Bees

There's been a lot of, ahem, buzz about them lately.

As a child, I never had a real fear of them, per say, but more of a very healthy respect, which I've tried to pass on to my children. I find leaf cutter and bumble bees particularly fascinating. How can you argue the beauty of a bumble? And nothing makes me more irritated than someone swatting one! Open the friggin door and herd it out for pete sake!

We've had swarms move through our yard almost every single year - last summer's was an awesome thing to watch, though my daughter was less than enthusiastic about the whole situation when they decided to inspect her head close enough to decide if she was a threat. I suppose enjoyable isn't the first feeling that pops to mind when a few thousand bees envelop your head, but I give her kudos for being smart enough not to swat. :)

The migration of a bee colony is an incredible event to see. (Ok, so it doesn't take much to amaze me) Some take days to trek across our small plot, some are gone in an hour or two, but it's almost always a family 'nature watch' event. We're such geeks!

This new honey bee disease doesn't have me worried just yet. But, if we, as a community, don't start showing a bit more of that 'healthy respect', I think we're going to regret it - big time. The ideas of learning to live with the nature that lives in your gardens are finally catching on, which I'm glad of, but it just isn't enough. They've been here for a lotta years, and they aren't the pests - we are. I'm very proud of the fact that I don't own one, not one chemical for my yard. I've never used em, and don't see any reason to.

Anyway, the best article on the situation I've read yet is at Sweet Pea Chronicle. Definitely worth a read.