Fear of Giant Bees

[texasgirl]

I have an absolutely silly terror of bees. One would think that they were 400 feet long and about to swallow me alive while stinging the breath out of me. They are little tiny creatures. I am a grown woman. No matter what I do, including falling flat on my face this morning while trying to escape , I can't seem to get over this. Any ideas?

TG

 

[Retired]

Bees, wasps, snakes and big growling dogs would be on my list.

Though they say that it's the wasps we need to be more concerned about than bees.

Trouble is, who wants to get close enough to distinguish which is which

 

[sister-ray]

I cannot stand wasps I just freak out if one gets in my flat and I dont rest till its gone, I dont have any ideas as try as I may I cannot get over it, I think bees are safer they dont sting unless provoked!

 

[texasgirl]

I actually sat in my house one day when a yellow jacket got in and I screamed so loud that it flew under a standing lamp and I watched it for 4 hours until my husband came home. It never left from under the lamp.


:bonk:

:friends:

TG

 

[Daniel E.]

Do you have wasp/bee spray? I would think having it could make one feel better, even if it is never used. Also, the stuff has a relatively long spray distance so one doesn't have to be close to the target.

BTW, elephants are scared of bees, too:

CBBC Newsround | Animals | Mighty elephant 'scared of bees'

And there is this strange story related to the new animated movie "Bee Movie":

Oprah can no longer swat away bees!-International Buzz-Entertainment-The Times of India

 

[SoSo]

Oh, am with you on this one, have a real terror of wasps but especially spiders, just an unbelievable fear of them, stand on tables to get away, forget the chair. I have to have mosquitto netting over my bed while I sleep so no bugs can get near me. The one thing I do know that will kill wasps is WD40, spray it right on them, done:ladybug:. Horrible smell but worth the peace of mind it gives me. I feel bad because I don't like to harm any living thing, goes against what I believe but honestly, cannot handle bugs, well, pretty ones are ok, butterflies, dragonflies, they are ok, spiders, a smug on the wall if I have my way.
Feisty

Oh, meant to say, if anyone is afraid of or just doesn't like ants I have a solution. I have my birds, bought bird spray bath for a rescue starling that was brought to me. I didn't use it on the bird, found out it wasn't safe. One day last summer I had a big long line of ants marching through my house, don't think so, no bugs allowed, they don't pay rent, their gone so I sprayed the bird bath spray all along them, within seconds, they died and then I spayed all along the baseboard and doorway, they never returned. I just have a real fear of bugs, small, large, if it is a bug, I can't handle it Hope that might help someone.
Feisty

 

[Retired]

the stuff has a relatively long spray distance so one doesn't have to be close to the target

I have used this type of wasp spray, which is designed primarily for destroying a wasp nest for which it does work.

However, I'm not sure how effective it would be to zap a determined bug in full flight, though

 

[Daniel E.]

Yeah, I just remember using it on nests rather than wasps in flight. However, according to the packaging for one product by Raid, it can kill wasps, hornets, etc. on contact, assuming the wasp was an easy target (stationary, flying in a small, discrete area, etc.):

Raid Ant and Roach Killer

I also read an article that mentioned that firefighters used a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher (which is the type of extinguisher that most home owners don't have) to freeze a swarm of bees.

 

[texasgirl]

I am happy to know that I am not alone in this one. I sit on my porch armed with a Texas sized fly swatter and my various sprays. Don't ever have to use the spray. Swatter works pretty well. This particular creature this morning was in my house and I turned to run and the rug slipped out from under me. Splat. Serves me right.

Thanks yall. :hug:

TG

 

[HA]

I get very hypervigilent around bees/wasps because I am allergic to them, so I carry Benedryl and an Epipen. I don't care if they are miniature or giant I avoid them.

I never thought about the spray, Daniel. Think I'll get some.

Did you notice that in the Fall bees tend to be slow and sort of stunned? I recently saw an article that said they are eating fruit that has fermented so they are basically drunk bees. You are more likely to get stung by these bees because they will land on you or are not fast enough to avoid contact with you.

They can be a dangerous bug but are are also one of our most valuable insects. I had a very young friend in grade one who was swarmed by bees. One should be careful not to disturb a group building a new nest or in a hive. African bees are the most dangerous but other bees can also swarm and attack you.

BEE SAFETY from Arizona University.

 

[texasgirl]

We live across from an apple orchard. No wonder they are acting so weird. It must be awful to be allergic to them. The WD 40 solution is one I had never heard. I will add it to my arsenal!

Thanks everyone,

TG

 

[emery2027]

Hi texasgirl,

Sorry in advance for the really long post.

I have a phobia of creepy-crawlies, so I can certainly understand where you're coming from. Sometimes learning about the thing I'm afraid of helps me deal with it a bit, so I'll share some things with you.

I hate wasps. I have been stung so many times I have lost count. They're aggressive, they think my yard is THEIR yard, they hate me and I believe they live just to make my summers pretty miserable. Okay, perhaps I'm taking their behavior a bit too personally--but I think you get my drift.

Bees, on the other hand, I love. Bees are a whole different animal. They are lovely, beautiful, social little creatures who don't usually have anything on their minds except FOOD. While wasps are very aggressive and will chase you with glee as their little skinny-bodied friends point and laugh, bees are generally gentle folks who only get miffed if they feel you are much too close to their hive or if you harass them--and I very much doubt that you are doing that! Bees are often fat suckers, an aerodynamic disaster. It's a wonder they can even fly! And, I know I'm being terribly anthropormophic here, but I swear they have a sense of humor!

Bees are usually so busy gathering pollen that they don't have any use for humans. They pretty much ignore us whenever possible. Occasionally a bee will investigate you if you look or smell interesting, then, realizing that you are not a flower, will politely bid adieu and continue to search for real food. When a bee checks me out, I revel in the experience. I watch closely, marvelling at their wondrous ability to fly. I have looked into their tiny faces with awe, and even laughed at their seemingly comical antics. I feel very lucky when a bee decides to make my acquaintance.

This feeling of being lucky to see a bee is grounded in a very sad reality. The honeybee population is in grave danger. We need bees, they are absolutely essential to our ecology. Trust me, you don't want a planet without bees. I see wasps all the time, but hardly any bees anymore. I have an apple orchard, and most of the buzzies in the area are wasps, not bees. So I understand your fear, and I live with it for months of the year.

Some tips:

Try to learn to recognize the difference between bees and wasps. If they get close enough to bother you, then it's pretty easy to see them in enough detail to know which is which.

Take whatever measures you feel are necessary to eliminate wasps nests in your area. Be careful though! But try not to let the wasps run rampant. Give 'em an inch, they take a mile.

Learn what scents and colors bees are attracted to, and don't wear them.

If you start getting pelted in the head by a bee or a wasp, immediately backtrack. You are being warned that you are too close to their nest, and you're about to get attacked.

Well, that's all for the bee lecture I have found that learning about spiders has made me appreciate them a bit more, and has reduced my arachnophobia a tad--and every little bit helps! So maybe learning a bit about our little bee friends will help ease your phobia a little.

Here's hoping that you get to enjoy the great outdoors!

 

[Into The Light]

that was very interesting to read about. thanks emery

 

[texasgirl]

Emery, I enjoyed reading your post. It was really helpful and I thank you for it.

TG