Very good! I have never met a beekeeper before. You might be able to answer a question I have never been able to find an answer for. Does having honey bees attract more of other types of bees? I am deathly allergic to hornets and yellow jackets. We have lots of both in our area, but they rarely build nests close by. But, I have been rather afraid to try beekeeping in fear it would attract more.
I don't know for sure, but I do know that when we located them close to where we'd had a problem with red wasps for years, we weren't sure how that would turn out, but they seem to have chased the red wasps away. I don't see many stinging critters around. After I water I still see mud dobbers, but I like those, I think they're pretty. We've also seen a rise in the number of mason bees flying around, but they don't have stingers and are totally welcome. We're working on some mason bee houses for them.
Thank you for your input. I will think about it. I don't eat honey (diabetes), so unless I ramp up to make enough to sell, it might not be worth the effort. I am already working on increasing the food sources for the local bees and butterflies, so there will be plenty of food for them.
We have a lot of carpenter bees (not Masons) and mud dobbers too. They don't bother me. My deck is starting to get rickety from all the holes the carpenters have drilled in it, lol. We occasionally get yellow jackets, hornets and wasps but only occasionally, thankfully.
Very good! I have never met a beekeeper before. You might be able to answer a question I have never been able to find an answer for. Does having honey bees attract more of other types of bees? I am deathly allergic to hornets and yellow jackets. We have lots of both in our area, but they rarely build nests close by. But, I have been rather afraid to try beekeeping in fear it would attract more.
I don't know for sure, but I do know that when we located them close to where we'd had a problem with red wasps for years, we weren't sure how that would turn out, but they seem to have chased the red wasps away. I don't see many stinging critters around. After I water I still see mud dobbers, but I like those, I think they're pretty. We've also seen a rise in the number of mason bees flying around, but they don't have stingers and are totally welcome. We're working on some mason bee houses for them.
Thank you for your input. I will think about it. I don't eat honey (diabetes), so unless I ramp up to make enough to sell, it might not be worth the effort. I am already working on increasing the food sources for the local bees and butterflies, so there will be plenty of food for them.
We have a lot of carpenter bees (not Masons) and mud dobbers too. They don't bother me. My deck is starting to get rickety from all the holes the carpenters have drilled in it, lol. We occasionally get yellow jackets, hornets and wasps but only occasionally, thankfully.