Monday, June 14, 2010

Attack of the killer bees







Being South African, I should probably say something about the World Cup, but although I’m happy that SA’s hosting the event, it doesn’t interest me that much. For anyone who’s been watching games: have you heard the continuous buzzing sound in the background? Those are vuvuzelas – a noise-maker which should be classified as an offensive weapon. By this time I can think of several things to do with one that doesn’t involve blowing it, but I will draw a veil over that to spare your sensibilities.

Buzzing, though, brings me to a matter of far more immediate interest to me: the bees are back. Maybe I should be exotic and dangerous and point out that these are ‘African Killer Bees’ because they are, but they’re only really dangerous when they’re swarming (which is what they were doing).

I was sitting on the veranda, enjoying the winter sun and the view over the fields to the mountains, when the swarm appeared. At first, I could only hear an angry buzzing, and wondered if I was being stormed by a vuvuzela toting mob for not following the Event (guilt: its probably un-South-African not to), but soon I could see the swarm approaching.
It moved slowly but purposefully, and soon the veranda was abuzz and I was indoors (as you can imagine). They’ve moved in under one of the windows, having found a gap that allows them to build their hive between the wooden exterior wall and the dry-wall inside. They settled down quite quickly, and they seem pretty peaceful, so I’ll leave them to it.

Has anyone else got interesting uninvited tenants?

The sky was wonderful this weekend: look!

5 comments:

  1. Swarms of killer bees would make the soccer matches more interesting.

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  2. Can you get an exterminator to get rid of those things? Or can they only be killed with fire?

    Actually, when I was a kid I watched a movie about killer bees and I think they could only be stopped by cold temperatures.

    I've watched some of the World Cup and those horns are killing me. In fact I was going to blog about them. I know they're very popular there, but they should be banned. :)

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  3. the killer bees are attacking in good ole Las Vegas
    http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/96283373.html

    didn't Anthrax have an album that covered this subject?

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  4. Only mice here- the cats have it covered. Gorgeous shots!

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  5. Bees at a football match? Could be very interesting!

    The bees will move on in due course. Cold temperatures? Well its snowing in the mountains and the pass is closed. Actually, I'm not too worried about the bees. They're only dangerous if you mess with them, or if they decide to swarm. When they swarm, they first buzz like a horror movie sound track, so there's plenty of warning and you just leave them to it. Maybe my walls will drip honey. Yum.

    Karl, I think you're right about Anthrax. I'll check my music directory this evening, maybe the bees will enjoy it.

    Cats are strange and wonderful tenants in themsleves, Pamo...

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