“Bees do have a smell, you know, and if they don’t they should, for their feet are dusted with spices from a million flowers.”
― Ray Bradbury
The Smell of bees
I saw my first bee today, hearing buzzing while weeding
I searched for the little fellow and found him
Bumbling around the Lungwort
Buzzing with glee in the surprise warmth
Black, gold with a red bum
Furry and indomitable
He also harvests my garden
And mine depends on his
Its relief to see a bee today, with all the talk of their demise
Poisoned by chemicals that may yet kill us
Directly, as doses build, or indirectly
As my garden companions cease to pollinate
And harvests drop
The smell of small dusty bees
Will no longer tantalise my nostrils
Nor will the fragrance of food
Copyright © 2017 Kim Whysall-Hammond
I actually saw my first Bumble Bee last week– it is warm very early here this year.
it is bad news about bees. I see the occasional bumble bee, and a very rare honey bee.
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That’s very worrying. Last summer I saw a lot of bumblebees, I do hope the same for this summer.
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The canary in our world. We’ve been warned.
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Reblogged this on davidbruceblog #2.
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Saw my first bumblebee today but he was just sitting on a rock, uncharacteristically. It worries me too, the health of our bee populations…. I’ve seen a few honey bees this week so I’m hopeful.
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I dont see honey bees in my garden on the edge of a small market town. We are in the midst of stunning countryside, That’s worrying. However the bumbles seem to keep bumbling along around here!
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I always love it when a bee wanders onto my small balcony garden. Once i saw a bee sleeping inside a bloom. Love the idea of the smell of bees…..the smell of sunshine, i think.
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Yes, sunshine and warmth….
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I love this poem for the presence of the bee — its soldierly work in early warmth which is a harbinger of change. It makes the absence more poignant. Good job. — Brendan
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I always talk to the bees I see…..
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I love the idea of “the dusty smell of bees” My opinion of them has done a 180 degree turnaround in the last few years, from trying to avoid them out of fear to working joyfully amoungst them in the flowers and raspberries.
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The bumblebees are especially lovely. One of the species in my garden have little red fluffy bottoms!
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I hope to see some bees come warmer weather when the flowers are once again in bloom.
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aw…the little bumblebee to me is a streak of hope. May many more come and their tribe increase. We see them here in India but not as frequent as it always used to be.
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