Besides that, Mrs. Lincoln...

I celebrated my birthday the other day. Great party, wonderful friends. But... that morning a circuit breaker went bad, so an electrician had to come out and bring light back to the guest bathroom. My drip system wasn't working and was, in fact, killing my trees, so a landscape guy came out. And, leaving the best for last, a swarm of bees has taken up residence 3 feet from my front door. See pix below. I've called 10 beekeepers and no one is willing to come out and (for a fee of ~$800) tear out my siding and remove my new hive. I've read a lot about Colony Collapse Disorder and, frankly, I'm hoping this colony collapses before I lose my patience. Other than that, it was a great birthday.

 

 

Update: I finally got someone to come out and vacuum (yes, really) out the bees. He promised that he was taking the box over to a beekeeper.

And now there is one bee hanging from a spider's web right next to where the bees were vacuumed out, which looks for all the world like a warning to other bees: beware of this house. Kind of like those old hobo signs outside houses...

Comments

[Reva]

Don't you see? That swarm was clearly shaped like a heart. Those bees were just wishing you "happy birthday."

At least they got it together (so to speak) to do so in time, unlike myself. A bee-lated happy birthday to ya, MEB.

[Mary ELlen Bates]

Um, the whole point of this exercise was to SAVE the bees. Plus, the last thing I want to do is ignite gasoline within 6 inches of cedar siding.

[helmut herrmann]

For the bees that on the landscape rock, this has worked for me. Wait till evening, when they are all asleep or dormant for the night. You will be able to approach them with no protective gear. Get a spray bottle of gasoline, and quickly spray the colony with as much gasoline as you can, and then set in on fire, and run into the house. Problem solved. Next morning all you have to do is sweep up the remains.

[Amy]

Happy birthday!

[Cindy L. Myers]

Happy Birthday, you l'il ole bee charmer!