Da Bees

 Dukeni came over to tell me she had a bunch of bees in her juniper tree and needed a ladder. Sure enough there was a swarm flying around and concentrated on one branch. She had called the police department for advice and they had relayed the information to a beekeeper. The beekeeper brought a hive box but could not reach them. He was a man of few words and so I asked him what his plan of attack was. He said just to go up and get them. I asked if he had some protective mask or smoke gun. He said they won't bother you when they are swarming. They are in euphoria with the pheromones emitted by a queen bee. We had learned a little of this at our visit to the butterfly park, but bees are not as peaceful.

A bee hanging on the back of my hand would freak me.

Your friendly neighborhood bee man.

Sure enough he went up barehanded and began bumping the swarm with a hive drawer and bringing scads of them down to the box.

He picked out a drone and gave him to me to hold. It was buzzing like a horsefly and I was trying not to pinch him but not let him go either until it slipped


away and rejoined the swarm.


He thanked Doukeni for the bees and not reacting like some people with a bug spray.

Picking out a bee for Doukeni to hold. She did.