I am very honored to announce I have received one of the highest endorsements of my garden I can think of: we have a bumblebee nest!
They are in the wren house, in the abandoned nesting material.They look so much less round here than when out pollinating flowers, so much so that I tried to get closer for a confirmation photo.
So! That last picture, the bumblebee flying? Yes, well, I have found their limit is about a meter or so. Keep scrolling to see three of my four stings and one unlucky bumblebee that clung to me into the house and got squished in a panic, sadly. Content warning if you keep scrolling down: squished bee, reddish stings, puffy knuckle. No blood.
Briar was interested in an ice cube abandoned after Wes got out the more useful bag of frozen peas n carrots for me. Last chance to turn back from sad bee and sting pics!!!!Sting above knuckle on ring finger.Left arm stingRight arm sting. This was the unlucky and persistent bee we squished in house. I feel bad about that.We kept the dead bee for identification. Tentative identification by several people is American Bumblebee, Bombus pennsylvanicus.Front viewAnother above shot. Pattern of yellow and black seems to be how they are identified.This morning my two arm and one neck stings not too bad. Last night the arm ones hurt when bounced (ie when I took dog on her bike ride) and the knuckle hurt to flex. This morning the ring finger knuckle is very puffy and definitely hurts more to flex.Note how the affected knuckle doesn’t wrinkle up like all the others.Unaffected left ring knuckle for comparison.We’ve been walking by here all summer with no problems, but I decided to put a chair out for safety for now. Finger pointing at bees.You can see it’s on the way to the door to the garage. I think it should bee fine but for a few days at least I am going to go around!
8 Replies to “Chosen!! A tale of bumbling”
Beeware! Sorry you got stung! But neato that you got them. I got ants and wasps in my bird houses. Do not think I had ever heard about bumblebees in a bird house.
Ouch! Triple ouch! You might consider checking with your doctor or an urgent care center. The last time I got stung by a red wasp it got infected so I needed antibiotics and they also gave me a tetanus booster.
Beeware! Sorry you got stung! But neato that you got them. I got ants and wasps in my bird houses. Do not think I had ever heard about bumblebees in a bird house.
I didn’t either but I saw on Wikipedia that they use old bird nests. Thanks, Wes has taken to referring to them as my “lessons” 🤣
Ouch! Triple ouch! You might consider checking with your doctor or an urgent care center. The last time I got stung by a red wasp it got infected so I needed antibiotics and they also gave me a tetanus booster.
Super cool to have a nest regardless!
Oh gosh good to know! My tetanus shot is up to date at least.
Wow I am jealous that you have the nesting there! Glad the stings are on the mend
Thanks, I am excited!!
What a shock eh? Miguel got several stings on his face once. Looked like a boxer the day after losing a fight. So glad they didnt sting your face.
I took benadryl right away so I think that helped a lot