJ2K_0wBNfMwU00" width="2000" height="1334" ><figcaption>canva</figcaption></figure><h2>Ground Hornet</h2><p>Another ground-dwelling yellow stripey thing is the </p><p>ground hornet or cicada killer.</p><p>These guys usually build their nests in sunny spots. According to the site, while they do have stingers, they're not likely to attack you. "They’re not aggressive and don’t have the nest-guarding instincts of other social wasps like honey bees, bumble bees, carpenter bees, or hornets such as the black-faced hornet, Asian giant hornet, bald-faced hornet, and European hornet." If you need to move them, the site suggests pouring a soapy water mixture into their hole, which will encourage them to relocate.</p><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0ejrDS_0wBNfMwU00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0ejrDS_0wBNfMwU00" width="2000" height="1334" ><figcaption>canva</figcaption></figure><h2>Yellow Jackets</h2><p>So, what attacked my mother-in-law? It was probably a nest of yellow jackets. According to <a href="https://bulwarkpestcontrol.com/bees-that-live-in-the-ground/#:~:text=Female%20ground%20bees%20are%20capable,cannot%20sting%20or%20hurt%20you.">bulwarkpestcontrol.com</a>, " Watering the lawn will cause most ground bees to peacefully relocate, but this will cause a violent reaction from yellow jackets." Yellow jackets are beneficial creatures that eat pests like mosquitos but because they often hide the entrance to their holes, it's often too late and you only realize you have disturbed their home when you are under attack.</p><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1HJSba_0wBNfMwU00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1HJSba_0wBNfMwU00" width="2000" height="1334" ><figcaption>canva</figcaption></figure><p>So first off, do not try to deal with a yellow jacket nest on your own. Call a professional. If you insist on eliminating them yourself, <a href="https://abcwildlife.com/blog/eliminate-yellow-jacket-nests-underground/">do your research ahead of time.</a></p><h2>Okay, so what should you do if you are attacked?</h2><p>1. Don't swat at them - they emit pheramones that tell other yellow jackets to attack.</p><p>2. Don't run directly into the house or car - they will follow you.</p><p>3. If you hop into water, know that they will wait for you to surface and then attack.</p><p>4. They will follow you up to a mile. But your best bet is to run as far and fast as you can.</p><p>5. Wear light colors - they will sting dark colors faster than light.</p><p>6. If you are hiking, carry spray and an epi pen with you if you are allergic.</p><p>7. Drop something so park rangers can find the nest to eliminate it.</p><p>8. If you are stung, take a cool shower immediately and take an antihistamine like Benadryl and an anti-inflammatory like Tylenol. Put hydrocortisone on the stings.</p></div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Fall is Prime Time for Ground Bees, Ground Hornets, and Yellow Jackets in Indiana & Kentucky

A couple of weeks ago, I got a text from my bonus daughter that simply said, \"Have you checked in with Grammy?\" I had no clue what she meant until she filled me in: her grandmother, my mother-in-law Elaine Sollars, had run into some ground bees and ended up paying a hefty price.

A couple of weeks ago, I got a text from my bonus daughter that simply said, "Have you checked in with Grammy?" I had no clue what she meant until she filled me in: her grandmother, my mother-in-law Elaine Sollars, had run into some ground bees and ended up paying a hefty price.