Then something unexpected happened at our house in our own trees.
Last Saturday I looked out the kitchen window as I usually do and noticed something strange all over the back driveway....
I quickly discovered those were dead bees all over the ground.
I looked up in the tree above and found this:
That big black cluster is a swarm of bees. Ugh, seriously?!?!!! Bees have found us again!! (To read about our first exciting experience with bees, read this post.) I snapped this with my phone and that's as close as I was gonna get. Ran back inside and alerted my husband who had just returned from a hunting trip. I got on the phone with our pest control guy and he assured me the swarm would move on in two or three days. This tree was far enough away from the house that we left them alone and would wait it out until they left.
By Wednesday morning, they were still there. The cluster appeared smaller and had moved to another branch, but they weren't leaving. Ugh! We went about our busy afternoon and didn't pay much attention to the swarm. My husband came home unusually early that day and had gone out back to check and soon noticed bees buzzing like crazy all around a tree RIGHT by the house. He came back inside and went to the other room that had a window right next to that tree.
The swarm had moved from one tree to another, now super close to the house and Pearl's doggie door. Looking at them up close through my zoom lens kinda gave me the willies!
At this point, my hubby got on the phone with a member of our Stake Presidency (church congregation) who does bee keeping as a hobby. The guy said he would quickly come out and take care of it. Not 10 minutes later, my husband called me back into the room. The bees had moved from the tree to the ground right below it.
Isn't that the weirdest looking thing?
We watched and waited. Our bee keeper friend showed up and swept up all the bees into a bucket and put them inside this box.....
It was interesting to watch and surprised how quickly the bees latched onto the side of the box. He left it there to sit overnight and see if the rest will fly inside. It's still here, so I'm hoping he comes today to pick it up 'cuz we'd like our backyard back!
Check out these other talented ladies to see their take on this week's theme:
12 comments:
Ugh. I can't even imagine. I think (no, I know) I would lock myself in the house for however many days it took for them to be gone.
Have a great weekend now that you'll have your backyard back!
Yuk! I've always been afraid of bees, and would run screaming if they were near, but when my kids were little, I didn't want them to be like me, so I would calmly walk away from the bees if they got too close. Well, my kids have all moved on now and I find myself wanting to run screaming again.
Did the bee keeper friend tell you why they do that?!
P.S. great tree shots.
wow, that's some excitement for your week, hey?! that would freak me out too but i'd have to keep reminding myself how good bees are and how much we need them in our world. so glad you were able to find someone to help you take care of them.
EEK! That gives me the heebie jeebies! I do love bees, for what they do. But being stung terrifies me. I like them from afar...and not in swarms. ha! Awesome captures of your adventure. If that makes you feel any better, we had a snake in our house this past week. Someday I may have to post the story on the blog. AHH!
Oh my! Having a bee-keeping friend sure has it's benefits! :)
My WORST nightmare! EVER! Scared to DEATH of bees!! They would have been gone that very first day! Or I would have been hiding out in a hotel room!
Love the fiery colors of the tree in the third photo. Beautiful.
that would TOTALLY give me the willies!!! Glad someone could help (isn't it funny how the church helps in such non church ways so much :))
I love that you have a beekeeper friend! This would have totally thrown me for a loop. I had no idea bees did this!
What a cool experience you had getting to see those bees! WOW! And I love photos 2 and 4. Beautiful.
Would you please update your blog link for me to reflect my new website? It is now http://www.allthethingsweareblog.com/
Thanks,
Jessica
Oh, and I don't know how to post a comment here without using my blogger profile. I can't post my name and URL anywhere. HELP!
I am a weird...I know...I totally LOVE bees! This is so cool to me. I would have loved to watch this unfold. They were probably migrating somewhere and decided to stop for a rest in your tree! And how cool that you have a bee keeper for a friend!
OMG! That is so scary!! We have a bee issue in our front lawn :( :( The sad thing is.. I think I am allergic to it.. I was not prescribed an epi pen but when I was stung for the first time a few years ago... my thigh where it stung welted badly and the welt was bigger than my palm which also felt warm! I am not allowed to go in our yard around that area... and the weird thing is, they are nesting in the ground under this one tree.... not sure what type of tree it is, but it is very annoying! My boyfriend tried to spray it w/ stuff, but it came back! Hopefully we get them removed, it's no fun when you can't even have your own yard. You're lucky you have a beekeeper friend :)
That is a very unique experience :/
Post a Comment