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Don't count on the Africanized bee giving up after a quarter of a mile, They will chase you until the cows come home and then chase the cows out. You can not outrun them the best thing you can do is get into a tree or large bush and go out the other side. Do this a couple of times and they will be too confused to get at you. Bad thing is that in the desert there are usually no sizeable trees only cacti.

Old Tom

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Hey Guys,

Since we are also talking about bees, one of my metal detecting mentors (Richard Doherty) used to swear by mace spray. I asked him one time, what's the deal with mace rather than carrying a small firearm? He explained that the worst encounter in the desert was going to be BEES! I really didn't understand until I ran into a few hives in the Bradshaw's that were in the rock walls, some even in the ground that you could step on and disturb. He swore that if you got into a jam with bees, a mace spray with a wide spray burst would save your ass, give you enough time to get far enough away without getting stung to death. He swore by this, said he even used it several of times and it worked better than anything else.

Personally, I never tried it, but if Richard said it worked, I'm a believer. Heck, he said if you "believed the gold was there, it would be!" Damn, the guy was amazing and I sure miss him and his way of teaching others.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I live down the road from a honey processing plant. I talk to the owner now and then and always forget to get the latest on the Africans. However, I do get to play tricks on the run away bees that come in in the bee boxes they are stripping. I take a 5 gallon can, fill it with water, put a piece of wood in it so the bees can land on it for the water. Leave the bucket there for a week or so then move it 10 feet away and watch them try to find it. Seems they don't smell the water, maybe they smell whatever trail the bees leave in the air while flying back and forth, I really don't have a clue how they navigate. An interesting note, honey never spoils, When it crystalizes just set it in the sun or heat it up any way you choose.

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  • 1 month later...

We are relocating and closing on a house in Prescott, AZ. in less then two weeks. On a gentle down slope at the rear of the property within the property lines is a wash. Has some boulders (hopefully gold bearing) but the current owner had stated once years ago he spotted some bees while down there. I was wondering, other then the usual close intrusion to a bees nest, has there been any studies or facts that metal detector frequencies annoy bees. While then bees would consider the detectorist as an intruder. Any thoughts?

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We are relocating and closing on a house in Prescott, AZ. in less then two weeks. On a gentle down slope at the rear of the property within the property lines is a wash. Has some boulders (hopefully gold bearing) but the current owner had stated once years ago he spotted some bees while down there. I was wondering, other then the usual close intrusion to a bees nest, has there been any studies or facts that metal detector frequencies annoy bees. While then bees would consider the detectorist as an intruder. Any thoughts?

Noise. vibrations, or most any movement very near a bee's hive will be taken as a threat by the bees in most cases and they will attack and defend the hive, Africanized bees even more so.

There were some reports back in 2007 or so about cell phones frequencies killing honey bees, but I've having read anything since then about such.

Edit: Just did a quick search and this report from 2011 continues to think cell phone frequencies are harming bees, but also says it possible that cell phone frequencies could possibly repel bees, so I guess if you get attacked by bees it might be worth trying to make a call to stop the attack, or maybe not, anyone want to test this to find out?.

http://inhabitat.com/its-official-cell-phones-are-killing-bees/%C2'>

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I did hear about a guy being attacked about a week ago in Kingman, he opened a shed they were in. other guys stung in s. Phoenix, near Tucson. The one thing I have noticed is that most of them that were attacked where stiring up the hive directly or using power tools next to the hive. lawn mowers, weed eaters, chain saws etc.
AzNuggetBob

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Ya same guy. very unfortunate. I read about five different news stories on it. I agree Paratrooper, also he was older, around 81 years old. I think that also contributed to the heart attack too. I've seen a few hives out hunting and I just steer clear of them. Ive had some bees bounce off of me,they may be warning me? I just back out of there and they leave me alone. but I dont know if those were Africanized Bees? I usually spot bee hives by the bees hovering around a crack in the granite or in the boulders or something similar, but Im looking out for them too. The old guy in Kingman may have never noticed the bees around the shed before opening the tool shed door. I'm not defending the Africanized bees,
I think they are a real serious nuisance. Im just trying to figure out how to Not get attacked. I think Gold Seeker is correct about the vibrations stirring them up..you won't see me firing up any chain saws around them.
I found this on it today. They say they won't attack while swarming,thats good to know, been there. they just flew over me. thousands of them. didnt know it at the time though.
http://kdminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=74&SubSectionID=395&ArticleID=49989

AzNuggetBob

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I have attested to the fact that bees don't attack while swarming in posts #13 and #16 in this topic. However there aren't enough facts in yet to warrant being sure of the Africanized version. One should consider all bees at this point here in the South West as being Africanized. I have stood in swarms recently testing them for aggressiveness and have not been stung as yet. I wouldn't recommend anyone that is not used to bees and close to an escape and has his system built up against bee venom to do this sort of thing. If one is fearful he radiates this to the bees and sometimes they will attack. If you kill or injure one by swatting at them they pick up on this also and will come at you enmasse. I am starting to carry a pepper spray but I don't know just how it will work on them as yet. There is really no way to get away from them in the desert as trees and bushes are limited there. That is the best way to shake them off by running in and out of foliage. Take care out there guys.

Old Tom

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Hey Guys,

Speaking of Bees, the Wasps seem to be getting more aggressive also. This weekend I went out with a friend for just a few hours. He walked by a small Wasp hive and two of them flew over and stung him on the hand and arm. Later that evening, one smacked me in the back of the head, luckily I was wearing a hat.

I'm sure it's just dumb luck, but seems as if they are more aggressive also.

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Hey rob, I feel like there's something in the weather maybe that affects the wasps like that, some days they seem to want nothing to do with you other days they seem to have a chip on their shoulder. I suppose I probably get a little grumpy when it's 110 degrees out too haha

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As far as the yellow wasps, I have them around me a lot. but it seems more when Im sweating. I think they are after or attracted by the smell of water. more bug repellant works. but I think they like it as much as I do. I have found if your in the desert when your in camp if their real bad I put out, a ways out of camp a bucket with water to side track them. now if where talkin yellow jacket problems I just throw a strip of bacon way out of the camp to side track them. it works. it seems like once they zero in on food or water they stay on it. AzNuggetBob

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