[Pollinator] Value of bumble bees and how to deal with nests

[Mark Seetin]

This is a tough situation.  Having experienced the wrath of bumblebees after accidentally stepping on a nest, I can say firsthand that they will instantly swarm and sting. - so, unless there is an effective way to move the nests,  it may come down to a value judgment about what is more valuable - children's health and wellbeing or the bumblebees.

What if one or more of the students happens to be allergic to bee stings?   According to the Boston Children's hospital (and other sources) , about 3 percent (1 in every 33 individuals) of the population is allergic to bee stings, and  if the allergy is severe, anaphylactic shock could occur in minutes.  I hope the teacher has an "Epipen" and knows how to use it.

Mark W. Seetin | Director, Regulatory and Industry Affairs | U.S. Apple Association
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From: pollinator-bounces+mseetin=usapple.org at lists.sonic.net [mailto:pollinator-bounces+mseetin=usapple.org at lists.sonic.net] On Behalf Of Stephen Pryor
Sent: Monday, May 26, 2014 12:37 PM
To: pollinator at lists.sonic.net
Subject: [Pollinator] Value of bumble bees and how to deal with nests

Hello members,

I am a researcher in the San Luis Obispo area of California and I've been called out to a school lawn that has three veryhealthy bumblebee (B. vosnesenskii) colonies nesting in gopher borrows in the lawn where kids play.

The lead teacher does not want to have the colonies sprayed, but is caught between her concern for the bees and the parents concern for the their kids being stung.

I have roped off the most active colonies and told the teachers to have the kids stay a distance away. I've also been relocating the queens currently emerging to a rural site nearby that also has many bumblebees colonies and wild flowers, hopefully they will still mate and start their own colonies.

Does anyone have any sage advice to best avoid stings. Also could you forward me papers in laypersons terms that explain the value and importance of bumblebees as well as the peril that bumblebees are in nationwide and worldwide.  Links would also be helpful.  We want to avoid the exterminator.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Stephen Pryor
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