Gardening friends

[Smart Red]

Until today I've considered the insects that are not harmful to my plants to be useful garden friends. HAH! Not so friendly it would seem. This afternoon I uncovered a nest of honey bees. Yes, ordinarily I would consider them my friends and let them bee in peace. I wish they had felt the same way. Yup! Stung! I was stung, my son was stung, CC was stung a couple of times, and when Toes went to investigate, he was seen racing away at great speed, I suspect stung as well.

DS suggested waiting until nightfall and spraying the H out of them. DH suggested running the fuel pipe down into the hive and turning it on to get rid of any old gasoline it might hold. Not me! I suggested that - as nearly endangered animals in today's time - that I ask the neighbor down the road if he wants another collection of bees to put in one of his hives. See? Peaceful solution.

Then I continued to mow. I went through a narrow passage between some evergreen and the greenhouse. Fine! A lot of grass and weeds were gone. Then I returned through the passage to get the rest of the weeds. ATTACK! It would seem that I 'found' another insect home. Not sure what kind of insect it was - no, I did not stop to investigate - but I know they were the stinging kind. Ouch! No need to ask me how I know if I didn't see them. I fear I have several more stings to join that first one.

I have several St. John's Wort bushes that are smothered in bees of every sort when in bloom and NEVER have I gotten stung by an insect seeking pollen in those bushes as I would reach in and grab a few Japanese Beetles for drowning. My hand would bump into bees, bees would bump into my hand, but we were all friends in the SJW. Now it seems, we are not friends. Perhaps we've never been friends. I feel so sad and alone without my friends. SIGH!

 

[thistlebloom]

Yes, so sad when the stalwart friends we thought we had turn out to be nothing but users of our good nature. And our pollen. :/

 

[so lucky]

I think I read that at certain times of the year they are much more easily upset. I don't know if this is one of those times, tho. I do know yellow jackets are vicious this time of year (any time of year) Lin Bee, I sure feel for you, getting stung so many times. I still don't have any honeybees around here this year. And I have all sorts of blooming things that they like.

 

[NwMtGardener]

Heh, i also have always considered bees my friends, and until this year it had been many many years since i was stung. About a month ago, i went to use one of my sawhorses, and the paper waps had set up a nest in the few days since i used it last. They were startled, i was startled, and got 1 sting. But i know it could have been worse, there were a lot of them, and they were pissed!

2 days ago, i was horseback riding and we were moving quick, and one must have flown right into my collarbone and stung me!! I never saw it, but i sure had a nasty welt! Never had that happen before! I am definitely a little more mistrustful of them...

 

[seedcorn]

Bald face hornets are now my favorite wasp/hornet as this is first year house and sheds not covered in yellow jackets. Bald faced hornets eat them for lunch.

 

[Smart Red]

What's the airfare to have a few shipped here? I sprayed a couple of hornet's nests this morning. Nasty things, IMHO.

My fave is the cicada wasp. Big, beautiful lady! We met a few years ago when DH was building a retaining wall. She was sunning on a block as DH worked steadily closer. She was huge and I was worried she might not be friendly. I went for the RAID. Closer and closer as we stared each other down - her watching my every move and me anticipating her sudden attack. . . not wanting to use the RAID unless her behavior warranted it.

Once in a while she would fly off, only to return in short order continuing to watch my every move. After about 90 minutes we were nearly at her spot when she left. As we worked on the wall I spotted her flying close to the ground with a cicada, twice her size, in her grasp. Of course, that's why she was standing watch on the wall. It was beside soft, loose soil ideal for burying the paralyzed cicada -- food for her soon-to-be-babies whose eggs were laid inside the insect.

 

[digitS']

Linn Bee, despite the stings, you can still relate a good story.

I am sorry that you had the stings - they are so surprisingly painful, every time!

I used to feel that me and the bumblebees had a special relationship. Then I tried hugging one on a cold, wet morning. Zap! He must not have liked me gathering him up in a big armful of flowers!

About the best I can do is tolerate the yellow jackets a little better each year. Years ago, I wanted to kill every one that came close to me - having experienced their painful stings. Now, I realize that they do eat a lot of the bugs that damage my plants. I try to protect them when I'm spraying and try not to carry them off from their territories with the produce. If I can tolerate coyotes . . .

Steve