Ground Bees

[Grumpy]

Tonight I noticed an area about 50' by 50' in my yard that is covered with little sand pyramids, will probably take a picture tomorrow. I've never seen like that in my yard in the past and I've been here almost 40 years, is this a banner year like with cicadas? I did notice a 1'x1' hole the dogs dug with a bunch of bees around it a couple weeks ago but tonight it was all the sand pyramids in a much larger area with very few bees. Is this normal or should I vacate the property.

 

[Sneakers]

Vacate. Now.


Hate ground bees. When I was kid mowing lawn, I ran over a nest. Got stung everywhere. And I do mean EVERYWHERE. Picking them out of my shorts 30 minutes later. Left the mower running until it ran out of gas.

 

[Grumpy]

Vacate. Now.


Hate ground bees. When I was kid mowing lawn, I ran over a nest. Got stung everywhere. And I do mean EVERYWHERE. Picking them out of my shorts 30 minutes later. Left the mower running until it ran out of gas.

I've had that happen a few times with yellow jackets but never the few ground bees I've run across.

 

[RoseRed]

Those bastards hurt!

 

[PrchJrkr]

When I was between the years of 2 and 3, my older brother and his friends were poking sticks at the ground and laughing. Curious, I wandered over in time for them to run away and abandon their "entertainment", only to have a half dozen or so ground bees fly up my t-shirt. I ran into the house screaming and Mommy Dearest ripped my shirt over my head to release them.

 

[gemma_rae]

Tonight I noticed an area about 50' by 50' in my yard that is covered with little sand pyramids, will probably take a picture tomorrow. I've never seen like that in my yard in the past and I've been here almost 40 years, is this a banner year like with cicadas? I did notice a 1'x1' hole the dogs dug with a bunch of bees around it a couple weeks ago but tonight it was all the sand pyramids in a much larger area with very few bees. Is this normal or should I vacate the property.

Chill Grumpy. It doesn't sound like you have anything to worry about.

Finding Holes in Your Lawn? Could Be Ground Bees

In the spring, as the soil warms up, it can be common to see small bees flying around just above the ground and small mounds of soil they have created in the lawn. These bees are called ground nesting bees. Ground nesting bees are a type of bee that is different from other kinds of bees. ...

wayne.ces.ncsu.edu

However, if you see Yellow Jackets:

 

[Grumpy]

Chill Grumpy. It doesn't sound like you have anything to worry about.

Finding Holes in Your Lawn? Could Be Ground Bees

In the spring, as the soil warms up, it can be common to see small bees flying around just above the ground and small mounds of soil they have created in the lawn. These bees are called ground nesting bees. Ground nesting bees are a type of bee that is different from other kinds of bees. ...

wayne.ces.ncsu.edu

However, if you see Yellow Jackets:

No worries for me but the wife freaked out about them. They are docile, I cut the grass in that area yesterday and had no issues. They do freak the dogs out tho. And you're right about yellow jackets, hit a ground nest of them about 10 years ago with my lawn tractor, tractor couldn't speed up fast enough to escape em, so I had to jump off and run, still got stung about 5 times.

 

[BOP]

Tonight I noticed an area about 50' by 50' in my yard that is covered with little sand pyramids, will probably take a picture tomorrow. I've never seen like that in my yard in the past and I've been here almost 40 years, is this a banner year like with cicadas? I did notice a 1'x1' hole the dogs dug with a bunch of bees around it a couple weeks ago but tonight it was all the sand pyramids in a much larger area with very few bees. Is this normal or should I vacate the property.

 

[PrchJrkr]

Found this little critter while clearing the front yard before mowing. Didn't know what to make of it at first.

 

[stgislander]

Found this little critter while clearing the front yard before mowing. Didn't know what to make of it at first.
View attachment 188170

 

[PrchJrkr]

View attachment 188171

It's a big assed spider of some sort. Later in the day I pushed a mower over it. IDK if it survived. I'd forgotten about it by then.

 

[gemma_rae]

Found this little critter while clearing the front yard before mowing. Didn't know what to make of it at first.
View attachment 188170

Call Ripley now! And hide Jonesie!

The sum-biches finally made it to Earth!