Greetings from the other side of the island. Here in central New Hampshire it has been a generally been cool and wet. No real dearth yet and goldenrod is starting to bloom, asters soon to follow. This year has been a swarming education for me. I went from 5 to 15 colonies. It's time to do some combines and give some queens away. Thanks for sharing,
What you're describing is almost always yellow jackets. Here are a few other things that will help you see the difference: 1. On a warm day, a busy yellow jacket colony will have a steady 10-15 flying in and out. A honey bee colony will have hundreds. 2. Yellow jackets zip in and out of the hive. Honey bees are slower and more deliberate. 3. Yellow jackets often nest the ground (or a low place, as you're describing). Honey bees prefer a cavity, such as a hollow tree or an opening in your eaves that gives them access to an internal space. Yellow jackets can be aggressive, especially in the fall. You definitely don't want them near a high traffic area.
