Owners of private houses and summer cottages often face the problem of the appearance of “uninvited guests”. Often there is an earthen bee - a large and fairly bright insect. Its wings are colored brown or purple, the body is black, and the paws with the head are distinguished by a contrasting red tint. The average bee size is about 18mm.
Description
Being wild creatures, they live in fields, forest plantations and in areas in quiet areas where the ground contains a lot of sand. They are grouped by families with a large number, subsequently the offspring are placed next to the former home, which is why vast areas of settlements are formed underground.
The tunnels in the dwellings are very strong and go to great depths, as the earthen bee is an excellent builder. Insects are quite peaceful and do not attack for no apparent reason. At the same time, it should be noted that these individuals, like any others, at different times canbe more aggressive.
Bite Action
Before you get rid of earthen bees on the site, it is worth remembering the possible likelihood of a bite and be aware of the measures that must be taken. Insect venom contains a significant dose of histamine, which can lead to an allergic reaction. It is expressed by inflammation of the tissues at the site of the bite and swelling. It is necessary to immediately remove the sting in order to reduce the possible consequences, this can be done with small tweezers. If it does not protrude above the surface, it is enough to slightly press down on the surrounding skin.
The poison is neutralized by alcohol, in its absence, you can use sweetened water. The wound is treated with a liquid, ice wrapped in gauze is applied on top. Due to the fact that the sting of an earthen bee can cause allergies, it is advisable to take an antihistamine or use a special ointment. During the day it is necessary to increase the total amount of water consumed. However, it is highly undesirable to drink alcoholic beverages, as alcohol can increase the effect of toxins contained in the poison.
Possible manifestation of a strong reaction requiring immediate hospitalization, a sharp deterioration in the condition, an increase in the area of edema and difficulty breathing requires special attention.
Earth bees: how to get rid of
Insects often settle in inappropriate places on the site and occupy a large area. They may also pose a threat tomany people, since not everyone has experienced bees, and many do not know if they have allergies. Children and pets are also at risk. Therefore, insects must be de alt with immediately after they have been discovered. There are several common methods. It is easier and safer to turn to professionals for help. Today, there are many companies specializing in the fight against insects, including ground honey plants.
Also, many beekeepers know what to do to force insects to move to another place.
But if there are no such companies in the settlement, and there are no familiar beekeepers, then you will have to get rid of the residents yourself. Despite the seeming simplicity of the task, you should not take on it without prior preparation.
Protection
First, you should get protective gear in the form of a bee net, thick gloves, jacket and trousers. However, it should be carefully inspected for damage. In the process of holding events, no one should be nearby, including animals, as angry individuals can sting them. It is believed that it is best to fight insects in the spring months, after the snow has completely melted and the soil has dried. At this time, they only wake up after hibernation. Evening is the most suitable time.
How to breed earthen bees: basic methods
The most commonly used is flooding and fumigation of insect dwellings. The first method is simpler, it requires about 15 liters of boiling water. At the same time, the number of bees affects the amount of boiling water needed, and a large number of tunnels may require more boiling water. In this case, it is better to overdo it, since an insufficient amount of water will neutralize them for a short time. Subsequently, they will get out of the dwelling and attack others themselves.
Fumigation is a little more difficult, but the result is more effective. It is necessary to purchase a special poison for insects and a smoker is a device for processing smoke. To avoid unforeseen situations during work, all tools and devices must have the appropriate documentation and be purchased from trusted stores.
Fumigation
Before dealing with earthen bees, the place of their settlement is treated with a sufficient amount of smoke. It acts in such a way that insects become sleepy, lethargic and cannot defend themselves. Next, the poison is gradually introduced. It is important to follow the instructions contained in the instructions for use. An insufficient amount of a poisonous substance is not enough for young individuals, while after that they can behave very aggressively. For greater efficiency, you can slightly increase the amount of the substance. Then the entrance to the tunnels is carefully covered with earth to prevent the surviving insects from crawling out. It is worth remembering the place of the nest, as a new settlement may form next to it. Lavender will help not to remember this problem if you plant severalbushes in different places of the site, the bees will bypass it.
Features
The earth bee is an amazing creature. This is a relative of the usual honey individuals, which has many common features. The main place of settlements are unshaded, dry areas with loose sandy soil. Most often, bees can be found outside summer cottages on vertical cliffs of rivers and lakes. Insects dig a long, extensive network of tunnels. Also, as a home, they choose small hills and uprooted lying trees, forming many holes in earthen clods left on the roots. Active urbanization leads to the fact that the earthen bee is increasingly found near residential buildings, for example, in garden beds and flower beds. They are no less willing to settle in the spaces between the stones, which are covered with soil, and retaining structures.
Educated minks resemble tunnels going deep. On different sides of the passages are dead-end oval spaces, which are used for breeding and storing nectar. In such recesses, honey does not disappear and retains all its properties. This is ensured by the special arrangement of the walls, which requires careful and painstaking work.
Reproduction
First, the earthen bee digs a rounded small hole and forms a cell in it. The earth formed during the work is mixed with saliva. The mixture is laid and compacted in a circle, then the liquid produced by the abdominal glands is applied on top. surface afterfully cured, it acquires waterproof characteristics.
It is worth noting that the method of breeding offspring in ground insects differs from that used by ordinary honeybees. They fill the hollows they have dug with nectar and lay their eggs in them. The larvae hatch within two weeks. New cells of an individual are formed after the offspring grow up.
