The Chestnuts are in full flower. There is an all invading aroma in the air; you can't mistake it.
The local Beekeepers have brought in their hives by the dozen, firstly to pollinate the Chestnuts, then later the Sunflowers.
Bees need water, so they make directly for the nearest supply; OUR POOL!
I'm on reasonably good terms with Bees, but we do get quite a lot of them. I lift them out of the water on my hand, when they accidently fall in. They haven't stung me yet.... well maybe only once or twice.
36 comments:
The flowers in the top photo are amazing. Is that your neighbours' orange wall behind it?
I lift the bees out of my pool also but I am allergic !
Billy is growing up so fast. Such a beautiful gud dug.
parsnip
No, it's a nearby little wooden holiday home. The orange wall is now invisible (in summer).
I think Billy must be close to his eventual size, and he still only 6 months old. Lovely dog.
Lovely to see Billy. He has grown so quickly and he looks to have everything under control!
He knows the whole area now, like the back of his paw. He loves it here.
The tree is very beautiful but Billy in the corner of the picture attracts all the attention.
He's with me wherever I go. Already a faithful companion.
I hope Billy is sensible and doesn't get stung, Rick is always chasing and trying to eat bees.
We are still waiting for the bees this year. Usually they are buzzing in droves around the mint flowers and roses. No wasps either. Don't know what's happened this year.
We simply shout 'NO', and hope he listens.
We seem to have plenty of both, luckily most of them are up at the barn.
Looks like a bumper crop to come. Do you get honey by way of payment?
Good to see Billy. I have at last persuaded the husband to relent on us getting a dog. All I had to do at his suggestion was to relinquish him of the promise he made me, at my request I hasten to add, after our much loved dog died six years ago. Then I couldn’t imagine loving another dog, now I can.
LX
Be good to know how you are surviving in the heat?
LX
your water is chlorinated and the bees don't mind that
I was totally distraught when my last dog died, and swore blind (to myself) that I'd never go through that again. Then my son, Kimbo, turned up with a pup in a shoe box. I've never looked back.
Yes one neighbour very kindly gives us honey. Chestnut honey is quite dark and bitter; not to everyone's taste.
As for the heat; we spend a lot of time in the pool. I do everything very early, then stay indoors.
They don't seem to mind.... they're probably desperate.
Each year the bees from the hive in the adjacent field swarm and make a beeline (sorry) for our chimney. We have to keep an eye on them and try to stop them going into the flue as it would be disastrous come winter. We have lots of wasps this year. My husband keeps finding nests everywhere. They particularly like the bird nesting boxes.
Our Wasps make small, walnut-sized, nests almost anywhere. We find them in the most unusual places. We leave them alone.
I used to think that we become gradually immune to bee stings but it turns out that we become more affected. They are accumulative.
Your Chestnut tree is beautiful and so is Billy.
Like most people, I'm not keen on being stung; but I tolerate it.
Those Chestnut flowers are amazing. The most spectacular are from relatively new varieties.
I'm a beekeeper, and here's a suggestion: Bees need water as you say, and they are just like the rest of us - they take the easy road out whenever they can. Put a pan of water out for them. Fill it with rocks or gravel so they can't sink. They will prefer this over your pool and you'll be both the happier for it.
Thanks for that Tim, in fact that's exactly what we do. Occasionally they won't go near the water we offer them, preferring to drink from small puddles around the pool. You can't win!
I don't have honey bees in the vicinity but I have large numbers of a variety of bumble bees including one unique to the Hebrides. Having said that after last year when my Ajuga when in flower were covered in bees this year there were almost no bees because it was so cold. I'm now concerned that the bee population will have suffered a marked decline this year as a result. I love bees and am not afraid of them at all. Indeed I was in the beekeeping society at school. However I am terrified of wasps - it is one of the few creatures I will kill sans compunction. Odd really as the wasp stings I've had have been nothing compared to the one bumble bee sting I received (It was on the inside of my car door handle and wondered what had happened when this huge thing put out the sun. No wonder it stung me. It really made me jump - and probably utter naughty words.)
Why not place some pans of fresh water nearer the hives? Keeps them out of the pool and away from the chlorine?
When our Plum trees were in flower (about 3 months ago) the noise of the Bees was quite extraordinary. I don't think we have any decline in numbers here. I would liked to have kept Bees, but somehow it never happened. I think it's now too late. I do have friends who are Beekeepers, so I do occasionally benefit from their work.
We did that too. See below, my answer to Tim.
Wouldn't it be safer to remove the bees from the water with something other than your hands?
What else can you do? Complain to the Queen?
We rarely see chestnuts growing here in the North of England.
That pup is growing up fast - looks quite the teenager now.
It's just occurred to me that I've never seen a chestnut tree in flower. It must be quite a sight! Billy is such a cutie, too, posing so well for you.
Usually when you're in the water, there's nothing around to use. I saved one yesterday. As long as it's done quickly, it's OK.
Most people haven't Pip, which is why I put up the photo. They are quite spectacular, and the aroma is amazing (not particularly pleasant). Billy gets better by the day; he's a lovely boy.
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