In my back yard I have a wonderful bird bath. I love the sound the birds make when they take a bath. However lately the bees have been using the bath to drink. What started out as about 2 or 3 bees has turned into over a hundred.
They fly around back and forth to the bath all day long. It is fairly interesting to watch through the screen door.
Here is my problem. I am deadly allergic to bees.
Here is my second problem. I am fully aware of colony collape disorder and the fact that the honey bee population is down to a scary low number.
See in order to survive as a species we need these bees. In order to survive these bees need water.
The bees are finding water in my freaking back yard. At first I thought well why not just let the bird bath dry out. Then the bees will go somewhere else right. I let it dry one day. Can I tell you how sad and depressing it was to see a hundred bees walking around and around on the empty birdbath searching for water. Or going that evening and finding around 6 dead bees in there.
So the next day I filled it back up. I felt guilty. Like some kind of bee murderer.
So there is my stupid issue. I am allergic to the damn bees. But I feel too guilty if I don't fill the bird bath with water for them. I guess I could just go in the front yard for a smoke or something....
That sucks. (BTW that is a killer picture picture) Perhaps an alternative water source that was more attractive to the bees...placed to entice them away from the birdbath. I don't know, a coffee can in the far corner of the yard with some lantana, and some echinacea or something planted around it. like a little glade of flowers surrounding a shaded pool of water (I am making myself thirsty.) That might work. Also, you could keep a shot handy and pay attention. (It's easy for me to say this, I know. That's why I'm saying it-because it's easy.) These Georgia bees are not particularly aggressive... you could get away with it here. Your front yard cigarettes could be relaxing, kick back moments and your back yard cigarettes, well they would be a little more intense. Like some Zen-clarity exercise (puts me in mind of Frank Herbert lol.). They definitely would not be boring. I'm terribly impressed that you haven't killed them. Really. That rocks.
ReplyDeleteOK. This will hopefully be the only time I'm a dick to you, about this, but I find it fascinating that you're so worried about the lifespan of the damn bees but you're slowly killing yourself with the cigarettes... Just sayin'... :)
ReplyDeleteThis may be a nutty idea but maybe animal control could do something to relocate the bees? I don't know. What I do know is, I'm allergic to them as well, and I'd much rather see them all dead then get stung by one, and because I'm allergic to them I can't stand to see them. Even that picture up top creeps me out!
Good luck with the bee problem (and quit smoking).
Have the honey move the birdbath to the far side. No more listening to birds bathe but no instant death either. It's a fair trade.
ReplyDeleteI know a man that has a pond and put a piece of old carpet on the bank of it. The bees gather there by the hundreds to drink. It is impressive. And a little scary.
ReplyDeletelol, better carry your epi pen with you at all times! i am allergic too... can't believe i have never been stung
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