Ground nesting bees - Knowledgebase Question

Montague, MA (Zone 5B)
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Question by cutlersr
April 22, 2007
In the sandy soil under the grass and I have an infestation of some kind of bees. They have numerous holes that look like nightcrawler holes.
Any help in getting rid of these would be appreciated. thank you


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Answer from NGA
April 22, 2007
You can invert a clear bowl or mason jar over each of the holes in the ground to trap the bees or wasps in their nesting areas. Do this at dusk, when all the bees or wasps are at home. In the morning they'll try to leave the nest and will become trapped. They aren't smart enough to dig an escape hole, so they'll stay in the ground and eventually starve to death. Remove the jars after a week of inactivity in the nest, and cover the holes up with soil. Ground nesting wasps and bees are beneficial insects in that they help pollinate flowers and prey on other insects - but if their nests are ill-placed and you're concerned about the health of yourself or your children, you're probably justified in exterminating them.

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