mourning bees

[kpage9]

i know you will understand when i say that i'm feeling profoundly sad at the bee massacre currently taking place at my house. a swarm set up housekeeping in the wall, and although i believe most homeowner's insurance covers humane bee removal, my landlord insists on extermination. it's happening right now. first a sweet low hum, now nothing.

thank you for being there.

(i just freaked out the nice exterminator guy by tearing up as i said goodbye to him)

kathy

[davidwhite]

People are freaked out by bees....They're insects and that is a huge barrier to intimacy for humans.

I used to be afraid of them, but I was blessed to handle hives a few times and I helped a friend move a swarm from an orchard. We scooped huge handfuls of bees into a cardboard box, I was so absorbed I barely noticed when they stung me.

You have my condolences....

[Larry Robinson]

If you call the UC Cooperative Extension (565-2621) they can put you in touch with beekeepers who would be delighted to come and collect the swarm.

[occgunner]

Kathy,
I am sorry for your loss. Unfortunately there was a better way for you and your landlord to handle this. The Sonoma County BeeKeepers Association keeps a list on their website of many, many qualified beekeepers who would have been willing to remvoe the bees in a way that would have given them a good chance of survival. My guess would be that it would have cost less than whatever method an exterminator would have used. The extermiantor and his/her company should have known better the resources available to deal with the bees in a better way for both the bees and the environment. Shame on the exterminator.
I encourage you and all to take a look at the website for the beekeepers association, www.sonomabees.org to learn more. Who was the exterminator?
Gene

i know you will understand when i say that i'm feeling profoundly sad at the bee massacre currently taking place at my house. a swarm set up housekeeping in the wall, and although i believe most homeowner's insurance covers humane bee removal, my landlord insists on extermination. it's happening right now. first a sweet low hum, now nothing.

thank you for being there.

(i just freaked out the nice exterminator guy by tearing up as i said goodbye to him)

kathy

[kpage9]

Hi Gene,

Seems like you may not have read my note all the way. It was the landlord who insisted that the bees be exterminated, and the exterminator himself is only doing his job (he's a bug guy in general), as contracted by the landlord. I'm not going to demonize him, or name him--no point.....the landlord, on the other hand, does come in for some heat. (won't name him either tho) I spoke to a great guy that Beekind referred me to (Chris), who said he charged between $400 and $600 for his removal. This included a wonderful relocation process, and 4 hours of work. Just FYI.

[valgal]

People are freaked out by bees....They're insects and that is a huge barrier to intimacy for humans.

I used to be afraid of them, but I was blessed to handle hives a few times and I helped a friend move a swarm from an orchard. We scooped huge handfuls of bees into a cardboard box, I was so absorbed I barely noticed when they stung me.

You have my condolences....

Talk to BEEKIND, a store in Sebastopol. My wonderful neighbors own the store and are in the know about all things about bees!

[pjay]

Sadly, an easy call to Bee Kind in Sebastopol (824-2905) would have brought a keeper out to your place to see if it was possible to extract the hive. You, like many, know that living with nature is the only way to extend how we successfully exist on this planet. I share your grief.

pjay