That's cool, I've toyed with the idea of getting some bees but I really don't need another hobby right now. Our yard is only 15k sq. ft. but we probably have over 2000 blooms on all the flowers not counting the HUGE honey suckle bush. We have lots of bees just flying around anyway but starting a garden this year I'd like to have some more.
Speaking of wasps (I absolutely hate them) try spraying one with some spray paint sometime. I was working on a project and one was buzzing my head and I gave it a nice beige coat. That thing went nuts ('til I squashed it).
Did you know that honey has an almost indefinate shelf life?? Jars of honey were found in the Egyptian pyramids...still fluid and useable.
Did you know honey has antibiotic properties?? honey has been used as an aphrodesiac, and as birth control...
Bees are cool...bee stings don't bother me much at all...I don't even swell....
Wasps on the other hand are a different story...I carry Prescription Benadryl in my pocket in case of a sting....and an Epi pen in my vehicle in case I get stung more than once....we have a horrible problem with wasps in Florida....any dry protected space will have a nest by mid summer...yellow jackets, paper wasps, both regular and guinea, hornets, and a particularly nasty red wasp about as big as the end of your pinkie finger...
A pox on wasps!!!!
EDIT: Sorry I didn't full read the above posts...some of this post is effectively a repost
Just as a point of interest...a bad place to get stung if you are allergic to bees is on the soft fleshy underside of your foot. It causes the foot to swell flat as you watch the venom run up the veins in your leg. On the other hand it did make the foot swell so much it would not fit into a steelcap boot, light duties ensuing for a week!
Good stuff! Beekeeping is such a cool craft. Thanks for sharing.
A pox on wasps!!!!
I'll second that. Just be very careful handling the wasp/hornet sprays. Introduced into the human body, it's similar to a blood agent (inhalation is worst, but skin/eye exposure is bad news, too). Use PPE.
On a lighter note, ever see the movie, 'Ulee's Gold," starring Peter Fonda? It's about a beekeeper in Florida.
Found this, and I figured I would share... apparently these little dudes are a bit smarter than we give them credit for...
Vectoring Scouts
Japanese Hornets vs European Honey Bees - Caution...Dramatic
Japanese Honey Bees vs Japanese Hornet - REVENGE!
I really like bugs... MOST bugs. I have kept tons of strange critters over the years and insects have always captivated my imagination. Last year at one point I had 5 Emperor Scorpions that I was attempting to breed... very long and difficult process if you've ever tried it. I like spiders *most of them* and I really like watching special on critters like these.
