Aug 10, 2003

Just when everything is going peacefully, along comes another enslaught
of creatures from hell, just wating to have a gourmet feast at the
expense of all your labors.

As we were doing our weekend morning rounds today, we discovered that
those awful squash borers had made a home in our Raven zucchinis which
only recently started producing really well. Caught without any
syringes, we had to do the plant surgery and bury-the-stem-thing. An
ugly problem.

We have a difference of opinion going here on the worsening Japanese
beetle problem. My DH is catching gazillions of them with lures but it
seems to me that we have way, way more than we did last year WITHOUT the
darn lures. Now they have invaded the raspberries and one of the pole
beans. Three acres is a lot to cover with milky spore but even if we
did some of it each year, it seems like it would have to be better than
the infestation we have now.

On the more humorous side, just as it was starting to turn dark last
evening, I reached down to pluck what I thought was a raspberry, as we
walked in the garden. When I felt fuzz, I backed off. Yes, it was a
gigantic bumblebee! In fact, a whole gaggle of them were sleeping in
the raspberries. Do bumblebees sting? Today, once buzzed me
incessantly for a half hour off and on until I finally had to come in
the house. No perfume. DH though it was my bright pink shirt--- yes he
thought I looked like one big flower. lol Then later, I thought maybe
it was the one I nearly pinched last night!!!

Happy gardening.

Phae

On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 00:10:31 -0500, Phaedrine Stonebridge
wrote:


On the more humorous side, just as it was starting to turn dark last
evening, I reached down to pluck what I thought was a raspberry, as we
walked in the garden. When I felt fuzz, I backed off. Yes, it was a
gigantic bumblebee! In fact, a whole gaggle of them were sleeping in
the raspberries. Do bumblebees sting?

They sure do, and it really hurts - I've been stung by them
more than once. They don't usually seem to be aggressive,
though.

Pat

In article ,
Pat Meadows wrote:

On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 00:10:31 -0500, Phaedrine Stonebridge
wrote:

On the more humorous side, just as it was starting to turn dark last
evening, I reached down to pluck what I thought was a raspberry, as we
walked in the garden. When I felt fuzz, I backed off. Yes, it was a
gigantic bumblebee! In fact, a whole gaggle of them were sleeping in
the raspberries. Do bumblebees sting?

They sure do, and it really hurts - I've been stung by them
more than once. They don't usually seem to be aggressive,
though.


No I have not usually found them aggressive either. They sure like the
Lamb's Ears!

From: Phaedrine Stonebridge
Date: Mon, Aug 11, 2003 12:11 PM
Message-id:

In article ,
Pat Meadows wrote:

On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 00:10:31 -0500, Phaedrine Stonebridge
wrote:

On the more humorous side, just as it was starting to turn dark last

evening, I reached down to pluck what I thought was a raspberry, as we

walked in the garden. When I felt fuzz, I backed off. Yes, it was a

gigantic bumblebee! In fact, a whole gaggle of them were sleeping in

the raspberries. Do bumblebees sting?

They sure do, and it really hurts - I've been stung by them
more than once. They don't usually seem to be aggressive,
though.


No I have not usually found them aggressive either. They sure like the
Lamb's Ears!

I can't tell you how many times I've grabbed a bumblebee by mistake, usually
whilst deadheading, when they're having a snooze under or inside a faded
flower. All I get is a warning buzz; I've never been stung. Sometimes I
almost want to test my luck and pet one. Actually I've never once been stung
in my garden and I get right in there with the bees when I'm working. I adore
watching them, no matter what.

Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z7with a wee bit of sun today.....

On 12 Aug 2003 23:46:18 GMT, oway (Tyra
Trevellyn) wrote:



I can't tell you how many times I've grabbed a bumblebee by mistake, usually
whilst deadheading, when they're having a snooze under or inside a faded
flower. All I get is a warning buzz; I've never been stung.

Don't. Once a bumblebee flew up inside my
(loose-fitting) shorts when I was weeding the garden - I
didn't know what it was and slapped at it and it stung me on
the backside. OUCH!

I found out what it was after it had stung me, because
slapping at it killed it and it fell out of my shorts when I
took them off.

I couldn't sit comfortably for a couple of days.

Another time, I was driving with my daughter and a HUGE
bumblebee flew in the open car window and landed on her
hand, and stung her. It was probably afraid and confused at
that point.

Pat

Tyra Trevellyn said:

I can't tell you how many times I've grabbed a bumblebee by mistake, usually
whilst deadheading, when they're having a snooze under or inside a faded
flower. All I get is a warning buzz; I've never been stung. Sometimes I
almost want to test my luck and pet one.

Do it! Pet one! I do it. Mostly in the evening when they are settling down,
Sometimes they push at me with a leg, but I've never been stung.

So far I've only seen two Japanese beetles (and squished both). One was
on the raspberries and the other was on the zinnias.
--
Pat in Plymouth MI

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

In article ,
oway (Tyra Trevellyn) wrote:

From: Phaedrine Stonebridge Date:
Mon, Aug 11, 2003 12:11 PM Message-id:


In article ,
Pat Meadows wrote:

On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 00:10:31 -0500, Phaedrine Stonebridge
wrote:

On the more humorous side, just as it was starting to turn dark
last evening, I reached down to pluck what I thought was a raspberry,
as we walked in the garden. When I felt fuzz, I backed off. Yes, it
was a gigantic bumblebee! In fact, a whole gaggle of them were
sleeping in the raspberries. Do bumblebees sting?

They sure do, and it really hurts - I've been stung by them more
than once. They don't usually seem to be aggressive, though.

No I have not usually found them aggressive either. They sure like
the Lamb's Ears!

I can't tell you how many times I've grabbed a bumblebee by mistake,
usually whilst deadheading, when they're having a snooze under or
inside a faded flower. All I get is a warning buzz; I've never been
stung. Sometimes I almost want to test my luck and pet one.
Actually I've never once been stung in my garden and I get right in
there with the bees when I'm working. I adore watching them, no
matter what.

Best, Tyra nNJ usa z7with a wee bit of sun today.....


I also love watching them. In the very early morning when the aether
has not yet been cursed by the sounds of revving engines, I like to mull
around among them as I tend the garden, pretend the bees have welcomed
me to their domain and that their little buzzes are pleasant gossip they
exchange while performing their daily tasks.

Phae

In article ,
(Pat Kiewicz) wrote:

Tyra Trevellyn said:

I can't tell you how many times I've grabbed a bumblebee by mistake, usually
whilst deadheading, when they're having a snooze under or inside a faded
flower. All I get is a warning buzz; I've never been stung. Sometimes I
almost want to test my luck and pet one.

Do it! Pet one! I do it. Mostly in the evening when they are settling
down,
Sometimes they push at me with a leg, but I've never been stung.

So cool.

So far I've only seen two Japanese beetles (and squished both). One was
on the raspberries and the other was on the zinnias.


We have an infestation of them here in Missouri this year. Everyone we
know here is complaining about them.