Bees! Be careful out there.

[briarpatch]

I was leading a hike today from Unicoi Gap to Tray Mountain Shelter. Just after we topped Rocky Mountain, the 5 people in front began running and yelling "Bees!". We had walked into a cluster of 3 yellow jacket nests that a bear had recently dug into. The bees were pretty agitated and chased this group for a hundred yards or more down the trail with multiple stings (10 or more) per person. Only one of the three of us in the back got stung, but they were hit 3 times. We backed up as soon as the group in front started yelling and the bees were too busy chasing the group in front to notice us, I guess. Needless to say, the hike was cut short. For once, I was glad that I'm a slow hiker and was "sweeping" at the back of the group.

I had had hikers get stung on this same hike last year, but not nearly as bad, so I had told this years group to be sure and bring appropriate medications if they were allergic.

The front group saw a bear cub shortly after they stopped to regroup, so I wonder if he had been disturbing the bees when we walked up.

Be careful out there!

[Skidsteer]

Two Speed and I scooted by an excavated nest a mile South of Dick's Creek last week. We lucked out and saw them in time to outrun the rascals.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

::: Dino remembers her last encounter with hornets and dives under a bugnet to read this thread :::

[The Weasel]

In my mini-first aid kit, I carry 2 sudafed, which can alleviate anaphylactic shock. That many stings per person should get fast medical treatment.

African or africanized bees? That aggressive, probably.

Also possible that the were ground hornets. Do you have a positive ID on them?

The Weasel

[ed bell]

I'll wager they were yellowjackets.

[Ender]

One of my hardest days of hiking was when I had been stung multiple times in the same day by bees. It's amazing how much energy it takes out of you getting stung by bees.

Glad everyone is OK in your group!

[Lone Wolf]

Also possible that the were ground hornets. Do you have a positive ID on them?

i'm sure they rushed back with their Petersons insect guide to make a proper ID and inform CDC!

[briarpatch]

I'll wager they were yellowjackets.

You would win that wager!

[ed bell]

Yellowjackets are tenacious SOB's. Glad you avoided the brunt of the attack, but I feel sorry for the less fortunate. The stings are unpleasant.

[briarpatch]

i'm sure they rushed back with their Petersons insect guide to make a proper ID and inform CDC!

Actually, one of the group SLOWLY came back and sprayed them with industrial strength wasp killer. The only ID we had other than yellow jackets, was "dead yellow jackets".

[The Weasel]

i'm sure they rushed back with their Petersons insect guide to make a proper ID and inform CDC!

Some people know there's a pretty easy-to-see difference. I've been attacked by both and know which is which. Maybe they did, too.

The Weasel

[The Weasel]

Yellowjackets are tenacious SOB's. Glad you avoided the brunt of the attack, but I feel sorry for the less fortunate. The stings are unpleasant.

And just as dangerous as bees. People who know they are allergic should carry injectables for attacks.

The Weasel

[Straydog]

The wife and I were on our way home from the Hike-Inn last weekend and pasted a YJ nest. Unfortunately, we had head shortly afterward that another couple wasn't as lucky as we were. She had been stung 10 times. Not long after that, my wife was stung on the palm of her hand by a hornet/wasp. We put toothpaste on it and the stinging went away almost immediately.

[7Sisters]

I'd be iterested to hear what Beeman has to say about this - he's a beekeeper.

[Lone Wolf]

what's there to say?

[SGT Rock]

Tear off the wings, stingers, and heads then put them in your grits.

[FFTorched]

Run in a zig-zag pattern, bees can't follow that. I don't know how it works but it does. That's also what they say to do for Killer Bees. Also bees respond to four-letter words so through a bunch of them out there (oh nevermind that's grizz not bees, I read to many animal attack books).

[Tipi Walter]

I was climbing the Nutbuster Trail in Slickrock wilderness last year when I got stung 3 times by the little yellow jackals and if anyone knows the nutbuster trail, well, I had nowhere to run and nowhere to go. I looked like an idiot running in a tight circle cursing all things natural but I somehow pushed myself uphill enough to get away.

Every year I get stung backpacking and for some reason the little cretins love to live alongside foot trails. They are most aggressive around October when the weather begins to cool. I know I'm in trouble when my fully loaded dog whips past me on the trail with his tail between his legs. He hates 'em, too.

[The Weasel]

Run in a zig-zag pattern, bees can't follow that. I don't know how it works but it does. That's also what they say to do for Killer Bees. Also bees respond to four-letter words so through a bunch of them out there (oh nevermind that's grizz not bees, I read to many animal attack books).

Zig-zag on a 36" footpath from Georgia to Maine?

The Weasel

[FFTorched]

It's not my job to figure out how you're supposed to do it, I'm just saying how to get away. It works, I looked like a damn fool one day when I was mowing at work and disturbed some ground bee's but they didn't catch me.