Funny....

[DUKPT]

Looking at my Hive this morning, I was sick of looking at the tall grass around the Hive.
I decided to mow the lawn around the hive.

Within several feet of mowing around the hive, all looked fine, one or two bees were sitting at the entrance.

When I made my last two passes close to the hive, there were about thirty or so bees sitting on the landing ramp doing deep knee bends.

Were they debating with themselves on when to take off and give me a serious Tune Up?

[SwedeBee1970]

Mowers + Hives = Trouble. Watch what color mower and clothes you are wearing around them. They're sensitive to darker clothes and may sting thinking you're a predator.

[DUKPT]

Green & Yellow Mower. Cut off jean Shorts, T-Shirt.

I mowed right up to, then, actually bumped the hive stand several times.

It looks like they gave me the benefit of the doubt.

[SwedeBee1970]

What color was your shirt ?

[DUKPT]

What color was your shirt ?

Dark Navy Blue T-Shirt.

[SwedeBee1970]

Oooooo... Getting too dark. Lucky. Try using a 2-cycle mower around them.. lol... They get smoked while mowing...

[KelpticFest]

They're just thankful you didn't ask them to do the mowing. I would be.

[DUKPT]

Oooooo... Getting too dark. Lucky. Try using a 2-cycle mower around them.. lol... They get smoked while mowing...

I did keep the muffler away. I walked forward, then walked backward. Trying to keep the muffler&Exhaust to the right, away from pointing at the hive.

2-Cycle? Is the high pitch sound of a 2-cycle more soothing to them?

If so, next time I will just use my 2-cycle Husq trimmer to trim up close to the Hive.

[SwedeBee1970]

Time for the Camo bee suit while mowing.

[DUKPT]

Time for the Camo bee suit while mowing.

From what some of you have posted, I am going to take a guess that that I was probably lucky this time.

They did look pretty cute. All lined up like little pigieons along their ramp with their eyes dead set on me.

I know I wouldnt be smiling now if they decided to plant themselves on my Shaved Head!

Next time, I will put on my Full Suit.

[Ben Franklin]

My wife was out mowing and I had moved my bee hives away from the house. I had left an empty box to catch those left behind.

My wife mowed around the corner and right up to the "empty box", She didn't even get bothered by the bees, but boy did I get an ear full!!!

BTW she has mowed around the hives before and not been bothered.

[StevenG]

If you want some real fun, take your gasoline powered weed eater while wearing shorts and t shirt, and weed eat around 4 hives.

[KelpticFest]

I used to come here for good advice. This week it seems to be for bad examples.

[SwedeBee1970]

Just kidding about the 2-cycle trimmer or mower. Wrong kind of smoke. I usually trim and mow early morning before 7am. The neighbors don't like it but I don't care since it's only once every 3-4 weeks. You could try spraying the front of the hives with a bit of water to retreat them inside long enough to mow. Just a thought.

[DUKPT]

I usually trim and mow early morning before 7am. The neighbors don't like it but I don't care since it's only once every 3-4 weeks.

Spraying? Yes, I was also thinking of mowing the close proximity of the hive during a Rainy day..
Neighbor's don't like it? I only have five family's on my road. Soon after they noticed my hive, every one of them became Allergic to Honey Bees. How dare I. They teamed up and went to the town. They were told to get over it, or move to the City. Now, I "only use" my 2cycle weed whacker at 0700. and "only on the Weekends"

[SwedeBee1970]

Oh my gosh, that's harsh. However, most neighbors don't understand the benefits outweigh an occasional sting, if any at all. We know that bees don't sting unless their life is threatened and when that happens, they loose their life as well. If they don't like your bees in their yard, tell them to plant a bunch of Citronella all over. If you see them spraying your bees in their yard, I'd visit their place at night with some round up. Wouldn't want your bees to be visiting their flowers/nectar sources, would we ?

[DUKPT]

All of my neighbors were hatched out of the same Egg. These are their second homes. A place on the lake to spend their summers. A retreat from their hectic intellectual lives in the big City. If they think something may shake up their summer paradise, they will phone the town or the PD without batting an eye.

What is Round up?

[SwedeBee1970]

Google it.