I finally saw it!

[Seymore]

I have oft read what a nectar-laden bee looks like... A B52 bomber coming in for a landing and its fat belly. My eyesight's not the greatest anyway, but I kept trying to see those fat bellies. This morning I was doing a stroll-by and here comes that B52. I watched for a bit and noticed there was a squadron of bees in flight heading home. I watched a bit and By Golly I saw the difference! I looked at the other "pilots" ready for take-off, looked back at the fatsos, and surenuff! I saw it. It's not a huge thing, but it matters. .

[Ozone]

I have oft read what a nectar-laden bee looks like... A B52 bomber coming in for a landing and its fat belly. My eyesight's not the greatest anyway, but I kept trying to see those fat bellies. This morning I was doing a stroll-by and here comes that B52. I watched for a bit and noticed there was a squadron of bees in flight heading home. I watched a bit and By Golly I saw the difference! I looked at the other "pilots" ready for take-off, looked back at the fatsos, and surenuff! I saw it. It's not a huge thing, but it matters. .

With a name like See More and you have bad eyes?

[jim lyon]

I always refer to it as "a heavy hum" in the air. Maybe it's my imagination, maybe it's because I can see the bees are clearly working something but I swear I can tell the difference in pitch when heavily loaded bees are thick in the air as opposed to bees on cleansing flights or just out "sniffing around"

[Seymore]

Hmm, that sounds logical actually, Jim. They are having to churn their motors harder, I am sure. Now I have something new to try to look (hear) for! Seymore...a combo of my first name initial (Cindi) and part of my last name is Moore and the thought that I like to travel... (with my glasses - so I CAN see more!)

[WWW]

Cindi, in your observations you might also look for the nectar laden bees to have there legs slung forward as a counterbalance for there heavy abdomens.

[Seymore]

Kewl! Makes sense. Still trying to watch those robbers with their legs splayed out wide and back... It's kinda like those perspective pictures where all of a sudden things start materializing right before your very eyes.

[cerezha]

No luck to me - I was trying to recognize these heavy bees, but ether, mine are not heavy loaded or I just could not catch the moment. Also, mine are very quick - with or without nectar, they are like bullets, I could not see them in the flight - too quick! I just see black "freeway" from flying bees. They slow down only at the landing deck (so I could see them) and they literally run into the hive. Sergey

[Seymore]

Sergey, this is my 3rd year ... I think maybe it takes time? Or maybe the lighting was right? Who knows. I just know it was the first time I was ever able to See it. There is so much else to focus on in the beginning, it's no wonder.

Research scientist, eh? Of what? I attended UCLA for a bit. They had great broccoli cheese soup! Lol.

[GLOCK]

seymore
seems like the 3rd year is a good learning year this is my 3rd year and now i can see/ eggs /queens/ make splits/ make queens/see necter coming in/ catch swarms/see mites/ what a great year i've learned alot . Now if i could only remember to put on my glasses before i suit up in my Ultra Breeze i see alot better with them. .

[cerezha]

Seymore
I do not think it is time in direct way. It is probably more an experience. Some people learned quicker than other. I normally a good learner, but learn bees took longer. They are amazing creatures and more I learned about them, more I am fascinating by complexity and at the same time simplicity of their life!

I am doing research in molecular biology area - biological molecules structure and function. I also do quite a bit of cell-biology study. Broccoli-cheese soup is gone when they moved Cafeteria in the new hospital building. When I did not have enough money, broccoli soup was my lunch-dinner together. Sergey

[Seymore]

Sergey... Sorry bout that broccoli soup, man! Waaaa.

[cerezha]

Sergey... Sorry bout that broccoli soup, man! Waaaa.

Yes, I miss that soup! They used to have it, I believe, one particular day of week (forgot which one), it was "holiday" to me when they had that soup! They also used to have a salad bar when you pay per plate, not by weight. People managed to put 3x more in that plate. No surprise, they start charging per weight. What time you were at UCLA? I am since 1993... Sergey

[Seymore]

Probably 1984 when I was there. The commute from The Valley was too tuff - didn't finish the class. Real Estate appraisal, I believe. On a whim. CSUN grad. Used to bike from Santa Monica to Redondo all the time. Miss that too!

Oh - Bee!

(thought I'd better add something about bees lest we get thrown to the Koffee Klatch. Lol. You are very lucky to live AND bee in Santa Monica. Good for you!