Re: CULT: what are they doing?

---

From: Donald Eaves <donald@eastland.net>
Subject: [iris-photos] CULT: what are they doing?
To: iris-photos@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sunday, February 15, 2009, 1:29 PM

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 


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