Fw: Bee's swarming

Interesting stories.... head full of bees... wow..

Do domestic honeybees chase off yellow jackets or is it the other way
around. I'm allergic (highly sensitive really) to honeybees, but they
are of course much more friendly then them nasty yellow jackets.  Our
old home (just 30 minutes away) had lots of yellow jackets, even
about our dozen fruit trees.  

My father raised honeybees as a kid in 4-H, but he is deadly allergic
to honey bee stings as well as my brother.  Neither of us fear bees
though.  My son at 4 years of age called me outside one day to show
me a ''trick''... waited for a Bumble bee to land on a flower and
carefully petted it... it was just darling... I did have to get after
him for ''trapping'' them into the foxglove blooms. Children!

Here at our new home in Douglas Fir Forest land of Pacific Northwest,
I was very surprised at all the mason bees and Bumble bees we have. 
They love my flowers and old roses. Only a few yellow jackets and
honeybees. Would an introduction of honeybees (only a few small fruit
trees in my new garden and a dozen or so old homestead fruit trees
within a mile or so)  chase off the lovely Bumble Bees? 

Basically, what's the ''pecking order" (if any) of these four bees? 
Aren't Yellow Jackets pests or do they pollinate?

Dried Rose Geranium or Lemon Geraniums leaves soaked in fresh honey
is most yummy. 

Sincerely,       
~Carleen~
Keeper of Sheep & Old Roses
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