I’ve often thought how lucky we are in
Hawaii that
we don’t have so many of the animals and bugs that can create havoc for
mainland dwellers. Bears immediately
come to mind as do snakes. What we do
share with our mainland friends though is, bees. Great swarms of the little suckers can find a
way to get into our homes and there set up camp.
My neighbor is having just such a
group of visitors rearranging their belongings inside her wall. I had the same problem a couple of years ago
and the drama that ensued was amazing to watch.
First, The Bee Man appeared on my
doorstep ready for battle. He was
delighted to tell me that he could hear the bees inside my wall and, if I
touched it, I would be able to feel the warmth of their presence. Well, wasn’t that just peachy?
He also told me that according to what
he could hear and feel, the size of the honeycomb was quite large. I really didn’t care…I’ve disliked honey all
my life, and a bunch of buzzy things creating the drippy stuff inside my house
wasn’t going to change my opinion.
With a sad sigh, The Bee Man proceeded
to puncture the wall with pinpricks into which he syringed some sort of
poisonous gas.
‘You won’t be able to eat the honey
now…so sorry...it would have been delicious.
Perhaps, for The Bee Man, but not for
me.
The next step in the bee removal saga
produced two gentlemen with enough equipment strapped around their waists to
build a complete house. Which to a
smaller degree they would need to do. A
huge chunk of wall was cut out and removed and there lying at the bottom of the
cut-out section were at least a gzillion dead bees with an enormous honeycomb,
about 3ft square rising above them.
By the end of the day, I had honey
smeared on my carpet, a gaping hole in my bedroom wall, a bagful of dead bees
and a sad looking Bee Man who I was convinced blamed me for the murder of his
little friends.
But then the construction guys set to
with their hammers and nails. A new
piece of drywall was attached and painted; the carpet was cleaned and the bag
of bees removed to wherever dead bees find their final rest.
I sincerely hope my neighbor’s bee
experience will be as easy to handle as mine was and that the little creatures
don’t bother either of us again.
On the other hand, I have noted with
some alarm that several big, black carpenter bees are circling around my lanai.
And, last week I watched as a couple,
complete with hand luggage, squeezed themselves behind the facia at the side of
my house. It seems that a visit from the
pest control gentleman is in my immediate future….again!
I have no use for the carpenter ants, but without the bees your beautiful Islands would not be the same.
ReplyDeleteToo bad they chose the wrong place to make their honey.
And continue to do so Joe. Probably because we have wetlands and countless mango and palm trees bordering our houses...now three other homes have been infested. At this rate we'll be responsible for killing all the honey bees in Hawaii!
DeleteNot to make you feel worse, but aren't bees in danger of going extinct right now. I've read that the number of bees worldwide is getting smaller at an alarming rate. Your bees could be shipped here to the mainland and sold for big bucks. That would be a deal sweeter that honey.
ReplyDeleteI wish they could all be shipped somewhere. Sadly, the only way to get them out of walls is to poison them first...that, or risk having your home turn into one giant bee hive.
DeleteI guess bees would be better than termites. My eldest son had an allergy to bee stings, that would be a huge problem. What else could you have done to move them on? Sue
ReplyDeleteAs it appears, not much Sue. Once they've settled in there seems to be only one solution. We now have three houses in my neighborhood infested.
Deletewell maybe smaller I think than the "mother" groundhog that sneaks in my garden
ReplyDeleteThe swarm I saw last weekend hovering over my lanai was about two thousand strong...when you see that black cloud heading your way, it is quite a frightening sight.
DeleteHow can you not like honey???? Sadly I know you're right that this was the only way to get rid of the bees, but it seems such a shame when thy are so under threat in many places.
ReplyDeleteI know, strange I don't like honey isn't it? But then, I'm the only female on the planet who doesn't like chocolate either. Go figure :)
DeleteChocolate too?!!! Are you sure yo're not an alien in disguise? LOL:-))
DeleteThat must be it!
DeleteHahahahha...but I was a 'resident alien' before I became a US citizen...so there :)
DeleteIsn't it good you were not stung by a bee as I was on the Rio Negro. I'll tell you - it hurts like hell.
ReplyDeleteBut alas you've got rid of the little suckers, sad about the honey though.
Ah, no mozzies but plenty of bees then eh?
DeleteFortunately, when a swarm settled at my place several years sgo, they hadn't yet moved into the building, and so a "bee guy" was able to come catch them alive and take them to a happier place.
ReplyDeleteAlthough bees look attractive compared to rats and roaches, their buzzing sounds and stings would make me also want to get rid of them. I would prefer them to gather in my flowering garden instead rather than inside my house and kill them because I know that bees are still beneficial.
ReplyDeleteCarlene Fertig
Yes, Carlene, I wish there had been some way to get rid of them rather than kill them...but apparently not. Thanks for stopping by :)
DeleteIt’s indeed a good decision to remove the bees, but like the Bee Man, it saddens me that the honey was no longer good for consumption. :( I know how annoying bees can be, but the honey that they produce just completes my day. I know we have individual differences and I was surprised to read in the comments that you don’t like chocolates either. Have you ever tasted sweetness, my dear? Anyway, I hope the bees would leave your house now so you’ll have peace of mind. :)
ReplyDelete-- Annabelle Millard