Bees and Me

April 12, 2014 by Arctic Hare! 3 Comments

This is meant to be a light hearted post about bees; all of it is true, but I am hoping to share something funny, not regrettable, scary, or pitiful. (Did you know? There seems to be no true antonym of funny…?)

I am phobic of ants; but not of bees. But I do have kind of a fear of them. Maybe it will be clear why…

Most recently, a bumblebee has taken up residence outside of our door. We don’t even have any flowers! Just an herb, which he seems to ignore. He is pretty friendly, but still, I have to face a bee just outside my door.

Whenever I go outside, he flies towards me. He flies away from everyone else – even my dog who tries to eat him.

This morning, I decided to walk out there, regardless if he was there or not. I needed to take SP out. So, I kept my cool; and when the bee was right there, I kept walking – until I heard him buzz by my ear. Then I ran full-out until we were a safe distance away.

I’ve had bees and wasps patrol both doors of my house before, when I was outside. All of a sudden… I felt very isolated.

I am always concerned that I will anger the bee, as they say, “Don’t disturb them, and they won’t disturb you.” As with many other simple concepts in life, I haven’t figured this one out. What is disturbing to a bee? Is walking by them considered invading their territory? Isn’t every movement I make going to be perceived as a threat?

I’ve had plenty of experience with bees where, following the claims of my patient friends and family, they indeed haven’t stung me. I’ve walked along their cloverbeds, I’ve played in a yard full of them, walked in a shed full of wasps, I’ve been landed on, and flown after by them. I’ve outrun them, I’ve out-stilled them. I camped in a campground full of aggressive bees, but was not stung, although unfortunately many other campers were. I’ve accidentally sprayed them with water, gardened while they flew around, and been inside a house with 15 wasps in residence. I am the one they leap out at when I put the garbage away. Or when I check the mail. But whenever I have been afraid of them, I’ve never been stung. When I come in frazzled, my family knows; “Bee?” they ask.

I have been stung just once – completely out of the blue. I was stung in the back, and never saw who did it. 😉 It did tell me that I wasn’t allergic, though.

Bees are so essential to many aspects of life; I wish them no ill will. I just wish they’d stay away from me!

P.S. If you live somewhere that doesn’t have many bee/people unintentional interaction, leave a comment! I want to live there. 🙂