It's not the bees its the fleas!

Patrick · July 19, 2007, 07:25:01 PM

I am over run with fleas in the bee yard! If it were not for my white bee suit I would have never known. Those little SOB's get in my suit and much me alive. I look like I have chicken pox. I don't even own a pet! What can I do? Spraying seems out of the question, right?

Cheers,
Itchy and Scrathy

MrILoveTheAnts · July 19, 2007, 07:34:00 PM

Sounds like chiggers. I think they only live in tall grass though.

Kirk-o · July 19, 2007, 07:47:56 PM

Hey Budddy check were you had your suit stored these guys are like bed bugs
wash the S**t out of that suit and check out were you had it stored
kirko

Moonshae · July 19, 2007, 09:24:25 PM

There's a new body pest spray coming onto the market made from a concentrate extracted from tomato plants...all natural, and better than DEET. It has to be approved state by state, so it may not yet be where you live, but it's worth looking in to.

BBHJ · July 20, 2007, 12:22:42 AM

IDK about spraying but you may be able to if your bee yard is only grass. Meaning NOOOO clover, dandilion ect. for the bees to get onto and then track the poision back into the hive. Like I said though I dont know. We sprayed the poision oak with round up for poision oak, Ivy, ect. in our yard without any harm that we could tell but it was before we put on the first supers. The one thing that I can tell you that you should try and will maybe work is to spray your boots and legs with OFF. This is what we do everytime we check our hives because of chigars and it works great.

As far as fleas go, everytime we let out dog out for any long period of time he gets covered with them. They are some bionic suckers also because once he gets them nothing will get rid of them for at least a few weeks no matter the combination of products used.

doak · July 20, 2007, 12:36:36 AM

We have what we call "seed ticks", they will eat you up.
I use,deep woods off, sprat my feet and legs up to my knees.
doak

JP · July 20, 2007, 01:05:23 AM

Patrick, go to walmart and look in the camping section. They sell a permethrin product that you spray on your clothes and let dry before you put them on. It should help you. As far as the yard goes, there is a product called Talstar pl. You apply it with a hand held Scotts broadcast spreader (about 10 bucks) Throw out hand fulls near your hives. Fleas like shady areas so concentrate your efforts there. Good luck!

wtiger · July 20, 2007, 01:58:53 AM

I had a similar problem. I Think because they were in a slightly wooded area. I moved them into full sun on a permanent stand and they're no longer a problem. I noticed the fleas around my hives under some trees when I was barefoot and was sitting off to the side of the hives watching them. Suddenly I had 4 or 5 flees on my feet. Nasty little critters. I had my suspicions before that though; because whenever I worked the hives I'd have bites on my ankles and calves afterwards. So in short I suggest moving them into full sun if possible.

beekeeperookie · July 21, 2007, 08:08:11 AM

I thought they were call "sea ticks" all this time. Are these red little bugs or black that will make the difference. If they are black and you get them everytime you walk out in the yard they are probably sand fleas, they are hard to get rid of, the sea ticks/chiggers are normally in only tall grass there could be a nest of them in that area.

Michael Bush · July 21, 2007, 09:51:41 AM

>They sell a permethrin product that you spray on your clothes and let dry before you put them on.

That seems like a bad idea since permethrin will kill bees. What happens if you wipe your hands on the suit and then catch a queen to mark her?

qa33010 · July 22, 2007, 12:24:25 AM

I don't know if it works for chiggers or not but I have used the nematodes from Gardens Alive on fleas and it brought them down to a more manageable (-1sp?) level. I also use rock salt around my hives in the back yard, works great! Learned this from a gentleman who talked about when they had dogs in gravel kennels. He uses it around his hives and never had a problem. Says it's better than more poison in a can or bag and a lot less expensive.

JP · July 22, 2007, 02:38:46 AM

I believe that once the product is applied it somehow gets into the fibers. I have never used it, but it has been available for many yrs. I would read the label and call the manufacturer with any specific questions. My understanding is that the product won't leach out once applied to clothes, and one application is good for a certain length of time or heavy usage, until you wash the clothes again, then you'd have to reapply. If I had your situation I would look at this as an option, but would check it out to make sure it was 100% safe for you and the bees. I only offered this info for you to check out as an option. There may be better options but still it is a possible, viable option.