Joke is on me. Cut out

[Acebird]

I just came back from a potential cut out with no bees.

From the outside I would have sworn they were bees but when I cut the wall open there was a big paper nest that the bees were going into. I don't want to sound stupid but there is no way a honey bee will use a paper nest as a hive right?

Man, I can't get over how they acted like honey bees. How do you guys tell from the outside?

[djei5]

Sounds like Yellow Jackets, colors are close but they have no fuzz! Shiny like a wasp, cause they are a wasp!

[Solomon Parker]

Practice practice practice. I'm afraid you may be the butt of some jokes for that one.

[ncsteeler]

is it possible that it was honey bees robbing a dead out yellow jacket nest?

[djei5]

is it possible that it was honey bees robbing a dead out yellow jacket nest?

Robbing what??

[hilreal]

Lucky all you got is embarrassed! They Yellow Jackets can not be fun to deal with.

[Acebird]

That's why I thought they were honey bees because they didn't bother us even though I cut out the barn boards and exposed the nest. They didn't even get aggressive when we sprayed. Next time I will bring a camera because I am not too sure they didn't have hair. Also, constant coming and going.

[WLC]

Acebird:

How could you not recognize Honeybees if you were that close to them?

What did you spray them with?

I would wonder if they were some other type of bee.

[hemichuck]

I went out on a cut out last week and it was up about 12 ft in an overhang. I went out and visually inspected it from the ground and there was plenty of traffic coming and going so I made an appointment to come and remove them in a couple of days.When I arrived the owners maintenance man had taken the gutters loose for me and he was going to show up while we removed the bees.Before he arrived I went up the ladder to check out the situation and as I looked closer I realized that these were pretty small for bees so I set a piece of screen in front of the entrance to slow them down so my 50-something eyes could focus in on them and before I could get a look I got stung in the head 4 times.It didnt take long to realize they were yellow jackets.So I just drove 30 miles and loaded all of my cutout gear to get stung by some yellow jackets! On a brighter note,the maintenance guy showed up and said that he had no intention of going up that ladder and dealing with the yellow jackets so he said "You have the bee jacket and I already have the check made out" so I proceeded to go up the ladder and kill everything in sight. He paid me and said thanks.

[geebob]

I would wonder if they were some other type of bee.

Not in a paper nest, though.

[frostygoat]

Yellow jackets and bees are hard to confuse. Get yourself a magnifying glass if you can't see them...

[zippelk]

ouch. maybe bald-faced hornets? not easy to confuse with a honeybee, but lots of paper nests around here, whereas yellow jackets are usually underground.

[Acebird]

What did you spray them with?

I would wonder if they were some other type of bee.

I can't focus very well anymore on something that is moving. It was a general can of wasp, hornet spray which I guess is 90% kerosene or some petroleum of some sort.

[Nabber86]

So you sprayed dangerous "chemicals" into the environment to kill innocent wildlife?? Wow, talk about hypocritical.

[Acebird]

No the owner did.

[Nabber86]

Yeah, and I supposed you just stood there and didnt say anything either.

I am supprised you didnt through your body on the nest and take one for the hornets.

[Acebird]

ouch. maybe bald-faced hornets? not easy to confuse with a honeybee, but lots of paper nests around here, whereas yellow jackets are usually underground.

Not bald-faced hornets. The nest is a perfect example but these insects look exactly like a honey bee in appearance and they were foraging on clover. They did not look like yellow jackets either. Not yellow more orangish brown.

I am not totally convinced they were not honey bees. I just can't explain why they would go into a paper hive.

[HONEYDEW]

So you sprayed dangerous "chemicals" into the environment to kill innocent wildlife?? Wow, talk about hypocritical.

That's not hypocritical, it's called being realistic, Unless you are joking.... Do you think we shouldn't spray to kill Innocent mosquitoes that spread dissease..

[WLC]

Acebird, I take it that you went to do a cutout without a bee vac.

[Acebird]

I went to look at a potential cut out for a friend. He has a huge barn that used to be a bean factory and it has had honey bees in it many times before. When I saw the bees and where they were going it was easy to just cut two boards and see what was behind it and if the comb would be accessible. I was shocked when I saw the wasp nest because nun of us got stung and I stood on a ladder right over the place they were entering while I cut the boards with a power saw.
I have a new shop vac that I can make into a bee vac if need be. I didn't have anything with me because I did not intend on getting the bees that night. It was too late and rain in the forecast. I also don't have enough equipment for another hive so I was going to involve another friend who lost all his bees this winter and won't pay for them. He keeps nothing but swarms.

Next time I will definitely have a camera. I will have to write a book if I can document honey bees in a paper nest.