Bee Prepared

I was untying Rambo from the fencepost after brushing and saddling him for our first horseback ride in his new surroundings. As I opened the metal gate where he had stood patiently for twenty minutes, I felt a telltale burning sting in my right arm.

A swarm of hornets had recently established a nest in the gate in a corner where its metal frames had come together. Apparently, their new home was newer than new because during all that hot weather, nary a bee had complained any time I opened that same gate.

With a horse in one hand and a intensifying pain in the other, I remained calm and led my old bay gelding to the barn. For a moment, I figured my plans for this evening ride would have to go on hold. Then, defiantly, I decided that no little ol' bee sting was gonna stop me from taking Rambo for a spin around the new fields on this pleasant summer evening.

So, I tied Rambo to a post in the barn, asked him to behave himself and ran to the house for some baking soda. Mixing it with a little water, it seemed to soothe the pain, and I was able to go for a very pleasant ride, which included some sightings of deer in our woods and a visit with our next door neighbor Stan.

The bee sting didn't bother me; in fact, it was hard to even see that first night. But yesterday, its aftermath began to take effect with that first itch. The area around the sting had turned red, and I caught myself scratching several times throughout the day. That reminded me that I'd better find the hornet spray before letting the horses in from their pasture. The bees were apparently still snoozing in the morning when I let Rambo and Casey out.

Besides, I hadn't taken time to investigate the construction of the nest and was, indeed, surprised at how well-established it was in that corner pocket of the metal gate. I had, however, in the morning discovered that another nest underneath the ATV fender that I'd sprayed away a few days ago with the hose had once again come to full production. So, last evening I launched a shock-and-awe attack on both nests with my can of hornet spray.

The bees are definitely coming on stronger than usual this year, and they're taking up residence in surprising places. Bill and I ceased a project of picking up a pile of railroad ties at the old place the other night because two hornet troops had established their camps at either end of the pile. Finding them in the ground is always surprising although not unusual, but having them take up residence in gates and on new ATVs does seem a bit out of the norm.

So, my main message today as my warm red bee sting continues to itch is BEE PREPARED. They could be lurking anywhere this summer. And, a special note to my son, who's allergic to the stinging critters, when he comes north next week: bring your benadryl.