Subject: [Tweeters] another bee question (Re: bumblebee decline question)
Date: Jul 26 06:50:15 2010
From: Pterodroma at aol.com - Pterodroma at aol.com


I have likewise noticed the lack of bumblebees, in addition to honeybees,
wasps, all those sorts of things, and zero yellow jackets at all this
summer, all of which is most unusual and just quite conspicuous by their
absence. We all have happily cohabited in the past so I normally really pay them
little mind. They do their thing, I do mine.

However, that beeing said (...sorry for the pun :-)), there is something
NEW around here this year. While doing some landscaping work in the front
yard last week, I apparently disturbed a hive of little ground dwelling
bees, kind of like a honey bee but about half to 1/3 the size, which are in the
ground cover of tam juniper and moss. These things are absolutely EVIL!!!
Easily provoked and EXTREMELY aggressive and sting with little
provocation. The sting is sharp and moderately painful, even through a garden glove,
but which after a few hours subsides only to give way to swelling,
spreading rash, and nearly intolerable itch that lasts for days. I was stung on
the finger, but the swelling, rash, and itch soon spread to cover my upper
hand to my wrist and persisted for several days going on a week. Ice or ice
pack instantly relieves the itching at least temporarily and reduces the
swelling.

Early yesterday morning, I was working in there again, aware of the bees
nearby, I kept what I thought was a safe distance, several feet. But for
some reason, they launched out of the ground again and started swarming all
over me. Fortunately, I managed to shoo most of them off and away
miraculously with but only a couple glancing minor stings, but they did quite
literally chase me all the way to the side yard, with me literally having to hop
a fence to get away. This isn't a huge or even large colony and when
swarming, maybe 20-30 bees and I have no idea how many there really may be.

I have no clue what these things are, never seen them before (or at least
ever aware of them). When they go about their normal undisturbed business,
they shoot straight up out of the ground, 20-30 feet, fast, then fly away,
and return the same way. It's kind of like one of those 'fountain'
fireworks displays and kind of a marvel to watch really. When disturbed, they
swarm low and go nuts. Interestingly, my next door neighbor has a hive of
exactly the same things in her shrubbery some 50 feet away and got stung
several times on the arm during about the same time as me with the same but a
more severe longer lasting swelling, rash, and nearly intolerable itchy
reaction that has persisted now going on two weeks. Like me, she has never
seen these nasty little things before either, thus we are both a little
concerned.

Anyone have any idea what these wicked little things might be? I've been
out and about a lot here and around the world going now on 63 years, and
honestly, I have NEVER encountered such angry bees anywhere on this planet as
these. I've gotten stung a few times but never with a reaction such as
this in all those years. I'm just curious if something new is going on
around here(?), the cool wet Spring may be part to blame(?), or what(?). Given
the extreme aggressive nature, both my neighbor and me suspect these things
could be really quite dangerous, especially to children or those
susceptible to bad consequences of bee stings.

I probably wouldn't be mentioning this at all if it weren't for a local TV
news story a few weeks ago from down in southern King, or maybe it was
Pierce or Thurston County, can't remember exactly, where a bunch of people
were suddenly out of the blue getting stung, all at about the same time, by
some kind of I think never identified bee but apparently sufficiently
significant enough to make it to local TV 'news'. Thus, I wonder if we might
have the same things around here right now, and if it's something that someone
or some department within King County should be made aware. If so, who
or what exactly? Maybe this is all nothing really, but just thought I'd
mention it just in case it might be a matter of more general concern. Thanks.

Richard Rowlett
Bellevue (Eastgate), WA