OT: Bee repellent?

I know, don't wear colorful clothes, leave them alone, avoid hives, etc. Despite all of my precautions, I keep getting stung at the range. And in the same places. The little buggers land on my shoes when I'm sitting doing bench shooting, climb up my pant legs, and the next thing I know I'm patting at something crawling in my jeans that ends up getting pissed off and stinging me. This is making my shooting experience less than enjoyable, plus now every two seconds my head pops up from my scope to look around for bugs. I've done some wandering around the range and I can't find any sign of a hive.

I've been told that there is no such thing as a bee repellent. Is this true? I'm not sure what is attracting them, but I've tried new detergents in the laundry, different shoes, pants, keeping the water in the car, etc., etc., and they just keep coming over to say hi.

I've gotten into the habit now of putting rubber bands around my pant legs to keep them closed, or tucking my pants into my boots when I wear boots. But bees still come by and hang around. I'm just waiting to be stung again.

Anyone have any ideas how to keep these guys away? I can carry some spray and nuke the ones I see, but its the one that lands on me when I'm busy peering through a rifle scope that bothers me. If I brush him off and he gets upset, it'll be my arse.

Old trick

# # I've been told that there is no such thing as a bee repellent. Is # this true? I'm not sure what is attracting them, but I've tried new # detergents in the laundry, different shoes, pants, keeping the water # in the car, etc., etc., and they just keep coming over to say hi. # Not tried by me....
http://www.beetour.com/html/whatisit.html

What a way to FLINCH! Are these bees or yellow jackets? Have you tried using spray-on repellants containing DEET?

> ... doing > ... patting > ... for > ... etc., > ... again. > ...

Bees are attracted to very dark colors also. Are your shoes black? One of the natural enemies of bees are bears and skunks. So, if you dress dark, they will get interested also thinking you are one of those critters. I do believe that bees can 'smell' flowers, so scrap the after shave and fragrant soap idea. They also see the flowers in the infra-red range. So there may be something about your clothing that make you look like a big flower to them. The bees could be going up your pant leg because it is dark in there. They are always scouting for new hive locations. In that case, I suggest not sitting still for too long a stretch. So, BEE careful out there...(sorry couldn't resist)

You may want to try some bait further away from where you are. An open can of Mountain Dew seems to get these little guys all worked up. Also, look to see if you are near a trash can when setting up. The sweet stuff left by another shooter will get their attention. Water will also cause them to come around.

Good luck.

> ... doing > ... patting > ... for > ... etc., > ... again. > ...

I've never heard of bee repellent either, but you might try thinking 180 degrees on this one. Perhaps you could bait the bees to something else at some distance from you to keep them occupied while your shooting. A piece of raw meat placed upwind of your shooting site will definitely attract many types of wasps and yellowjackets. Also something sweet like grape jelly might attract the sweet seeking bees. Good luck.

Highest regards,

Scott richards

> ... doing > ... patting > ... for > ... etc., > ... again. > ...

WD 40 sprayed ono your shoes or on some rags around your shoes should keep at a safe distance.

Mack M.

> ... doing > ... patting > ... for > ... etc., > ... again. > ...

# I know, don't wear colorful clothes, leave them alone, avoid hives, etc. # Despite all of my precautions, I keep getting stung at the range. And in # the same places. The little buggers land on my shoes when I'm sitting doing # bench shooting, climb up my pant legs, and the next thing I know I'm patting # at something crawling in my jeans that ends up getting pissed off and # stinging me. This is making my shooting experience less than enjoyable, # plus now every two seconds my head pops up from my scope to look around for # bugs. I've done some wandering around the range and I can't find any sign # of a hive. # # I've been told that there is no such thing as a bee repellent. Is this # true? I'm not sure what is attracting them, but I've tried new detergents # in the laundry, different shoes, pants, keeping the water in the car, etc., # etc., and they just keep coming over to say hi. # # I've gotten into the habit now of putting rubber bands around my pant legs # to keep them closed, or tucking my pants into my boots when I wear boots. # But bees still come by and hang around. I'm just waiting to be stung again. # # Anyone have any ideas how to keep these guys away? I can carry some spray # and nuke the ones I see, but its the one that lands on me when I'm busy # peering through a rifle scope that bothers me. If I brush him off and he # gets upset, it'll be my arse.

Could be the smell in your deodorant. The poison 'Seven' is absolutely the quickest killer of bees and wasps I ever saw. It you find the hive use a hose end sprayer with seven in it. They will fall out of the air. Another thing. Sit away from trash cans with soda bottles in them. Bees come for the sugar in the dregs.

Jason Wagner typed: # I've been told that there is no such thing as a bee repellent. Is # this true? > # # Anyone have any ideas how to keep these guys away? I can carry some # spray and nuke the ones I see, but its the one that lands on me when # I'm busy peering through a rifle scope that bothers me. If I brush # him off and he gets upset, it'll be my arse.

Fabric softener sheets work good ( Bounce), we keep empty pop and beer cans in a barrel and the fabric softener sheets keep the yellow jackets and bees away by paper clipping the sheets to the top of the barrel. In the fall the yellow jackets are so bad we tack them to the outside doors to keep them away. Try a small piece on each pant leg end and see if that works.

are you sure there isn't a nest right near where you sit at the range? i have been around tons of bees, and i don't think i have ever been stung (wasps and yellow jackets, yes). do you walk somewhere that a scent that attracts the bees is getting on your shoes? is there a ton of clover or something around your shooting bench? there must be some reason they are coming around there.

FWIW i never heard of a bee repellant. and i can definitely see where getting stung would be a bit of a distraction to precision shooting.

andy b.

On Mon, 7 Jul 2003 12:41:13 +0000 (UTC), 'Jason Wagner'

> ...

# # Anyone have any ideas how to keep these guys away? I can carry some spray # and nuke the ones I see, but its the one that lands on me when I'm busy # peering through a rifle scope that bothers me. If I brush him off and he # gets upset, it'll be my arse.

Back when I was a Boy Scout I was told that eating garlic makes you less appealing to mosquitoes, so it might also work with bees? (at least you won't have to worry about vampires)