Mower Surprize

[Jerrymac]

I have this old Ford 8N tractor with an old worn out rusty mower that I use to mow the biggest part of my 5 acres. My property is a wee bit over 200 feet wide and a little over 900 feet long. I have a few little paths around the place for vehicles to travel.

We are at the present time about 10 inches above the average rainfall for this time of year. Because of the rain, the worn out tractor, and allowing the wild flowers to grow, my land is pretty covered with...... everything. So I went and bought a new battery and gas for the tractor and started mowing. I was opening up one of my vehicle trails that goes from the highway all the way to the back. So I made the first cut to the back of the lot and turned around to come back. About half way back there were these bees flying every where. (This is about 20 - 30 feet from the hives) I figured I must have really made them mad some how so I kicked it into high gear and took off. Bees got into my hair and started zapping me.

The wife and kids were in the pool and wondered what was going on as I came from the back just a bouncing around the house and then my wife figured out I got too close to the hive. She pulled out one live bee, stinger dangling, and a couple of stingers out of my scalp. I thought I got hit at least four times but who knows. Then I got to thinking that none of that seemed normal so I hoped in my pickup and went back to the spot. What had actually happened was there was a swarm in the weeds and I ran right through the middle of them on the first pass. There is a pile of squashed bees right in the center of all the bee activity. I bet I squished the queen. Figured I would let them settle down a bit and check them out later. (It has probably been nearly an hour since the misshap and they are still flying all over the place and there is no central ball of bees. Kind of a split ball with some on one side of the pile of dead bees and some on the other.) It was a pretty good sized swarm. Wish I had seen it before I ran it over.

[Kathyp]

oh, that just sucks.  for you and the bees  :-)  were you able to salvage any of them?  maybe put a hive out in the grass to see if you could get some of them?

[Jerrymac]

Well the few remaining have mostly bunched up and moved into the shade of the weeds. I am hoping they have already scouted out the empties I have sitting around for just this purpose.

[JP]

Don't know if you keep pheremone on hand or perhaps some lemongrass oil in one of your empty hives for 'em will get 'em to settle in, then if they are queenless you can do a combine. Sorry about your misfortune.

[Ross]

Wait until August when it's hot and dry and nothing coming in.  I got about 40 stings in the head a neck one year brush hogging near the hives.  It's very dangerous on a moving tractor.  Wear a suit.

[Jerrymac]

The live bees had pretty much moved on..... or back to the hive..... yesterday. There was still activity of scavengers such as flies ants and bees of all kinds. Today I actually looked at the dead. My goodness there were thousands. I must have run right over the middle of the swarm. I just couldn't believe how many there were.   :shock:

[Kirk-o]

Wow that is unbelievable wow
kirko

[Cindi]

Jerry, awe, that is a bummer.  Hope all works out well.  Stories to tell, tales to live.  Have a wonderful day, great life.  Cindi