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Title: Reporter swarmed, stung by yellow jackets; hive held thousands (Tyler, TX)
Source: Tyler Morning Telegraph
URL Source: http://www.tylerpaper.com/TP-News+L ... ow-jackets-hive-held-thousands
Published: Aug 28, 2015
Author: Published on Friday, 28 August 2015 23:1
Post Date: 2015-08-30 12:38:43 by X-15
Ping List: *Texas!!*     Subscribe to *Texas!!*
Keywords: None
Views: 101
Comments: 5

(Great video at story link!!)

Joshua James slipped into a jumpsuit made of thick, heavy cloth and pulled on a beekeeper’s hat, net and full-length gloves.

The pest control specialist, who began his career after leaving the U.S. Army in 2012, was ready to go to battle with a hive that held thousands of yellow jackets.

The hive was nestled behind a row of azalea hedges and invisible at first glance. But I knew they were there, because just days earlier, while doing yard work on Sunday, I’d awakened the colony, angering a swarm of yellow jackets that stung me between 20 and 30 times. The attack resulted in a trip to the emergency room and an IV push of several medications to counteract what doctors said was a large amount of poison running through my body.

As I lay on the ER gurney, the high dosage of Benadryl and other medications began to ease some of the symptoms such as the intense pain and muscle spasms, but weakness, joint pain and nausea would linger for days.

By Wednesday, I’d started to recover, and it was time to rid my yard of the dangerous swarm.

Within seconds of James climbing behind the bushes, the yellow jackets - members of the wasp family - began flying out of a small hole in the ground and were soon swarming around him.

“This is the largest hive I have ever seen, and there are a thousand or more of them in there,” James said.

While spaying Delta Dust, an insecticide containing deltamethrin, into the hive, James said the hive was one that needed a professional.

“People don’t know if they are allergic or not, and this would definitely be a problem for someone with severe allergies,” he said. “Call a professional to handle something like this.”

Dr. Steven Cooley, with East Texas Medical Center, said even a single sting from a yellow jacket or bee could prove fatal to someone with a severe allergy.

Cooley, who specializes in emergency medicine, said yellow jackets are far more aggressive than bees and their stings contain a stronger venom.

“For most people, a sting, two, three or even four isn’t a big deal, but for some, one sting can be life-threatening,” he said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 40 and 50 Americans die each year from bee or wasp stings.

James said only female yellow jackets sting, but unlike some other insects, they can sting multiple times.

Cooley said people receiving one or two stings can use a cold compress to reduce area swelling, take an over-the-counter pain reliever and have someone watch them for any signs of an allergic reaction.

“If there are hives all over the body, this means there is a reaction, and if there is any difficulty breathing, then that could mean the airways are narrowing, which can cut off oxygen,” he said.

Cooley said those who experience hives or difficulty breathing after being stung should go to an emergency room.

“But there are people who are not allergic who might get stung in the face and neck area, and that can cause swelling and also cut off the air supply,” he said.

Cooley said people stung in excess of 10 times should also seek emergency services as the amount of poison could present a problem.

“You have seen these shows where someone stung an abundance of times has died, and that isn’t necessarily due to an allergic reaction, but just the abundance of poison in the body,” he said.

He also said someone stung could suddenly develop an allergy to the insect, but the only way to know for sure would be to undergo testing with an allergist.

Cooley suggested anyone with bee allergies carry an EpiPen, which can deliver life-saving epinephrine (adrenaline), at all times.

Hours after James treated the area with several types of poison, the yellow jacket numbers began to decrease, and a check the next day showed the hive had been successfully destroyed.

“Bees and wasps can come back at any time. I would suggest keeping keep yards clean of any leaf debris, piles of brush or any other places where they can build a hive,” James said. “If you do see swarms of bees or wasps, then call a professional who has the proper equipment to handle the situation,” he said. Subscribe to *Texas!!*

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#1. To: X-15 (#0)

I'd imagine you've run over a few nests on your riding mower and gotten zapped. I know I have. In late spring/early summer when you see those giant, orange hornets flying around smacking into your windows and siding, those are the queens. If you can kill them before they go to ground, that's one less nest you'll have to deal with.

Those queens all congregate in my metal pole barn, flying around near the ceiling before sundown to stay warm. I'll wait till sundown, and then go out and hit 'em with a can of Raid and kill 'em all at once. Even if you have a small metal storage shed, they'll hang out in there. Anywhere that's warm.

Obnoxicated  posted on  2015-08-30   15:04:52 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#2. To: Obnoxicated, X-15, Texans, 4 (#1)

Down here, they'll also nest underground beneath raised buildings. Bumble-bees do pack a wallop.

“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken

Lod  posted on  2015-08-30   15:23:12 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#3. To: X-15, Lod (#0)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 40 and 50 Americans die each year from bee or wasp stings.

Well, that's more than pot or terrorists kill annually, so I guess the government will have to declare a War On Bees and Wasps now. Oh, never mind -- they already subcontracted that one out to Monsanto.

StraitGate  posted on  2015-08-30   15:42:52 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#4. To: StraitGate, Obnoxicated, X-15, 4 (#3)

The only chemical pesticide that I still have on hand is the Wasp/Hornet spray that will blast a stream for 20', I don't have the time, interest, or energy to jerk around with those creatures.

“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken

Lod  posted on  2015-08-30   15:55:29 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#5. To: Obnoxicated (#1)

The yellow jackets nest along my barbwire fences in the blackberry thickets, I have to watch out for them when picking blackberries at the end of April each year. It seems that the biggest, juiciest blackberries are always right by a nest, it's a competition to see if I can snatch them without the YJ's laying prior claim to them :-o

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“With the exception of Whites, the rule among the peoples of the world, whether residing in their homelands or settled in Western democracies, is ethnocentrism and moral particularism: they stick together and good means what is good for their ethnic group."
-Alex Kurtagic

X-15  posted on  2015-08-30   17:35:00 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


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