What can I do about the swarm of bees all over my Var. Sweet Flag and the wasps here and there everywhere in the pond plants. I also have a 2 year old boy who loves to touch to much! Is there something they are wanting from the plants or is it the water? Is there anything I can do to get rid of them? I need to get rid of them if I can - Thanks Mitch
Bees and Wasps?
Mitch,
The only thing I can think of is a wasp catcher. I get a good amount of mud dobber wasps in my pond. It's a nature magnet and that means the stinging kind too. I have a few catmint and other bee magnet plants and that generally keeps most stingers in other garden areas, but not all of them.
I know what you mean about your little one. I have 3 kids and my son just was stung today. Thankfully no one is allergic to them, but you never know until it happens do you?
I know - I dont want to find out if he is allergic or not! Will head off to Wally World to see if they have one. Just might be what I need - you know I never have seen a bee anywhere else in the garden untill I added the pond and now they are everywhere.
The mud wasps around my pond are all really docile ... but that's because they're not close to their nests, I suppose. Their attitude seems somewhat decidedly other than docile when stirring about the nest, though ... lol. Fortunately, none of them have taken rseidence in the immediate vacinity of the pond.
I haven't had a problem with bees or wasp until about a week ago. I noticed bees on the arm of a floating gator I have in my pond to discourage the herons. As it bobbed the edges stayed wet. The bees were coming and going so fast, it took me a minute to figure out they were getting moisture there. Maybe the streams they normallly drink in have dried up? As quick as they drank, they were up and over the fence. So I alerted my neighbor that said they had noticed bees too. He didn't know if they had a hive, etc.; just said they around his ponds also. I am wondering if it is the algae that they are after.
So - the bees are here until we get rain maybe? But the wasp are here more or less for good? The wasp dont bother me so far it is the bees that get upset of I get anywhere near the area. Love the bees just dont want them in mass!
You very well may have a hive very close to your pond ... you need to get some help getting rid of that, if that's the case!
And yeah, the wasps are cool until you step on them or they get stuck somewhere inside a sandal strap, etc. LOL
LOL - Seeing that I wear flip flops out there all the time... I can see that happening to me!
I live right by a large empty area so it really could be there is a hive out there somewhere - I should try to track one and see where it is.