Wasps/ Bees

marmoset

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Yesterday an old gourd type bird house fell to the ground from it's hanger and a bunch (a good amount- 50-100) of wasps or bees started swarming the area. I am partially blind so I can not tell if they are wasps or bees. I was not about to get that close. I'd have to be practically nose-to-nose to see one.

My husband is phobic of insects and I'm vision impaired. Should we just get an exterminator? They are swarming the fence. The people next door have kids and I also saw them swarming the side of their house which is really just 5 feet or so from our fence.

I'm not a fan of killing things (even wasps) and if these are honey bees I certainly wouldn't want them killed. My understanding is that an exterminator would put out a trap to identify the type and either they or a beekeeper would relocate the hive. They are so close to the house and we do have people that are badly allergic that come over frequently.
 

denice

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I would call an exterminator and find out exactly what they do. I don't think Africanized bees have made it to the Northeast so it is probably a matter of either wasps or bees. With Africanized bees extermination is really the only thing that can be done, bee keepers don't want them in their hives because they take over.
 

AbbysMom

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Do you have a Facebook page or NextDoor or something like that for your town? I've seen many post on our town pages looking for a beekeeper to come out and help.
 
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marmoset

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I didn't know beekeepers would remove wasps. I garden so generally I don't try to kill things and wasps and bees are pollinators. These ones are just concerning me because of the closeness to the house and the number of them. As much as I like gardening I still hire someone to do the lawn (I don't like lawns and would much prefer a groundcover) and the guy we've been using is highly allergic to stings.

I haven't called anyone yet because we have been so busy with a foster litter that is sick with coccidia but I've gone out there and the birdhouse is on the ground I see some wasp/ bees but not as many as the day where it fell. I do think they are wasps because they are skinny and I see yellow. So I'm thinking yellow jackets- would they abandon a nest if it fell?
 
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