Thursday, June 29, 2006

To Bee Or Not To Bee...

     I've heard people in the MS circle say bee sting therapy helps "cure" or lessen the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis.  I've never been one to endorse this idea/treatment and I'm certainly not ready to change my mind about it now.  The problem is my home has become the nesting (or is it hiving?) grounds for a group of very large, black bumble bees and I'm growing apprehensive these bees may have a "different" plan for me!

     Three days ago, I discovered a large bumble bee roosting on my ceiling when I got home from work.  Being the sometimes diligent earth steward I am, I simply got a large container, captured the bee, and set it loose outside in its natural habitat.  I thought it must have come in around a screen or something...after all, it has been ungodly hot here in Seattle and I haven't been the most watchful of my windows as some of them don't even have screens on them.

     The next day, I discovered three more of these rather large creatures buzzing or dead in my window sill.  I was beginning to think there was now a conspiracy, so I quickly secured any outdoor access they might have, captured the two live bees, took them back outside, toss the dead bee along with them, and decided the problem was remedied.  I was wrong.

     Yesterday...more bees.  Now I figured out they were coming in via some other unknown location so I searched the outside of my home with a fine-toothed comb.  To my amazement, I discovered the little stinkers (I don't think they smell at all actually, but calling them "little devils" seems offensive!) crawling in and out of a hole in the siding where the phone line and cable have been brought in!  Not wanting a bee hive in my wall, I got out the caulking gun and closed the hole, said a little prayer for the death of the bees still trapped inside, and went to work.

     I was sitting in my living room a few minutes ago eating my morning toast and heard that familiar sound of a bee buzzing between the blinds and the window.  Yep...another bee.  Short of calling an exterminator (which I neither want to pay for nor do I want the bees killed...and I certainly don't want my entire WALL knocked out!) I'm not sure what to do at this point.  I think I'm resigning myself to co-exist with the bees!  The bee this morning may simply be a "left over" trapped in the wall...that's what I'm hoping anyway.

     If I can't get rid of the bees, perhaps I will need to reconsider my position on bee-sting therapy and Multiple Sclerosis.  Who knows...maybe there's a "cure" living in my walls and I'm just to dense to figure out my prayers have been answered!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sparing the bees.   Think of what effect the exterminators pesticides might have on your MS!   Wouldn't want to fool around with those chemicals!   Rx are bad enough.

Anonymous said...

Personally....I am scared to death of Bees!  I hope that was that last one and the problem is solved!  

In regards to the idea of a bee sting "cure", if that is what it came down to...I am afraid I would be stuck with this illness forever, lol....I am not sure how I could bring myself to be stung by a bunch of bees.  OUCH!  That sounds horrible.  

I hope you are doing well and this finds you bee free tomorrow!  Take care.  

Jaime

Anonymous said...

Hrmmmm, bee venom seems like it would be just adding a different target for the immune system.  But hey, if it works for them, they should do it.  Even if it is placebo effect.

Anonymous said...

Your just to darn funny for me today....saving the bee's?  You certainly are a sweet soul!  I would probably wack the heck outta them....I'm just not interested in getting stung again....it hurts!!