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Q. Last year, I discovered a beehive in my juniper bushes. I ended up with four stings to the head. In January, I hosed it down with a high-pressure nozzle. I think I destroyed the hive or maybe it just got too cold, as I saw no evidence of any activity. What can I do to make sure they reestablish the hive?
A. Ouch, it hurts just thinking about it! Honey Bees, Hornets, and Wasps along with Bumble Bees are inactive during cool, damp, wet weather but if disturbed, they will fly around. Since there is no activity, this is more likely an abandon Yellow Jacket nest. In late November, Yellow Jacket hives become inactive as the workers and male bees die after mating with the queens. The queen, abandons the hive and hibernates for the winter in the bark of trees and/or logs. In the spring, the queens emerge and immediately begin looking for a new location for a nest. There is no chance of a queen reoccupying an old site. The new nests are usually in an above ground location; however, Yellow Jackets can establish hives in abandon gopher or other rodent holes. The above ground nests are close to structures, like under the eves of a house or in your case junipers or other ornamental shrubs. The population of a hive starts slowly, reaching a peak in September/October. Yellow Jackets rarely are a problem at Memorial Day. By the fall, they can be a big nuisance and are easily agitated as mating season approaches. Now is the time of the year to set out your Yellow Jackets traps to capture the queen(s) while she is searching for a new home. Last years trap(s) are reusable but I would wash them out first with warm soapy water before adding the new attractant, which is a must. This should prevent your yard from hosting any hives this year.
Q. I have a perplexing problem growing pole beans. The plants start to grow but something eats them off at the ground when they reach a height of one to two inches. I planted three times last year and each time the same thing occurred. What is the problem and how do I stop it?
A. It certainly sounds like an Earwig or pincher bug problems. Earwigs are nocturnal so they sleep during the day and eat when it gets dark. Ideally, you should bait the area before the beans germinate. Sluggo Plus is an organic bait for snails, slugs and earwigs and is reapplied every three weeks until the seedlings mature. It’s spread evenly throughout the area. Also, you should bait any damp, dark, areas around the garden, as this is where earwigs hide out during the day. One way to tell if you have an Earwig problem is to roll newspaper into a tube, moisten the inside and set the tubes out in the evening. The Earwigs will use the paper tubes as a hiding place when the sun comes up.
Buzz Bertolero is Executive Vice President of Navlet’s Garden Centers and a California Certified Nursery Professional. His web address is www.dirtgardener.com and you can send questions by email at dirtgarden@aol.com or to 360 Civic Drive Ste. ‘D’, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523.