100 ground bees- how can I get rid of them keeping the area safe for chickens

[ky chicken mom]

I have a old dog pen homemade yrs ago still in pretty good shape...roofed and its been unused for a long time...i have been cleaning it up and out to use as a chicken pen till the babies 8 weeks old are big enough to go to farm and join the larger older chicks ...anyway I pushed over a small stack of lumber that was just outside but against the wire and about 20 ground bumblebees came out mad...so i freeze wait till they calm and form a group over the hole...and smacked them with a shovel...killing them...well then i got a good view of im not kidding 50-100 bees coming out ...i have never seen these numbers from ground bees ..in past yrs when i have been confronted with the bee in ground...petro kills them out...i dont want to use that in my chicken area ...any ideas on getting rid of them and keeping it safe for my chick babies

 

[centrarchid]

All sounds typical of bumble bees but I do not know of any "ground bees" that are social and inclined to attack. Where I am at bumble bees are in trouble so I does as little harm to them as I can. It you make it so the birds can not actually get to colony entrance then bees should not attack birds. Keeping birds 3 feet away should work. They are not as inclined to swarm at you as honey bees, yellow jackets, and hornets.

If you are dead set on killing the colony, then use an insecticide from can that enable squirting from several feet away.

 

[Sparrow]

Read a few recent articles online about how bee populations are dying out rapidly around the US, and how that puts humans in a really bad spot, agriculturally speaking, before you destroy these bees.

 

[ky chicken mom]

these are a type of ground dwelling bumblebee...they do attack the nest is just inches from outside wire that needs to be redone...these are not honeybees if they were 1 they would be in a tree or other out of ground dwelling or swarming...i had hives so i would have just relocated or moved them....been there done that...these are not docile bees...and they can and will sting multi times...the stingers do not rip out staying in target ...and these bad boys will go after anything close thats moving...if there after something running...wow...look out they will not stop...they are very determined to get there target...and yes i am and will kill them but am hoping for a safer alt to bug spray

 

[Sparrow]

-_- It isn't just Honeybees that pollinate our crops. Bumblebees are VERY beneficial as well.

 

[ky chicken mom]

I understand the pollination of our flora...and i understand everyone's concern over it...in reality the products used by anyone spraying the yard so there are no weeds are a bigger prom than mine...I dont do that...the bug killers used by mass production of vegetables so we can go to the grocery and buy that pretty unblemished apple or whatever...is on all of us as buyers...i get it...i really do...and i do my part in not using those products whenever its avoidable...we grow most of our own veggies ...now with that...i am asking a simple question about getting rid of them...if any of you live close to me in louisville ky...you are more than welcome to come and get them...really if you think you can save them and re-home them wherever...let me know...if not...understand i agree with your view about the loss of bees...and go out of my way whenever i can to avoid hurting/harming them ...this instance does not apply as they are a threat now because i have moved the wood over there home...and my pets and my g-kids are not safe in yard now...so moving on...does anyone have any better solution

 

[centrarchid]

I keep honey bees as well and I am also familiar with the natives including some of the bumble bees. You can allow their persistence close to birds, just make it so birds do not get directly into nest.

 

[20736]

I think you have what are called "yellowjackets" here on the Chesapeake.
Very aggressive.
I have always had good luck using gasoline down the hole at night. It melts the exoskeleton. effective.
Just wait 48 hours for fumes/gas to breakdown.

 

[littleoak]

Around here we call them ground hornets. My grandson was mowing around them and ended up hospitalized for multiple stings. Don't mess with them. Wait until dark and pour gasoline and whatever bug killer you have on their nest. Do this several nights to make sure all are dearly departed.

 

[ky chicken mom]

I have used gas before ...with these bees i tried vinegar an water in late evening with a dash dish liquid in hopes the acidic mix would encourage them to just move on to a new home...the second night i tried heavy salted water...still no luck...we had severe rain day before yesterday...was hoping mother nature gave them the boot...but no yesterday morning they were still very active and there are really so many i cant believe the numbers in it...so i am still open to non harsh removal if anyone can think of anything...i have searched online last evening finding only the most common answers...gasoline-bug spray- exterminator ....I hate the idea of using gasoline but i have in past...it does work the fastest ...was just hoping to avoid that if i can...