I think these are honey bees that are swarming the seedling pots. (Top
photo is pot in lower right corner of 2nd photo - but there are several
hundred bees crawling over the pots.) What are they doing? I don't think
it's just looking for water unless they prefer to gather it out of damp
sand. They have simply been swarming the top of the pots, scratching up the
surface of the sand. I don't think they're damaging any seedlings. At
least some have come up during all the activity and aren't damaged. I used
to not have bees like this much at all, but a couple of years ago a wild
hive established in a hollow oak tree and they've become a bigger presence -
more every year. It's not really all that warm today, but still they're out
in great numbers. I understand why they swarm the recycle container with
crushed beer and soda cans, but what's in these pots? They prefer those
topped with a sand layer. I just have to be careful and keep my mouth
closed. One dive bombed straight into my throat a few weeks ago. Too deep
to spit out and he stung at the swallowing point. At least I was certain
what kind of bug caused the sore throat. Since the bug is still going
around, I just have to be careful and keep my mouth shut. Not easy.
Donald Eaves
donald@eastland.net
Texas Zone 7b, USA
