Bees in the Restroom

It appears that there is a honeybee hive in the toilet in the restroom at the parking area for the hike to North Dome. It's been there since last year. For obvious reasons no one is going to use the facilities. It's hard to believe that whoever is responsible for cleaning the restroom hasn't noticed this. Can someone contact or supply the contact of the person who could get this taken care care of?

Why don't you make the call. You can do it just as easy as anyone else.

Who should I call?

For a situation like this I would call Yosemite Dispatch: (209) 379-1992.

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plawrence
For a situation like this I would call Yosemite Dispatch: (209) 379-1992.

Since it is not an emergency nor a police matter, that is the last number you want to call. Instead call; (209) 372-0200. Or, wait until Wednesday and I'll ask some of those that work in Buildings & Grounds and see what they have to say.

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Dave

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plawrence

For a situation like this I would call Yosemite Dispatch: (209) 379-1992.

Since it is not an emergency nor a police matter, that is the last number you want to call. Instead call; (209) 372-0200.

You don't call the Yosemite Dispatch number (209) 379-1992 for an emergency. You dial 911 instead. The Park Service even tells you that if you dial Yosemite's general park information number: (209) 372-0200.

The Yosemite Dispatch phone number should be used for non-emergency issues that NPS might need to dispatch personnel out. It should be used for unruly campers in campgrounds, especially during quiet hours (10:00 PM to 6:00 AM). It should be used for urgent bear issues (bears getting to someone's food in a campground or picnic area), or to report a disabled vehicle (not an accident) blocking a road.

Calling in to report an active beehive in one of the park's comfort stations would be appropriate.

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Dave

Or, wait until Wednesday and I'll ask some of those that work in Buildings & Grounds and see what they have to say.

That would be great, Dave.

Thanks for helping get this issue resolved.

.

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plawrence
You don't call the Yosemite Dispatch number (209) 379-1992 for an emergency. You dial 911 instead.

You don't call them for non emergency things like bees.

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]The Yosemite Dispatch phone number should be used for non-emergency issues that NPS might need to dispatch personnel out. ....

Not for bees.

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Calling in to report an active beehive in one of the park's comfort stations would be appropriate.

No, it would not. They do not "dispatch" personnel for that.

I called the Dispatch number this morning and reported the problem. They said it was the correct number to call and they would pass the information on to the appropriate person.

Thanks much for your suggestion! I'll keep this number for future problems should I run into something.

A few years ago while I was camping in Lower Pines, a large group of clueless young 'dudes' camping down the road from me had too many coolers along.
They filled the bear box with several coolers and some boxes of food, but then left several other large coolers out on their picnic table, then all of them
drove off somewhere. I was dumbfounded when I noticed this passing by their site on my way to the bathroom.
A quick phone call to the dispatch number listed above, and in less then 5 minutes, a ranger drove up to remove the offending coolers.
I was impressed by the timely response.

The person was being polite. Don't bother Dispatch with minor problems like this.

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Dave
The person was being polite. Don't bother Dispatch with minor problems like this.

Huh? Are you referring to the bees, or my comment above about the unattended coolers of food left out on a table? If it's the later, both the dispatcher and the ranger who arrived both informed me I had used the correct phone number, followed the correct protocol, and thanked me for my efforts. I did ask if it was an appropriate use of that phone number. Unattended food cooler = potentially dead problem bear down the road.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/2014 01:38PM by PineCone.

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PineCone
Huh? Are you referring to the bees, or my comment above about the unattended coolers of food left out on a table?....

The bees.

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Dave
The bees.

Ah, ok. Thank you for clarifying that.

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Calaveras
It appears that there is a honeybee hive in the toilet in the restroom at the parking area for the hike to North Dome. It's been there since last year. For obvious reasons no one is going to use the facilities. It's hard to believe that whoever is responsible for cleaning the restroom hasn't noticed this. Can someone contact or supply the contact of the person who could get this taken care care of?

Seemed like the poster was willing to accept that duty, if they only knew who to call.......

One thing to be aware of when using a cell phone to dial 911, unless you are able to give the operator your exact location there might be a problem in them finding where you are. See this article at http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/why-calling-911-your-cell-not-always-good-idea-n99736 Also, we found out on Monday that calling dispatch can be faster than calling 911. On Monday, we were one of the first people at the scene of a car accident. People that got there first were trying to call 911 and could not connect so I called dispatch. I was already giving information of the injuries to the dispatcher and people calling 911 still were waiting for someone to answer them.

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parklover
One thing to be aware of when using a cell phone to dial 911, unless you are able to give the operator your exact location there might be a problem in them finding where you are. See this article at http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/why-calling-911-your-cell-not-always-good-idea-n99736 Also, we found out on Monday that calling dispatch can be faster than calling 911. On Monday, we were one of the first people at the scene of a car accident. People that got there first were trying to call 911 and could not connect so I called dispatch. I was already giving information of the injuries to the dispatcher and people calling 911 still were waiting for someone to answer them.

That's something to call dispatch about.

Bees in a bathroom are more of an emergency for people who are allergic to bees and don't know it yet. Bees kill more people each year than sharks, bears, moose, etc. Nearly as many people as mosquitos kill... I think the park really wants to know about that sort of thing ASAP given the valley's full of tourists.

Hmm, I used that bathroom last week and noticed a few bees in it. I didn't see a hives worth but I was quick about my business and careful not to let any land on my, uh, exposed parts. I also noticed a few more just outside when I was leaving.

They've been there for a year. The only reason they'd be there for so long is if there was a queen present. Honey bees don't congregate like that for no reason. A brief review of Google search results indicates that the short growing season at 8000' puts a lot of stress on a hive so it may be small and not very robust. A lack of a large swarm doesn't mean there is no hive.

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Calaveras
They've been there for a year. The only reason they'd be there for so long is if there was a queen present. Honey bees don't congregate like that for no reason. A brief review of Google search results indicates that the short growing season at 8000' puts a lot of stress on a hive so it may be small and not very robust. A lack of a large swarm doesn't mean there is no hive.

I believe you. My only other experience with bees was when they unfortunately colonized a beam outside my house. The queen had found her way between a wood beam and the brick that had been later laid over it. There were mass quantities of bees congregating on a beam extending from the roof. When I called someone to deal with them he really stirred them up. I've never seen such a mass quantity of bees in flight at one time, as I safely watched through the window.

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JohnC
My only other experience with bees was when they unfortunately colonized a beam outside my house. The queen had found her way between a wood beam and the brick that had been later laid over it. There were mass quantities of bees congregating on a beam extending from the roof. When I called someone to deal with them he really stirred them up. I've never seen such a mass quantity of bees in flight at one time, as I safely watched through the window.

That sounds more like a resting swarm than a hive. A swarm will hang around while scouts look for a suitable place to colonize.

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eeek

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JohnC
My only other experience with bees was when they unfortunately colonized a beam outside my house. The queen had found her way between a wood beam and the brick that had been later laid over it. There were mass quantities of bees congregating on a beam extending from the roof. When I called someone to deal with them he really stirred them up. I've never seen such a mass quantity of bees in flight at one time, as I safely watched through the window.

That sounds more like a resting swarm than a hive. A swarm will hang around while scouts look for a suitable place to colonize.

Well, they had made a home through an opening between the original wooden beam that ran perpendicular to the ground, and the decorative brick that had been layered around it many years ago. According to the bee guy, the queen had gotten down in the beam and made a home there. I don't know if that's considered a hive but they were living there for a short time before I took action. And there were tons of them. For even a few weeks after they were "gone" I would always see strays flying around above my roof as if looking for an airport that used to be there but who's landing strip had now been demolished, thereby leaving nowhere to land.

When honeybees swarm it's usually the old queen that leaves the hive, taking some portion of the colony with her. Normally, bees in swarming mode will not sting because their abdomens are full of as much honey as they could manage to take with them to set up housekeeping elsewhere. When they are that full it is very difficult for them to bend their bodies in a manner required to utilize the stinger. It really makes no difference whether they are in flight or at rest.