There are several lambing, but not lambs, things I enjoy each year. The dogwoods over by Tring Farm, the blue and white barn surrounded by redbud trees at the main intersection, daffodils on the road to Final Frontier Farm and the wild bees on their farm driveway.
They were busy...as bees...yesterday afternoon and I stopped to watch them as I was heading home. "I should get out and take some pictures and a video for Stella!"
If you look closely you can see the bees who have been out gathering pollen. They are flying into the hive with their pollen sacs stuffed full. Look for yellow on their back legs.
See the honey comb they've built near the bottom of the opening? The comb probably goes throughout the whole tree, top to bottom.
These good old trees provide habitat for bees, bugs, birds and all sorts of other wildlife. I wish folks would think twice before cutting them down. Just because you don't think they look pretty doesn't mean there aren't thousands, literally thousands, of other animals who think they do. But this is not just a story about thousands of bees. It's also a story about one bee.
As I drove towards home, listening to an audio book, enjoying the scenery...uh oh...I hear a bee buzzing. Sure enough I'd accidentally rolled the window up with a bee stuck in my car. If I'd done that just a mile down the road, I'd have rolled the window back down and let her fly home. I was almost to the river, way too far for her to have any chance of survival.
Sigh...
I turned around and drove 15 minutes back past Tring Farm, the dogwoods, the blue and white barn, the still blooming redbuds, the daffodils to the bee tree, opened the window and out she flew. I realize it was just one bee, but I'd caused the problem. I could fix the problem. Many problems are not that easy.
And as I repeated my track back home for a second time, the phone rang. It was Stella. I was hoping she was just calling to check in and I could tell her my story about my one bee, but this time of year I had a feeling she wasn't. She too had a story about several thousand bees. She was watching a swarm from one of her hives.
11 comments:
Fascinatng!! I hope all is well with Stellas bees.😑. And I would have driven the bee home too.😊. K.Littrell🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝
“I could fix the problem.” Bless you. So many people would not have cared. Really such a small thing to do to save a life. What you did is what I would have done too.
Chris S in Canada
"I wish folks would think twice before cutting them down. Just because you don't think they look pretty doesn't mean there aren't thousands, literally thousands, of other animals who think they do"
Amen! Couldnt agree more!
Great photos and video! We had an abandoned old wild bee hive in one of the old trees here, but I have yet to find another one.
I hope Stella was able to capture the swarm and get them to a hive.
Bless you for returning the bee.
Aww you are a bee taxi! Anxious to hear Stella's story:)
If that doesn't illustrate kindness and caring I don't know what does. You're awesome. That bee is going to be the Enoch of her hive. Can't wait to hear Stella's story!
How wonderful to have so many hives near you with happy pollinators.
Thank you for saving that little bee. I would have done that too.
We try to make our garden as bee, bird and butterfly friendly but have never found a hive.
Your photos are outstanding. Your story wonderful and you heart ever so special. I am so glad you are my friend.
Good job!
In another life many years and farms ago we had a in ground pool. I taught both my children and grand girls to save any 🐝 they found in the water. The bees would often come in and position themselves on anything that was floating for a drink. Often loosing their footing fall in the pool water. How not to touch their wings and to put them on a plant to dry in the sun. We can’t save them all but can certainly make an effort.
The one bee returned to her home base doesn’t know your kindness but we do. So many of us would have done the same. Licimg in a city we don’t see this very often, but I do have bees in my garden and we rescue them when they go in the pool. They are so important to our environment. Love the video. What a great tree.
Hope I don’t end up double commenting, but loved the bee story. They are so important and such hard workers.
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