It's the Bees Knees!

"Excellent", "radical", "awesome", "golden" - What's up with the phrase "It's the Bees' Knees!"?

Ok, the bees do gather pollen and nectar and carry it back to the hive in sacks on their legs..., which I suppose on close inspection resembles little knees of gold?  But maybe it's in reference to a World Champion Charleston Dancer, Ms. 'Bee' Jackson, after her rather remarkable dancing knees? 'Bees' knees'?

No matter how you define it, having an active hive in your garden or your waterfall is NOT, "the bees knees"!

The sun is climbing higher in the sky these days.  Spring is in the air and it is time for the honey bee colonies to look for new sites.  The hive that may not have been very active during the cooler months will soon be abuzz again.  A new queen will be left behind to take over the old honeycomb.  Then, about half the workers and the old queen will leave and seek out a new location.  Will it be your backyard?

Foraging bees!  There are a few things you can do to discourage this!  Check for holes or cavities in trees, outside walls, clay pots.  Fill them or cover them up.  Place a rock over the hole in your water meter box and -put it back when the meter reader inadvertently misplaces it!  Bees need water.  Remove or treat standing water.  You can put a little vinegar in the bird bath and your pets' water.  Two tablespoons to a gallon should discourage the bees.  If you have an evaporative cooler, put a bit of pine scented cleaner in the standing water.  All pests love trash- make certain you have a secure lid on it!  If your house needs a fresh coat of paint, do the eaves in a nice light blue.  Rumor has it they may think it's the blue sky and they won't land there!

When the bees are on the move, you may see them swarm.  This does not mean they are staying, but they might!  Keep an eye on it, don't disturb it.  If they are still there after 24 hours, or start building a honeycomb, they are probably planning on staying.

Too late?  Don't panic, just stay away from them.  Don't throw rocks, shoot water or detonate any atomic bombs!  There is a strong possibility it is an Africanized hive.  If you accidentally disturb a hive, RUN!  Get in your car, get in a house or building just as fast as you can!  Africanized bee stings are not more dangerous, but they are more aggressive bees and can attack for no reason.  They will continue to defend the hive until you are where they can't get you.

Bees are not all bad guys.  The trouble is only specialists with expensive tools can determine which ones are bad and which ones are good.  If you have flowers, a water source, or a good location, you will see bees.  Hopefully they are just passing through, pollinating my orange trees on their way back to a professionally managed colony.

This Time of the Year is a Rodent's Favorite Time to Vistd!

Introduce yourself to your new pet because identifying what type of critter is looking for a warm bed at your house is important!  Roof rats are excellent climbers and trapeze artists and are seeking access to the warmth and comfort of a safe sanctuary.  They will fluff up your insulation and create a nice little nest for their young.  They feast on your fruit trees.  If you don't have any, they won't mind.  The will go out to eat at the neighbors, only to return to have a late night party at your place, dancing the night away in your attic and snacking on your electrical lines.

So...if you aren't in the market for some new pets, you may want to get rid of things that are appealing to freeloaders!  Don't leave pet foods accessible for them.  Keep garbage in containers that you can close.  Pick ripened fruit before they do and eliminate any standing water sources.  Trim hedges up off the ground so you can see if they are plotting and playing underneath, and stack firewood up off the ground and away from the house.

You should pretend your are a rat!  Sneak around your house and see where you can get in.  Don't forget you can (as a rat) use your skills as a tightrope walker or a tree climber and you can fit through a very tight space, even as small as a half an inch!  Check the seal on your garage door, start at the foundation and scamper your way up to the vents on the top of the roof.

Mouse trap!  Or in this case a rousing game of Rat Trap may be rewarding.  All fun aside on this one, setting traps to capture rats is an effective way to control them.  Rats are nervous creatures and will be cautious of new things in their environment, so it may take a bit of patience.  You can put peanut butter or some other fun food on the trap and leave it unset for a day or two until the rats become comfortable with this new object.

Okay, of we kick them out of the house, where are they now?  They are out there, looking for a way back in!  Bait stations can be set up in inconspicuous areas outside.  They do need to be checked on a regular basis to make certain there is always fresh bait in ready supply.