GASA765
San Diego Ca
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We just returned from a fun weekend in our local mountains, but had an annoying problem with bees. These weren't your normal honey bees, but were smaller and attracted to human food, which made it difficult to sit outside and enjoy the outdoors while eating.
We're wondering if anyone had a suggestion to keeping these pests away?
Thanks
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elbmiNrM
Atlanta
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Ran into that once with Yellow Jackets. I suspect there was a next near by. Nothing I did helped. We literally had to grab our lunch and head for the car. I think the only solution is to move. Don't know if this applies to the kind of bees you ran into.
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Intheloonybin
Twin Cities, Minnesota
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We have had the same problem. Usually it is worse in the fall when they are trying to "store up" before winter.
If you can't find their nest, you can't do much. The MN state parks will look for them if you have a real problem with them, but no guarantee.
FWIW- We carry racket-zappers with us in our camper and they work on bees. Just "bee" careful as sometimes it only stuns them, and they are not too happy when they come back to. I usually fling them off the racket to the ground and step on them.
We tend to eat inside when they are really active.
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davidj54
South Alabama
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SOunds like Yellow Jackets to me. The best way to handle them is to follow them till you see where they're coming from (it'll be a small hole in a tree trunk or the ground) and wait till almost dark then spray the nest with wasp spray. Saturate it good and you won't have a problem the next day. They're not real aggressive unless you mess with them (step on their nest is the worst thing you can do).
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fordsooperdootydieselsmoker
OrangeCountyCalifornia
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First of all, it's not your property, so don't seek out and exterminate the wasps! They hunt out, kill and eliminate as many as 6 harmful insects a day...EACH! 
If they were yellow and black they were the annoying yellow jackets that we always see when camping in San Diego hills. But this applies to bees and wasps.
Keep some of the dome shaped nylon mesh food covers on your food. Get 'em at Camping World.
Try Citronella Candles, a lot of them! Or smoky incense. Maybe one of "Uncle Leo's" $2.00 cigars! 
Be careful when drinking out of an aluminum can! More than once we've see prople who had wasps go into their soda cans, and accidently "drank" them! Not a good thing to do!
Start a campfire. Smoke usually relaxes honey bees and will make them less likely to sting. It also short circuits bee and wasps scent hunting ability.
Have some fabric softener sheets handy. You might place a few on the table, or tie a loop to your bag, or something similar. The odor will keep away bees, as well as other pests such as mosquitoes.
Divert the bees with marmalade.
Smear marmalade on tree trunks or in small containers far from your picnic or campsite area. Bees love marmalade—they will join the feast and leave you alone.
And don't wear perfume! The sweet smell will only attract the bees.
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pmooney1
massachusetts
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davidj54 wrote:SOunds like Yellow Jackets to me. The best way to handle them is to follow them till you see where they're coming from (it'll be a small hole in a tree trunk or the ground) and wait till almost dark then spray the nest with wasp spray. Saturate it good and you won't have a problem the next day. They're not real aggressive unless you mess with them (step on their nest is the worst thing you can do).
Lets all go camping to enjoy the outdoors and then kill anything and everything that lives there so that we are not annoyed by them. Great idea!
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rjf7g
Virginia
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Citronella works somewhat...also, try the Off lanterns. I prefer these to a fogger, but keep all three on hand! I don't go out hunting bees but do like to eat in peace.
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coolbreeze01
Redding, Ca
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Sounds like what we call meat bees. They do understand wasp and hornet spray.
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sch911
Rochester Hills, MI
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davidj54 wrote:SOunds like Yellow Jackets to me. The best way to handle them is to follow them till you see where they're coming from (it'll be a small hole in a tree trunk or the ground) and wait till almost dark then spray the nest with wasp spray. Saturate it good and you won't have a problem the next day. They're not real aggressive unless you mess with them (step on their nest is the worst thing you can do).
I agree!
"Nuisance Predators" is how they're classified The only way to stop yellow jackets is to eliminate them. Sorry seems harsh but it's really the only way. If it's in a park let the management know. I'm a 100% certain they have a yellow jacket kill plan in place and will take care of the problem for you.
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Rollincool
Always Rollin
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GASA765 wrote:
We're wondering if anyone had a suggestion to keeping these pests away?
Thanks
Yeah, Stay inside.
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