Tom, are you certain they were bees.... and not "YellowJackets".
A Yellowjacket is similar to a smallish wasp but is yellow and
black striped and they live in holes in the ground similar to
the way you described your situation.
A 5 year old boy was playing in a field next to some apartments
in which some friends of mine lived. They became aware of the
situation when the 5-year old came by their apartment, screaming
at the top of his lungs "Please save me. Please don't let me die".
He was covered by 300 or so Yellowjacket wasps that had attacked
him when he fell into a hole in the ground 3 feet deep and in
which Yellowjackets had made a nest, apparently, for many, many
years. The boy died. My friends could not relate the story to
me and my wife without tears coming to their eyes.
If the hole existed in my yard, I would ignore the EPA and DNR
regulations and place a gallon of gasoline over the hole, back
off and shoot it with a .22 and throw a lit kitchen match on it
and let them try to get out of that. What the flames did not
kill, I believe that the fumes would take care of. The flames
would assure that they couldn't get out of the hole while the
fumes were taking care of them..... those that tried would be
fried.
As for the stings themselves, I've found nothing as quick to stop
the pain as plain old household ammonia. It neutralizes the
formic acid which is what stings so badly. It is virtually
immediate relief. Meat tenderizers and other potions suck by
comparison.
Of course, it is damned easy for me to sit here in my hamshack
and suggest what someone else should do in a miserable situation!
Best 73, Tom.
Rod, N5HV
w5hvv@aeneas.net
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