Bees @ Stoney Point

A group of teens and their dog were attacked by Bees at Stoney Point, report here.

A teen was hospitalized and the dog was killed.

I'm assuming that the bees came from the hive located on the

, in about the middle of the wall.

The bees at Stoney Point are extremely aggressive, I'm assuming that they're Africanized, or Killer Bees.

I didn't have a camera or I'd post a pic. The Parks Service posted up a new information sign by the Pile Ups that tells all about bees and what to do. It explains about "africanized honey bees" and how they've replaced the european bees here in california (and other spots).

Anyway, I heard the park service went around and sprayed the hives (or whatever they do to remove them). I haven't checked it out yet. The sign says to report any hives to have them removed both in the park and on your private property.

The hives I knew about were the Back Wall (as mentioned), Carousel Rock, and another one up the hill from Cap Rock, south of Spiral Rock. That last one's on a spot that it seems nobody is ever climbing though. All the hives indicated in the old SoCal bouldering guide are not there anymore.

Someone should post up if indeed the hives have been removed, or I'll check this week if I remember when I'm there.

Oh and lastly, there are TONS of bees on the flowers out there right now, but not aggressive.

On a BEE related side note: I was at the beach yesterday and got stung on the bottom of my foot by a bee rolling around in the surf and am now limping around work. My dog also got stung on the foot earlier. This was down near Huntington Beach though. Stupid bees.

Sounds like it's time for a:

Global War on Bees (GWOB).

You're either with us, or against us...

The hive on the Back Wall looked pretty busy as of July 7th. I took a wide berth considering that I had my little 4-year-old boy with me, wouldn't want anything bad to happen to him.

I've been attacked only once at Stoney Point - chased by the little buggers and stung twice on the face. My friend Tony was stung on the lip -

, it's funny, but could have very easily been very not funny.

I was stung twice in the face while on the pothole traverse on June 25.
I agree they have become very aggressive.

Never learning from my own mistakes, I was climbing Black's Crack a few days ago and the bees kept pelting into me. I wasn't stung, but they are definately pissed off here recently. The hive has also moved down and is super low to the ground now. Like at face level and is much bigger than a few months ago.

I'm just never going to get to climb the stuff on the back wall unless I rent a giant bee costume.

Is carousel still buzzing? I haven't checked that out in 6 months.

As much as I have respect and tolerance for other living things, I would say it's past due time for Parks and Recreation to perhaps remove the bees from the Back Wall area.

Chris Owen wrote:As much as I have respect and tolerance for other living things

....

And what about that homeless guy that is living just uphill from B1 Boulder, right off the main trail. He's totally trashing the place around there. Poop, pee, trash, glass, etc..... is all starting to really pile up around that area. He/she has been living there since at least february 2008. I wouldn't care if he/she weren't trashing everything. I've never actually seen them, but the sleeping/cooking gear is moved every morning and a bunch of opened cans have started piling up. The poo is what really gets me. Someone crapped all over the side of B1 boulder a month or so ago. Totally sick.

Between the bees and poo, it's hard to explain to new people why Stoney is awesome.

Jordan Ramey wrote:Poop, pee, trash, glass, etc..... is all starting to really pile up around that area. He/she has been living there since at least february 2008. I wouldn't care if he/she weren't trashing everything. I've never actually seen them, but the sleeping/cooking gear is moved every morning and a bunch of opened cans have started piling up. The poo is what really gets me. Someone crapped all over the side of B1 boulder a month or so ago. Totally sick. Between the bees and poo, it's hard to explain to new people why Stoney is awesome.

that's just beyond gross. I thought CA folks took good-care & were proud of their environment

Jordan Ramey wrote:Stupid bees.

not really, rumour has it that African bees were accidentally introduced into the wild in South and North America in 1956. Brazilian scientists were attempting to create a new hybrid bee in the hopes of creating improved honey production. The Africanized bee escaped and began to dominate. Stupid people - sombody left the door open..

edit~ p.s. ~Honey Bees PLEASE COME BACK -- Jordan's sorry he didn't mean it -- it's your wild cousins he's referring to..!!!!

Jordan Ramey wrote:.... And what about that homeless guy that is living just uphill from B1 Boulder, right off the main trail. He's totally trashing the place around there. Poop, pee, trash, glass, etc..... is all starting to really pile up around that area. He/she has been living there since at least february 2008. I wouldn't care if he/she weren't trashing everything. I've never actually seen them, but the sleeping/cooking gear is moved every morning and a bunch of opened cans have started piling up. The poo is what really gets me. Someone crapped all over the side of B1 boulder a month or so ago. Totally sick. Between the bees and poo, it's hard to explain to new people why Stoney is awesome.

It could be a new homeless person but there has been someone residing there since I started climbing at stoney 8 years ago. Stoney is right in the middle of the city. party kids, taggers, bums, tourists and now bee's. I still think stoney rocks though :) Its got flavor. diversity if you will :)
One time the bum chased us when were were youngins. It was the scariest stoney mission ever.

Jordan, I think the only way you can explain "awesome stoney " is history. ALot went down there. It for sure is not the most beautifull or asthetic place on the map :)

I'll be going back again this year. Every year I clean up more proj's unfinished.

I heard a rumor back in the day that the original hive at Stoney Point was sprayed by a film crew working on a Steven Segal film. I also seem to recall hearing that they broke some holds too.

I learned to climb at Stony point back in the 80's!

Ah the Segal film (On Deadly Ground, I think) - they really did a number on Stoney (painted the rock, bulldozed a new trail etc.) this raised a debate which went as far as the LA Mayor's office - I got called into a meeting to add a local climber's perspective.

I've been going to Stoney for 25 years and there have always been people living there in the caves and hideouts that exist - they get turned out by Parks and Recreation every now and then. Amazing to think they actually live there.

I was on "pot holes" last tuesday 09/23, and a bee stung me right between the eyes! I am not alergec to the stings, but my eyes are swolen almost shut. It might just bee time to go take out the bees.
late

Scott H wrote:I heard a rumor back in the day that the original hive at Stoney Point was sprayed by a film crew working on a Steven Segal film. I also seem to recall hearing that they broke some holds too. I learned to climb at Stony point back in the 80's!

They didn't go around to the back side. They spraypainted Boulder 1 this generic, poo shade of brown to match what they believed was color of the rocks in Colorado where the "action" scene was supposed to take place. Pretty lame but not as lasting as you might fear.

Edit: BTW, I think I may have the worst bee sting story so far.

I was riding my mt. bike out by Santiago Peak (Orange County) at the start of the good three hour ride. I was bombing down a steep, loose hill and a bee flew in my mouth and stung me on the inside of my bottom lip. (Note to self: keep mouth closed tight when descending). I tried to swipe the bee out with one hand and crossed my front tire and went flying. My lip swelled up some but the worst part was that my gums did too. It felt like I had just flossed my teeth with piano wire. Just the sensation you want at the start of a long, hard ride.

Back before lasik, while running in the Flatirons outside Boulder, I had a bee fly between my glasses and my eye. That was lots of fun.

Before that, while hiking to a climb at Seneca, WV, I was stung on the leg, so I swatted the yellow jacket and stepped on him. Unfortunately, I was on top of the ground nest!!

I must confess that I enjoyed the recent Man vs. Wild episode set in Baja where Bear Ghrylls got stung on his forehead by one bee - that's the most f'd up I've seen him - I'm also pretty sure he got medical aid shortly afterwards.

BTW I like Bear and don't wish him any harm.

I checked out the back wall this morning and confirmed that there are indeed TWO hives now on the potholes traverse. Those park service signs about "taking action" against the bees are really helping.

On a side note, Stoney is looking much cleaner than it sometimes does. Much less trash floating around. Some new graffitti, but nothing much.

Glad I am not the only one that has been embarrassed by the bee! I got stung in the Gunks years ago, not once but 5 times!!! Within what felt like a second. I popped off on a 5.6 (I think it was the Arch)!!!! the bees were living in the rock, unbeknownst to me. I started smacking the rock next to the hole to make sure it was good and BAM then AHHHHHH!

See the movie "Bees" if you want to see how those little buggers think! LOLOL!!!

I went out to check on the bees this morning. I've been dreadfully worried ever since stoney point burned a couple weeks ago. I thought to myself, "self... those bees sure might be in trouble. I don't think bees are fireproof!" But hooo, was I wrong. Apparently bees thrive in fire. The hive on the back wall is alive and kicking and apparently populating the entire area. There are numerous ground hives now in the burned patch downslope from the back wall. Holes and at boulder bases are just chocked full of bees in that area.

Awesome.

Here's my thread on the burn:
mountainproject.com/v/south…

Bumping this, getting pelted by bees at Mozarts, at the summit, and on Spiral. I don't even bother with Carousel. Does Parks and Rec still visit?

rp91320 wrote:Bumping this, getting pelted by bees at Mozarts, at the summit, and on Spiral. I don't even bother with Carousel. Does Parks and Rec still visit?

No... and don't call and complain, keep SP off of the radar.

Has the big hive returned to the right end of Pot Holes, or the one by Beethoven? (back wall) If so, that's bad, that was the Killer Colony that started this thread.

It might just be swarming season now.... the worst are the Yellow Jackets that live underground. Step on to one of their nest and it ON, you had better be able to run really fast.

Parks and Rec will be out clearing brush soon. If the bees are really bad, they will call the Bee Keeper and have him do his thing.