Looking for some feedback

[Jared77]

I agree why take that chance. If I knew I had an issue I'd be Careful. But that's a good paying job with good benefits. I'm not defending his choices but maybe he needs to be on a route where he can do deliveries to an apt complex, or commercial where less likely to have an issue.

Hard to say what was going through his head. Regardless though that's not ok on his part.

I'd fight it if they made me go get my mail, I know carriers have been changed of routes because of conflicts between carriers & mail recipients.

 

[Smart Red]

An episode of an anaphylaxis can be utterly terrifying. Even 1 can make people paranoid. It's unfortunate but a very real reality. It's too bad for the homeowners but I can sympathize with the carrier.

I can sympathize with the carrier, but it seems that someone made a bad career choice or should have inside postal duties. It wouldn't do for a lifeguard to be afraid of water, a florist to be allergic to flowers, or a teacher to break into hives when the students walk into the room.

When I said it was sad and strange, I was considering this person being an outdoor mail carrier when bees are frequently found indoors.

 

[journey11]

I'm just speaking from my point of view as a beekeeper. They are not aggressive unless you mess with their hive or squash one. I am also allergic to wasps, bees, etc., had hives and facial swelling once after a wasp sting so the doctor gave me 2 Epi's, but I have never needed to use them. I am sympathetic to the nervousness, but it really sounds like he needs to work inside the post office if it's that big of a problem.

Of course, whether you are allergic or not, no one wants to get stung. Really the flowers shouldn't be covering the mailbox opening. I figure they probably have a rule about that somewhere. If they're just on the ground, I can't see that there is really a problem.

This is not necessarily derailing to the thread, since anyone considering a planting around their mailbox should consider it an issue.

 

[bobm]

I think using the term "bees" as a catchall term is the problem. Foraging honeybees are not aggressive, wasps and hornets frequently are, and will go out of their way to sting what they see as an interloper.

We were on the patio area of my in laws' backyard near San Diego overlooking the Pacific Ocean enjoying drinks, when a honeybee flew in and stung my father in law on his L hand. His hand swelled up like a balloon in just a couple minutes and his L ring finger started to turn purple. My mother in law said to cut off his ring NOW, So I went to his garage, got one of his small bolt cutters and cut off his wedding ring. Africanised honey bees ARE quite aggressive.

 

[annageckos]

Just plain silly. He's overreacting. Foraging bees are very docile and aren't going to sting unless you smash them. They would be too busy to take notice of him. Not like they'd be guarding the mailbox or anything. If they kept the plants short enough to not crowd the opening of the mailbox, there wouldn't be a problem. I suppose I'd get rid of the flowers and put in a rock garden and things that didn't have a bloom before I'd go to the extent of picking up my mail at the post office. Or plant feverfew, which repels bees.

I don't know about that, I have feverfew, a lot of it. A whole lot of it, and the bees go to it. Bubble bees, honey bees and I've seen little wasp type bugs too. I assume they are parasitic type, that's what they look like to me anyway. Definitely doesn't repel them.

 

[journey11]

Looks like others online are saying the same thing. I had bought a packet of feverfew years ago that had a warning label on it that said not to plant it near your crops because it would repel bees, so I never planted it!