Saturday, May 21, 2011
New Rule
Sitting next to entrance of hive and calmly hanging out with bees is good. Digging up an old tree root directly in front of hive in order to plant lavender (bee fav) at full sun hours of the day = bad plan. Not because the bees are angry, but because trying to dig something up in front of their flight path is very disorienting for bees. As a result I received a very disorienting bee sting in the ear. Yes, inside my ear. It has yet to swell up, but should be interesting. It made my whole head feel like it was spiraling outward. Bee medicine in the ear....maybe it will cure my current headaches. New rule: don't garden in front of bee hive entrance at busy bee times of the day.
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Ouch! I haven't gotten stung yet, but last summer a bee stung me in the eye while I was riding my bicycle and it was a very strange sensation. My eye didn't swell up much but the spot where the sting was stayed red for several days and felt tingly.
ReplyDeleteI'm most worried about a sting when I'm holding something fragile, but since you're not planning to open your colonies, that's not something you have to worry about, eh?
The ear sting is truly strange. I'm so swollen! But it's in the acupucture point for lower back, which is exactly where I've been hurting since my miscarraige, so it seems kind of right.
ReplyDeleteI will actually be opening my colonies, just not very often. I want to leave them alone as much as possible. I'm actually due to open them soon so that I can give them more top bars to build off of.
I feel like opening a colony is opening the roof to your house. Bees are a super organism, which means that the comb is really part of their being - their tissue. I don't want to pull it apart to inspect them every 10 days, but I do want to make sure they are thriving and have enough room.
I think I will just try asking them before I go in to see what they say. Usually you can feel if it's a good day or not for such a thing.
As for stings, they're actually not so bad when they first happen, it's the swelling that's so difficult. I got stung while transferring the bees to the hive (only once), but was able to continue on and deal with the sting later.
What about you? You going to handle bees anytime soon?
Thank you for the comments!
I'm glad you don't think I'm stalking you or something ;P I'm just so excited to have found a kindred bee-spirit.
ReplyDeleteWe actually opened the hives last friday for the first time, since it actually got warm enough and it was very mysterious and glorious. It felt very much like a ritual. We ate some pollen and said a little prayer before hand asking the bees if they would let us make sure they were well. They were. They've been drawing out comb and making bee bread for their many young that we saw. I don't know that I've ever felt as joyful as I did holding a frame to the sun to see larvae in their different stages.
We tried to be quick about the inspection, but also to be calm and enjoy all the beauty we were seeing. My husband hadn't really ever seen the inside of a hive up close and it was wonderful to see him relax and how taken by it he was. I'm so happy he's gotten into it and that we work well together around the bees.
We don't plan to inspect them very often. I completely agree on its invasiveness. Next we'll be adding another shallow super since they've been filling the first one.
On your acu-point injury:
Did you know that people treat rheumatoid arthritis with bee stings as an actual remedy?
And chewed up plantain leaf makes a wonderful poultice, though it might be hard to get it in your ear. It really helped with my eye.
How very appropriate that you received a sting in the very point where you hurt. I wonder if there isn't some serendipity there. It seems that your whole journey with the bees is very synchronous. I read the story of your miscarriage and wanted to comment when I had more time. Thank you for sharing it. I was so moved by your inner strength and ability to see clearly even under those painful circumstances. Another person might have been bitter, but you are transferring your daughter's light onto this beautiful endeavor. Some day it will make a tale of great importance to tell your child as you watch the bees fly.
Thank you again for this beautiful blog, it really means a lot to me that you write so eloquently about these beings I have such tenderness for.