Just curious...
And if you do, what do you say while you are in there?
Yes, I admit it, I talk to the bees. To the queen "There you are!" (I don't spot them too often.). To a recently caught swarm "If you girls don't calm down, I'm going to re-queen you!". To a persistent guard "Would you just go away?!". Sometimes I even vocalize the bee's response "Bad Mammal! Bad Mammal!!".
I really don't think they listen, and I really, really don't think they talk back. Really....! :-D
JC
.'
Sometimes I swear them loudly when they sting.
No, I really just don't have the time for it after chatting with the chickens and rabbits each day.
I talk to my bees the entire time I'm in the beeyard. I tell them what I'm doing and how I think they're doing. I'm convinced they listen to me, but sadly, never talk back. And in the long tradition of "telling the bees", I keep them informed of all household activities.
I do know they (and I) would like a break from the heat in Atlanta...
I remember when I was 9 or so that my mother would walk out to the hives first thing in the morning and bang on each hive while sternly saying "Get to work!".
Scott
I stand out front of the hive with a can of RAID and say "MAKE HONEY or ELSE" :-D
i would if i thought they cared about what i had to say. usually i just ask myself "why are they doing that ?"
All the time ,no one notius's because there thinking he's nuts sitting by those hives in shorts and shirt.
you know they drink my pop but not my beer ? they dont seem to like the smell.
Oh yes. I admit I do. actually, been caught at it several times by others so no point in my denying it.
I talk to them, as well as my dog, as I do other people.
What's worse is not when I talk to them, but when I argue with them. Then, even my normally eccentricities tolerating wife thinks I'm nuts.
Big Bear
"Not the face! Not the face !" :evil:
(that was my husband, joking)
Yeah, I talk to the bees, but I also talk to the cats, dogs, geese, ducks, chickens, garden, kids, kids' knotted shoelaces, computers and mainframes that lag and crash.... :) Some listen better than others. Some talk back.
Most colorful conversation I've had lately were with some cheap made in China bendable nails and an errant hammerhead. Rather onesided I'd say, though the nails whined about it when I am pulled them back out. :)
Bees, we talk to them, but is more talking to each other about them while we work on the hives. Don't expect a bee to respond to "Get off my hand, please....c'mon, move over there...that's right..."
Yes! We absolutely talk to them. The wife got me started, she talks to them and they listen. I talk to them and I hear faint laughter.
I feel like they will come and take me to the loony bin soon based on the testimony of the bees.
I do talk to them, but I try to keep it brief, they're pretty busy.
Yes, I tell them I am grateful for all they do before I approach them.
I talk to them. But I also talk to my horses, and dogs, and grandkids and all of them listen at about the same level...
Quote from: jhs494 on June 23, 2010, 11:23:51 PM
. I talk to them and I hear faint laughter.
I've heard that laughter! A number of times on hot, humid days, I've tried wearing shorts. Without fail, the bees say "Let's make him dance!" and head directly for the back of my knees. I hear them laughing as I run back to the house to put on some jeans.
Thanks, Paynesgrey
I did an actual spit take when I rad your husband's comment.
Great responses everyone.
Keep em' coming.
Only when they are really upset; and mostly to calm myself. ;)
I do as I hang out near the hives. They have yet to answer, however. Maybe I should try speaking in Italian or Russian.
Ya'll are a RIOT!
Thanks for cracking me up!
Tomorrow I'm gearing up and mowing the back yard. I will for sure...be talking to the girls.
Sarita
You all are hilarious :)
Absolutely! I talk to everything, though. My weeds, the garden insects, the chickens and turkeys, and now the bees. And they DO talk to me. I love listening to their colony hum and trying to sense what mood they're in. When they talk back sassy, I have time to yell to my husband and kids to move back, move back!
Ha ha, reading this I realize that I DO talk to my bees too occasionally...when looking for the queen I'll be mumbling "Where oh where are you, your majesty?". When I get stung I'll complain and explain to the stupid bee that now she's going to die. Or apologize when it was my fault and I squished them. Sometime I tell them to calm down when one starts looking at me suspiciously.
But I agree with the others, they don't listen to me either, just like my kids... :roll:
I'm not sure which is more reassuring---the fact that you all talk to your bees, too, or the fact that nobody's kids listen to them (just like mine don't) :-D
What, I'm the only one that tells them where to find the big field of flowers :?
Sure, I tell them to check out my flowers in the front yard...and while they are at it, to steal the nectar in the neighbors flowers and then to go find a nice clover lawn or two....and maybe pollenate the wildblackberrys that are growing in thickets around here......
and yes, they don't listen to me either....
Each time, before I open the hive, I hold my hands over top cover and say, "I'm calm. And the bees are calm." Then a wait a moment, and then I get to work.
Wow, that sounds really silly, now that I read it.
I talked toem today! Got probably close to 300 stings! Not sure what I said but they sure showed me who could holler loudest! Guess you don't open hives without smoke in a thunderstorm! :'(
Oh yes...and usually what I say is "Quit it" or "I'm not bothering you" :-D
I spoke to them just yesterday after I dropped a frame. :shock: "Oops, sorry, sorry" as I backed away a step or 4. My girls are very forgiving. I've had 2 hives for a couple of months now and haven't been stung yet. I know it's coming but I think they like me. :-D I just wear a vail, short sleeve shirt and shorts and sandles. It's HOT here.
Chuck
Yup. I talk to the bees. But I also talk to our chickens, turkeys and lambs. I haven't heard any laughter yet but I'm sure it's only a matter of time *lol*
Last time we talked, it was a pretty sad conversation. They were sounding confused and frantic, and I was apologizing. A bear had torn their hives apart the night before and I was trying to put them back together. I love the sounds of bees and how much that can tell you. Makes me wonder if I were blind, could I tell as much without all the visual cues?
Of course. Animals can sense our stress levels. So, talking calmly to the bees puts out a calm vibe and the girls are cool with me. Watch the Dog Whisperer... theory applies to bees too. BTW, I do not believe they understand a word... kind of like having 80,000 wives:-)
Have fun,
Ed
Nope. Never. Don't talk to my computer either. Nor the chickens or old deaf dog or horses or wild turtles or stupid house or leaky toilet or broken vacuum cleaner. Also, I've never been known to cuss out an inanimate object when I wham my shin against it.
And I didn't quite yell at my car when I hit the curb, twice, in the post office parking lot. Stupid bleeping car! What's wrong with it? (SHOULD have talked to the pharmacist for not warning me about those antibiotics.)