Yellow jackets , bees, hornet, dirt dobbers, wasps

Msn26753 · August 09, 2017, 06:14:45 PM

OK.. So just got stabbed 12 tines by yellow jackets/dirt dobbers after cleaning up around mother in laws house... After running screaming like a lol girl all the way back to the house.. Got me thinking.. What the heck would I have done if I was on my boat... Any ideas.. I mean there was five still stuck to my clothes stinging when I ran in.. So what would you do if it's you on your boat?

Lipripper · August 09, 2017, 06:22:30 PM

Sorry to hear this and hope your not allergic to them stinks. ~sweatas and If I could I would hit the gas and try to out run them. I don't think they can fly 40 MPH

SteveTX · August 09, 2017, 11:27:39 PM

Well depending on the conditions you can go into the water. They don't swim. If its just one I take my hat and beat it senseless. If I hit a nest and its obvious I cant drive away or get away with the boat without being stung numerous times I'm swimming.

I got more than my share of them as a kid growing up on a farm out in the country. Its payback time if I can kill them they are dying if not they wont be stinging me at all costs.

BTW I have never had a dirt dobber ever try and sting me unless I was crushing him. These are about the only ones that I trust to let fly around me and I wont try and kill. All the rest generally wont bother you either but are not near as trustworthy. Sometimes they just attack for the hell of it.

Msn26753 · August 09, 2017, 11:56:43 PM

A guy about 20 years ago died. Had a boat and was fishing. Bees got after him and he jumped in water.. The bees just wait on top of water ND sting you when you come up For air... So please don't jump in water.. But gain, what choices done got at some points.. I guess drop motor and hope she cranks on first try and varooommm. Seriously, no idea what you should do...

SteveTX · August 10, 2017, 07:00:59 AM

Not saying that didn't happen but like I said I grew up on a farm and more than once we ended up in a pool to get away. Never had them sit and wait for us to come out. Maybe it was some other kind of bee or something that got the guy? But we always looked for water if we were fencing, clearing brush, shredding etc. as the safety zone. Worked for us but do what ever works for you.

Mike Cork · August 10, 2017, 07:10:49 AM

The mohogany wasp we have here in Louisiana are flying devils. They attack just because I'm ugly. I've been fishing along and get smoked for no reason several times here.

But when you disturb a nest, you better take your chances in the water. It's a common occurrence around here to see anglers bailing into the alligator filled waters.

Thornback · August 10, 2017, 08:08:26 AM

Once my wife and I were in the back waters around a few stumps. I cast near a stump with a small tree growing out of it. My line went across the tip of a limb and just as quickly a bass bit. The bass was jumping which was shaking the limb which had a wasp nest. Suddenly my wife started slapping herself and I could see wasp in her hair. What to do -- start the motor and drive away from the attacking wasp or start killing the wasp in her hair. Suddenly one stung my finger and so I started the motor and took off. Once away from the wasp I resumed to killing them. My wife wanted to go home and I wanted to keep fishing because the problem was behind us. Then I lifted the back of her blouse and counted 11 bites. I was not sure how many bites she had in the head. She is allergic to many things so I was concerned about anaphylactic shock. I took her home and to the doc where she got a shot. Now when I get near any trees, standing timber, or channel markers, I always check them for a wasp nest

Oldfart9999 · August 10, 2017, 10:49:34 AM

Quote from: Mike Cork on August 10, 2017, 07:10:49 AM
The mohogany wasp we have here in Louisiana are flying devils. They attack just because I'm ugly. I've been fishing along and get smoked for no reason several times here.

But when you disturb a nest, you better take your chances in the water. It's a common occurrence around here to see anglers bailing into the alligator filled waters.

You might try sleeping with a handsome rock and hope it rubs off.

I've never had the problem and hopefully never will. Fortunately we don't have many places with trees overhanging the water that low.
Rodney

Msn26753 · August 10, 2017, 12:37:59 PM

Jumping in water seems right thing to do.. But I know what happened to him and after getting attacked yesterday it really makes me think.. Lol... I guess there's no right answer, its best judgement at the time.. If you read google it says don't run just cover face and back away slowly... Let me tell ya, I doubt seriously that would work and when they are attacking you like they were me, you Run Forest Run... Lol .. Now I'm gonna go back to fishing points and flats where there ain't no trees... Lol

Msn26753 · August 10, 2017, 12:43:09 PM

And I don't know what happend to him.. Bee nest could have fell in boat or something and maybe that's why he couldn't come up for air. .. But I know his brother and my wife was friends with him, it was a big story up on cane river in Louisiana about 20 years ago.. Guess I will bring a snorkel on the boat with me.. Lol

Princeton_Man · August 10, 2017, 01:08:44 PM

There is no correct answer. People who have never had a reaction to a bee sting/s sometimes do later down the road. So you could get stung, hit the water, and succumb to Anaphylaxis before you can get back in the boat.

Don't hit the water, and the number of stings can put you in shock.

Biggest bee threat fishing from a boat around here is hornets and their hives are fairly easy to spot. Bank anglers face greater a greater threat from yellow jackets and ground wasps.

I don't like any of them. Like Steve, I grew up on a farm and got more than my share of stings from yellow jackets and red wasps. Once at about the age of 6 while playing on a pile of slab wood, I got into a nest of yellow jackets, got what seemed like a hundred stings. They were in my pants, in my shirt, hair... I looked like a pin cushion. No severe reaction though.

Wizard · August 13, 2017, 04:24:45 PM

If I'm in an area with a lot of stinging insects around, I put on my Alaska hat for the no-see-ums. It looks like a campaign hat with tight woven mesh netting around the brim. Just pull down the netting and pull the draw string tight. At least my head and neck are protected. Other than that, you hope your clothes stop some of the stings. Worst thing to get into the boat was a rattler. Nice to have a machete on board. And yes, the do taste like chicken.

DonM · August 13, 2017, 06:15:48 PM

I have five spray cans with me in the boat.
Fish attractant
WD40
Sun Screen
Insect Repellent
and....WASP SPRAY!
They are listed in reverse order of importance!

cortman · August 13, 2017, 08:56:07 PM

I hate wasps more than almost anything on earth. I've never been stung too much but if I got attacked by a bunch while in my boat I would probably not bail unless it was a cloud, I would get my motor going and haul butt out of there.

Msn26753 · August 13, 2017, 10:59:57 PM

Quote from: DonM on August 13, 2017, 06:15:48 PM
I have five spray cans with me in the boat.
Fish attractant
WD40
Sun Screen
Insect Repellent
and....WASP SPRAY!
They are listed in reverse order of importance!

Try Victoria Secret Amber Romance.. They (no see ems) got so bad here last spring that Victoria Secret had a line thru the mall waiting on a truck to come in with more. I ordered 2 bottles online and it does work for about 2 hours then got to respray.. But get the perfume spray not the lotion, it works better.. Just watching for the fishermen when you get back to dock, may try to pick u up... Lol..

Msn26753 · August 13, 2017, 11:01:18 PM

Oops wrong post.. Ment to quote the one on the no see ems... Lol

coldfront · August 14, 2017, 06:33:32 AM

Quote from: SteveTX on August 09, 2017, 11:27:39 PM
BTW I have never had a dirt dobber ever try and sting me unless I was crushing him. These are about the only ones that I trust to let fly around me and I wont try and kill. All the rest generally wont bother you either but are not near as trustworthy. Sometimes they just attack for the hell of it.

that's what I was thinking too Dobbers are pretty laid back.

Yellow Jackets? mean sum-b's... I don't like to kill things... but in my world, two critters are on constant/instant extinction alert: cockroaches and yellow jackets.

they attack me if I just look at them.

they gotta go...

Oldfart9999 · August 14, 2017, 09:33:16 AM

I was helping my wife in the garden last year, went over by a tomato plant and got about a dozen or so yellowjacket stings. Within a couple hours the nest was dead, dead, dead!!! Oldfart don't like no yellowjackets!!!
Rodney

Lipripper · August 14, 2017, 09:45:18 AM

Quote from: Oldfart9999 on August 14, 2017, 09:33:16 AM
I was helping my wife in the garden last year, went over by a tomato plant and got about a dozen or so yellowjacket stings. Within a couple hours the nest was dead, dead, dead!!! Oldfart don't like no yellowjackets!!!
Rodney

I know what you mean me either. I've only been stung twice in my life and that's enough.

Msn26753 · August 14, 2017, 10:53:23 AM

I fished yesterday and everytime I hit a branch or got stuck on a log, I started sweating... Lol.. Plus it was 106 degree heat index with Louisiana humidity... Lol.. Someone should event a gas bomb/fogger in a can that you could keep in the boat.. I could only imagine how much damage I would do once u got boat fired up.. Lol