help, I have a bee hive..I think

[drgnflyft11]

Hi there!
I Live in Gresham and just recently while outside with my kids I saw a bunch of "bees" flying by my fence. I went to investigate and saw that I was standing right in the middle of some sort of "bee freeway" I quickly moved(since I and my young daughter are dealthy allergic) and saw them flying under my fence. I started doing research and read that if the hive is underground it's not a "bee" hive,but wasps instead. I investigated more (dumb me) and they do NOT look like wasps,but smaller bees. I have a bunch of yard debri (compose type stuff) on the side of my yard, so now I think the hive must be in there and not underground like I first thought. I don't wish to hurt these "bee's," but I do need them gone.So, I thought I would go on here and ask some advice.With the information I have given would you say that they are bee's or something else? if they are is there anyone out there willing to come out take a peek and take them home with them if they are a "bee" for no cost?!
Thanks for any replies!!

[jacquelinefreeman]

I know this is an old message but I'm going to post an answer for anyone in a similar situation. First, if the bees are underground and not yellow jackets, they're probably one of the few hundred native bees that live in our area and they're just fine where they are, no danger to you. Most people are not aware of the fact that 98% of all bees don't have stingers. Just the bigger ones do (honeybees, bumbles, wasps, YJs, hornets), the rest of them can't and don't sting. The smaller the size, the less likely they are to have stingers. So you're probably just fine letting them live where they are.

The vast majority of native bees live underground in little tunnels and holes or burrow into where the pith in dried out sticks was. Like mason bees who lay their eggs in anything the size of a straw. They can't harm you and have no interest in people. They mostly want to stay out of your way, too. If you can protect that area, you'd be doing the native bee population a big favor. They, too, are native pollinators and give a big hand to gardens and orchard trees.

warmly,
Jacqueline Freeman
Friendly Haven Rise Farm
www.FriendlyHaven.com/classes.html