The Morning After

On Friday morning, the next day, I had to go to work at 5am when it was still dark and the bees were still in the hive. I was very concerned that the storm would have made them want to fly away. I worried all day.

My son had several friends coming over for the weekend so it was somewhat late when we finally got home. We got home to bee CHAOS! They were EVERYWHERE, swirling around (not swarming). They were all over the fields, in front of the house, behind the house, in the barn, over the driveway I mean EVERYWHERE but on plants. They were attacking anything that moved!

The boys decided to try to play ball and one bee constantly chased one of the boys to the point he finally gave up and went in the house. They flew into my hair and my son's female friend's hair. My heart SANK. I couldn't bear to have to stay in all the time. It was an unbelievable sight.

Friday night we had another storm. This one with pounding hail the size of golf balls. I was sick. I was sure they were getting ready to swarm off!

I can see the back of the hives from our bedroom window. I have a pair of strong binoculars. At 7 am Saturday morning, the temperatures were in the upper 70's. I looked in my binoculars and saw no activity. I was sure they never went back to the hives Friday night. I got dressed, and with dread, headed towards the hives when walking the dogs. I saw no bees anywhere. I was positive they were gone. To my astonishment, the bees were still there. Not only were they there, they were actually bringing in pollen! Talk about shock! They were calm and orderly and very busy little creatures. Look at the pollen these girls brought in! One bee was so overloaded, she looked like a little penguin waddling into the hive. I wonder where they put that pollen???? Could they have built THAT MUCH comb in such a short time?? Amazing creatures!!!!