While mowing my lawn the other day I encounter some sort of bee I have never seen before. There were many and they live on the ground. I have tried bee and wasp killer to no avail. I also put gasoline in the hole. That didn't work either. They just build another hole.
Yesterday as I was trimming my pine tree and looked down, to my surprise there were a few on the ground, yes, alive. My tree has sap from branches that I have cut this year. The bees appear to be black and white.
I have searched and have been unable to identify them. I don't know what they are and how to get rid of them. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have been unable to find any pictures of them.
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These bees are called solitary bees, they will stay in your garden only a few weeks. Let them live ! They are the alternative to the honeybees that are dying from pesticides all over your country and unfortunately all over the world. They are not agressive and are not organized as a ''group" they have no queen and are not specialized. Each bee digs its own "nest" where it will lay eggs and storage food for the future bees. Gardeners who care for the bees and are aware of how important bees are for our own health and quality of life* even set a special place for solitary bees to come and lay their eggs in their garden, solitary bees chose preferably a slight slope facing south.
*( the survival of 80 % of the fruits and plants we eat and the plants we feed cattle on, depend on fertilisation by the bees. Wine depends on bees too)
I agree with Catherine and sincerely hope you will read some articles on these bees and either decide to let them be for now or use one of the recommended natural ways to get rid of them.
Both of these sites explain the value of these bees but also offer ways to remove them by making them leave your area but not killing them. Please take time to read these articles.
entomology.cals.cornell.edu/
Bumble bees live in the ground. They are profuse pollinators that should be welcomed, not killed.
Use an insecticide that is specifically for ground-nesting wasps and bees on the soil and around the nesting area. Afterwards, close the hole with your rake or hoe. Try to destroy as many tunnels as you can
You need to make sure that your chosen insecticide is meant to use with ground dwelling, or miner bees. It will say so on the label.
You can use Ammoni which is safe for the ground also. Pour Ammonia in the hole which they cannot breath the fumes of it and will come out the other holes but cannot return due to the oder and fumes. They usually only go in one entrance and only use the other holes as emergency exists, so to say.
Soap and water kills ground bees by pouring the solution on their nest. Moreover, sprinkling boric acid at the entrance of a bee nest causes the natural toxin to spread throughout the entire nest, killing the bee population.Once they leave, the ground nest can be easily dug up and removed to prevent them from coming back next year.
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