@Stella Thanks Stella. I have just sent an email to the Marie so fingers crossed they will be of help. I was beginning to get very excited about the prospect of at last being able to visit my second home after all this time. We live in a very VERY rural area and accept and indeed welcome the local wild life (even two Stone Martens who took residence for several years) but this last year has been particularly challenging for everyone but here’s to better times to come. I just need to get all my PCR test and documentation sorted and I will be there! Take care everyone and keep up the good work.
Hi John, let’s start afresh, as anyone who knows me will attest that I am the last person to “fight” with anyone so I definitely do not want to “fight” with you or my neighbour. Actually, it was the other way round but I’m not keeping score as this does not help. I am sure, come August, I will be sitting on her patio sharing my English Afternoon Tea with her as she loves this. I will raise a cuppa to you too in the try spirit of friendship - a votre sante 
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Hadn’t read this comment @John_Scully as it had been hidden but I have read it. Thanks for the comments, I don’t believe I was slagging you off at all but I don’t believe telling someone to”piss off” is very constructive and also quite unpleasant. I am very sad that you felt the need to use that type of attitude but I don’t know your situation or health or mood so maybe you have a good reason to behave in such a way so I forgive you
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I’m so glad you came back, @Deniseminton so that you could see all the people who are rooting for you! You will sort all this out, I’m sure and it will be sooooo good for you to get back to your house. Fingers crossed 
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which is why the comment was hidden by the community. SF has a strict policy on this and it was most uncharacteristic of JS (except when it comes to mindless brexiteers and Doris et al comments that is 
)
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Thanks Graham. I am sure John and I will be best of friends soon 
. Nice to be here 
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A welcome from me too, Denise, it was obvious to me from your posts that you were doing something and that your question here was only part of that.
As most have said, and you know anyway, the Mairie is the place to go because they will want to be assured that it is bees and not Asiatic hornets. If the latter they will take appropriate action and you will no doubt get a bill, but if it is bees there will be plenty of experts not only willing but eager to remove them safely. As long as they don’t need access to the interior it should be no problem. You might even get a jar of honey left for you as a thank you, as we once did.
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Thanks for you nice posts Denise. They are testimony that you’re a nice person and that I did indeed get it wrong. I misinterprted your original post and then compounded it, so I do apologise. I also agree that "piss off " is never appropriate. heavens knows why I posted it.
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You were probably just having a bad day @John_Scully and your reply just confirms what I said about you being a lovely chap 
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I know we as men usually are never wrong 
but it is nice to admit to the odd failling and put it right occasionally, I normally only admit I am wrong out of my OH earshot but on a forum it is different 
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Speak for yourself, personally only done 2 things wrong my entire life…
Everything I do and everything I say. 
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I don’t know about that Damaris 
(BTW, the cheque’s in the post).
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Hi Denise
From my experience, if it’s a swarm of bees that have nested, local beekeepers are only too happy to come and deal with it, as the rule (at least in my region - 04) is that the finder of a swarm has the right to keep it! It has happened to me a couple of times, and I have just rung up my beekeeper friends.
I also had a problem once with wasps that had infested the roof, under the tiles. The local fire service were really nice and came and fumigated it. However, that was many years ago and things may have changed. I have too, as I am now also averse to killing wasps, as I have learnt that they have a very important role in the ecosystem.
All the best
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Hi Richard and welcome to SF
They have AFAIK. I think the pompiers will now only turn out for the Asian Hornets and in some Departments make make a charge for the service but the local bee keepers, as you say, are delighted to collect a new swarm.
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Thanks very much for you support - hope to have the buzzing situation sorted soon 
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Hi John - I am so happy that we are friends again You obviously have lots of friends on this site who testify that this is not like you - we all have a our bad days and your apology is unconditionally accepted. In early January, I was volunteering as a car park Marshall at my local Covid vaccination centre, it was 7.30 am, freezing cold and pouring with rain. I asked (politely I might add) a lady if she could move her car a she was taking up two spaces in a full car park…… she accused me of being a “Little Hitler in a yellow jacket” - I did not take offence to this as I am sure there were reasons for her grumpy demeanour 
. So you see, I have a thick skin. Nice to be on this site and I look forward to helping, contributing and gaining from everyone. Take care John and hope to “speak” to you again.
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Thanks Richard - I am frequently stung by wasps in France but like you said, they are all part of the natural world so I only discourage them by eating my jam doughnuts inside
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I managed to deal with the last wasp nest I found in the house with a can of Raid, not that I recommend trying that approach but I caught the nest when it was ~ 10-12cm in diameter so not too many wasps involved.
I’m pretty certain it was Asian hornets as well - thankfully not the giant ones.
Interestingly I didn’t notice it for several minutes and, despite their reputation, the wasps did not seem to take the slightest interest in me despite the fact that I was < 1m from the nest.
Despite being terrified of them (that’s got better as I have got older, a bit anxious would probably now cover it) I’m inclined to agree - I zapped the small nest in France but it was inside the house - I wouldn’t bother with one outside as long as there weren’t too many insects getting indoors. In fact we left a nest in an old bird box last year which was right next to our bedroom window - they didn’t seem interested in entering the house and, if anything, we had fewer wasps bother us when eating outside.
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Yes, but you really should get that toothbrush moustache shaved off Denise, you can hardly blame her for the error.
On wasps, or rather the smaller pretend ones that nevertheless do give a sting (don’t know their name) I very reluctantly bought a can of spray from the pharmacie yesterday and eliminated the ones in the car. They build their nests in the door jam which is sealed off from the interior when the doors are closed and I have lived in peace with them for years, but 2 days ago I opened the side slider to let the dog out and was engulfed in an angry swarm, one of which stung me on the arm. So they had to go. 
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