Comments on: BBQ Bees

BBQ Bees

sidartha — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:00:29 -0800

Man attempts to kill some bees that have invaded his BBQ, ends up annihilating entire colony of honey bees.

By: arcticwoman

arcticwoman — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:04:26 -0800

Wow, that's incredible and disturbing. I wish there had been a better way though, those poor bee's.

By: matteo

matteo — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:05:19 -0800

is this real? I'm a city person and this sounds just insane

By: Miko

Miko — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:07:04 -0800

What a shame he coated those honeycombs with toxic poison. I'm amazed that (a) they took up residence in a location that close to human activity and (b) he didn't notice hundreds of bees coming and going several times a day from the hive!

By: baphomet

baphomet — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:07:41 -0800

I'd probably say "taken residence in" rather than "invaded". Given the extent of their colonization, it's obvious he wasn't using the grill much prior to this incident. That's pretty crazy, though-- I wonder why they chose his grill for a colony? What made that particular grill so attractively habitable for them?

By: Kimothy

Kimothy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:08:56 -0800

Wow. That's terrible and incredible at the same time. Too bad about the bees, but I can't say I would have stuck my face under there to check species types before doing some kind of similar extermination.

By: crapmatic

crapmatic — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:09:21 -0800

I saw the whole litany of comments when this made the rounds on Digg yesterday. We used to keep a bee hive for honey and this is certainly tragic, but on the other hand, unless I'm mistaken it sounds like the guy had no idea what he was dealing with. I think the real litmus test is what he would have done if he knew it was a big hive. But that fogger near the BBQ? Geez, WTF? I hope his guests like lots of 2,1-dichloroethylbenzene on their burgers.

By: DU

DU — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:10:52 -0800

I call BS on this guy. If he just saw a few bees, he wouldn't go to Defcon Bugbomb On A Rake. Instead, he found the colony and wanted to just get rid of it but didn't feel like that would go over well on the internets, so he concocted his story.

By: Jode

Jode — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:11:48 -0800

What a shame he coated those honeycombs with toxic poison. What a shame he coated his BBQ with toxic poison. I wonder the half-life is.

By: Durn Bronzefist

Durn Bronzefist — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:12:34 -0800

That's crazy. As others are saying, terrible and incredible at the same time.

By: desjardins

desjardins — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:12:35 -0800

By: ShadowCrash

ShadowCrash — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:14:37 -0800

Seconding Jode. I'd have serious hesitation about using one of those roach bomb things on something I like to cook my food on.

By: DU

DU — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:15:42 -0800

I mean I call BeeBeeQS on him.

By: threadbare

threadbare — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:15:58 -0800

How incredibly sad. .

By: Nahum Tate

Nahum Tate — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:16:08 -0800

Those bees had been there for many weeks, judging by the amount of comb--and you can see lots of capped brood in the pics. Under that cover is actually an ideal spot for bees. It's wooden, like their natural habitat, and dry and spacious. What this fellow ought to have done is called his local bee inspector, who is easily found online; the bee inspector knows which local beekeepers are looking for swarms. No charge. You might even get a little honey out of it, particularly if you offer up an ideal hive like this, one with a strong population and easy removal. If you were to buy these bees from a supplier, it would run you about 75 or 100 bucks.

By: SpiffyRob

SpiffyRob — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:16:21 -0800

And JUST LIKE THAT all the time spent getting over my irrational fear of bees goes right down the crapper!

By: brneyedgrl

brneyedgrl — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:18:31 -0800

very very sad...he could have called someone they would have come out and moved that hive for him...no charge. what an a$$!

By: Miko

Miko — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:19:58 -0800

If he just saw a few bees, he wouldn't go to Defcon Bugbomb On A Rake. Yeah, I had a similar thought noting all the care he took to set up and document his attack. He was already thinking it would look cool on the internets. Thanks for mentioning a bee inspector, Nahum Tate. I didn't know about that service.

By: M.C. Lo-Carb!

M.C. Lo-Carb! — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:22:22 -0800

It's actually illegal in some places to kill a colony of honeybees.

By: Brandon Blatcher

Brandon Blatcher — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:23:04 -0800

I'd have serious hesitation about using one of those roach bomb things on something I like to cook my food on. Evolution at work, perhaps.

By: paisley henosis

paisley henosis — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:25:49 -0800

I've never seen a hive on a grill before. That was really impressive. I love bees.

By: wenestvedt

wenestvedt — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:26:20 -0800

"What this fellow ought to have done is called his local bee inspector, who is easily found online..." What a marvelous blend of 2008 and 1888! I can *so* clearly hear this in the voice of the Book from the old HHGG production on the BBC radio so long ago. Or perhaps Chauncey Gardiner (Sellers in "Being There").

By: oonh

oonh — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:26:45 -0800

By: Plutor

Plutor — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:28:14 -0800

DU: "I call BS on this guy. If he just saw a few bees, he wouldn't go to Defcon Bugbomb On A Rake." I know several people who would do (and have done) exactly that. Same kind of people who wouldn't think even once about using a bugbomb near a food-preparation device.

By: Plutor

Plutor — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:29:38 -0800

Miko: "Yeah, I had a similar thought noting all the care he took to set up and document his attack. He was already thinking it would look cool on the internets." The first three photos could have easily been taken ex post facto.

By: quin

quin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:30:08 -0800

[Gir voice] Aww, My bees! Seriously though, this made me sad for some reason. I guess because I never get honeybees attaching themselves to my stuff, it's always paper wasps and other I-want-to-sting-you-to-death bugs building nests in my eaves.

By: Potomac Avenue

Potomac Avenue — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:33:17 -0800

Yeah this guy is an idiot, doesn't he know those things can grow back like Terminators? I would probably just blow up the whole house and move.

By: sjuhawk31

sjuhawk31 — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:33:47 -0800

The "holy shit" moment is really when you see the size of the comb. What a shame that all those bees had to die. There had to have been someone to call to take care of it.

By: RussHy

RussHy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:34:27 -0800

Such a waste. We need those pollinators. I bet he knew what he was doing.

By: shadow vector

shadow vector — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:35:36 -0800

BBQ Bees. (If the FPP made you sad, this will make you extra sad.)

By: blue_beetle

blue_beetle — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:36:58 -0800

I disagree with those who say he wouldn't have bought the bug-bomb unless he knew about the hive. I've known people who would use nuclear weapons (if possible) to kill a single spider, and they would think nothing of dropping a fully-loaded city bus on a centipede. In memorium: A one... two-- A one... two... three... four... Half a bee, philosophically, Must, ipso facto, half not be. But half the bee has got to be Vis a vis, its entity. D'you see? But can a bee be said to be Or not to be an entire bee When half the bee is not a bee Due to some ancient injury? Singing... La dee dee, one two three, Eric the half a bee. A B C D E F G, Eric the half a bee. Is this wretched demi-bee, Half-asleep upon my knee, Some freak from a menagerie? No! It's Eric the half a bee! Fiddle de dum, Fiddle de dee, Eric the half a bee. Ho ho ho, tee hee hee, Eric the half a bee. I love this hive, employee-ee, Bisected accidentally, One summer afternoon by me, I love him carnally. He loves him carnally, Semi-carnally. The end. Cyril Connelly? No; semi-carnally! Oh. Cyril Connelly. [whistling]

By: rtha

rtha — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:40:13 -0800

At an job I had a few years ago, we had this wooden enclosure thing where the garbage cans were kept. I was taking a box of recycling out to it one day and when I swung the door open, I noticed that the side wall seemed to be...moving. There were a lot of bees. Many many many bees. And there was a lot of honey - it seemed to me that I could smell it. I tracked down a local beekeeper, who came and collected the bees and the comb. He said he send over some honey, but he never did. The next garbage enclosure was a plastic shed-thing. No more bees.

By: KokuRyu

KokuRyu — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:44:18 -0800

I quite like bees. Why would anyone ever want to kill an entire colony? Kind of makes me wonder if he also tortures small animals or tickles his niece until she screams/.

By: Mister Cheese

Mister Cheese — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:46:43 -0800

As the son of a beekeeper who's gone on many a swarm catching call with his father, this makes me really sad. What a waste. If you find a swarm has settled in a place you don't want, try the local fire department. I know in the Austin, Texas area they've got a list of beekeepers who'd be more than interested in acquiring a new swarm. There's also the phone book, if the fire department doesn't keep such a list. And the internet.

By: batmonkey

batmonkey — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:47:08 -0800

idiot.

By: mrnutty

mrnutty — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:49:32 -0800

Oh, the bee-manity! Not to bee confused with the hybrid species bee-manatee

By: mrzer0

mrzer0 — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:53:04 -0800

Wow! Here's my story... My wife (then girlfriend) had a set of those portable chairs (you know the ones you take to local ball games, or tailgates, or even just outside on your patio). They were nice chairs; they had a can holder and pockets on either side for magazines or whatever. Anyway, she was living in an apartment on her own at the time, and she had a balcony so she had two of these portable chairs out on the balcony. We used them a fair amount at the start of summer one year, but then we didn't touch 'em for about a month. When we finally went to go sit outside again we found that it was starting to be colonized. We FREAKED OUT! The bees were in the can holder and the pockets and under the flap where it acts as its own cover (when you fold the chair up). It was insane. Not to the extent of what this guy had, and I never looked closely enough to see if they had a honeycomb going anywhere, but still! We waited until it cooled down at night and carefully yet quickly picked up the chairs, ran them through the apartment and back out the front door straight to the dumpster! I guess bees just like to hide in stuff sometimes. It was too bad about those chairs. They were nice chairs.

By: Marisa Stole the Precious Thing

Marisa Stole the Precious Thing — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:54:22 -0800

What a shame he coated those honeycombs with toxic poison. That's the first thing I thought when I saw these photos - look at all that beautiful honeycomb gone to waste. When we were kids, we watched our dad light some rope in a coffee can to smoke out a colony that had formed under a corner of our porch. Worked spectacularly, apart from a couple stings he incurred. And the honeycomb was delicious.

By: nola

nola — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:55:22 -0800

Mister Cheese is right about this.

By: cjorgensen

cjorgensen — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:55:29 -0800

CCD. Mystery Solved! Needs an asshat tag and could he caption those photos any worse?

By: GilloD

GilloD — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:58:42 -0800

Oh boy, another round of INTERNET KNOWS BEST. What average person sees a few bees and goes, "Time to call my local beekeep!". I don't even think I have a local beekeep, let alone a mental check to call him. And, sure, the bomb may have been overkill, but he probably thought there was one of those little hives, not a friggin' colony. And I dare you to call 911 or the Fire Department for a couple of bees flitting around the backyard. See if you don't get laughed off the line. I agree, what happened here was a bummer. But it's also a pretty regular reaction. I'm just shocked comparisons haven't been made to "Bee-Hitler"

By: RussHy

RussHy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:58:51 -0800

My wife works at the county extension office. She's been telling me horror stories about this huge die-off of wild pollinators and how it's going to hurt our agriculture. Something like 90% gone in the last 50 years. And the current explanations don't sound too convincing: disease and stress from pesticides.

By: woodway

woodway — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:58:57 -0800

To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee, One clover, and a bee. And revery. The revery alone will do, If bees are few. ~ Emily Dickinson

By: cjorgensen

cjorgensen — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:59:23 -0800

Too bad he didn't try this method.

By: snofoam

snofoam — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:02:47 -0800

When building top bar hives, apparently the spacing of the bars from which the bees will build combs is really important. Although in the photos it looks like they ended up building their combs at an angle from the slats of the wooden side thingy, perhaps the dimensions/spacing of it were appealing to the bees.

By: rokusan

rokusan — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:02:49 -0800

When we were kids, we watched our dad light some rope in a coffee can to smoke out a colony that had formed under a corner of our porch. I could copy-paste that exact story. Marisa, apparently, is the long lost sister I didn't know I had. (Excuse me while I have a personal moment.)

By: cjorgensen

cjorgensen — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:03:24 -0800

GilloD: I'm just shocked comparisons haven't been made to "Bee-Hitler" I think you just did.

By: snofoam

snofoam — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:03:46 -0800

By: Mitheral

Mitheral — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:04:04 -0800

Miko writes "he didn't notice hundreds of bees coming and going several times a day from the hive!" Not all that amazing depending on which way the patio faced. If the bees took off away from the house then you might never notice them.

By: six-or-six-thirty

six-or-six-thirty — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:04:18 -0800

Oh my god why does this make me so sad

By: WinnipegDragon

WinnipegDragon — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:04:53 -0800

Bernard! Bernard! I killed all your bees!

By: Tehanu

Tehanu — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:04:53 -0800

/me pours out honey to my fallen bee comrades Also: for future reference, call a beekeeper.

By: Mitheral

Mitheral — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:06:10 -0800

snofoam writes "When building top bar hives, apparently the spacing of the bars from which the bees will build combs is really important. Although in the photos it looks like they ended up building their combs at an angle from the slats of the wooden side thingy, perhaps the dimensions/spacing of it were appealing to the bees. " It's important so that the bees build on the bars rather than at some random angle and attachment as seen here.

By: Thin Lizzy

Thin Lizzy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:06:44 -0800

Yeah, I had a similar thought noting all the care he took to set up and document his attack. He was already thinking it would look cool on the internets. It's a real bummer for sure, but to be fair, there's no evidence he started documenting this at the beginning. The picture of the rake-bomb and packaging could have easily been taken after the fact. There's also no photos of the bomb going off or the bees dying- it's all aftermath.

By: Big_B

Big_B — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:07:26 -0800

Oh boy, another round of INTERNET KNOWS BEST. What average person sees a few bees and goes, "Time to call my local beekeep!". I don't even think I have a local beekeep, let alone a mental check to call him. Well gee at least most of the people in this thread now know that beekeepers can be easily found. It's called a phone book. And, sure, the bomb may have been overkill, but he probably thought there was one of those little hives, not a friggin' colony. And I dare you to call 911 or the Fire Department for a couple of bees flitting around the backyard. See if you don't get laughed off the line. I have called a Fire Department about a situation like this, and guess what? They called a beekeeper! I agree, what happened here was a bummer. But it's also a pretty regular reaction. I'm just shocked comparisons haven't been made to "Bee-Hitler" With the CCD problem that is threatening crop production in many areas, I would say the outrage from those who know better is somewhat warranted.

By: robocop is bleeding

robocop is bleeding — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:07:31 -0800

Ungh. That picture combines two of my phobias: swarms (1) and natural honeycombs (2). If I came across that on my BBQ grill and there was nobody to talk me down, I totally would have gone all DEFCON BugBomb. Plus I would have bought a new grill and seriously considered stripping and painting the deck. And covering it with bug zappers. Also, fire. (1) - My dislike of swarms is ants' fault, but it extends to anything amorphous and chitinous. When I was young, I had a pet lizard of mine eaten alive by a swarm of ants in my room. I wake up in the middle of the night to some thrashing and oh, look, there's a stream of ants coming out of a vent, up my desk, and into Dippy's guts! Yay. I then spent several years focusing my rage at swarms of bugs of all types. I stopped when I tried to wage war on fire ants. They won. (2) - As for the honeycomb thing, that's corn's fault. Well, that and my mom's cooking. One Thanksgiving when I was little, I was forced to share my Big Boy Ear of Corn with my little sister. My folks sliced off a bunch of corn for her, so I had a half-shaved ear. I was furious - muscles tense, quaking with rage furious. Also, that was the year my Mom kinda undercooked part of the turkey. So I got sick, in addition to being irrationally enraged. The shape imprinted on me and now when I see a natural honeycomb-like pattern (especially shaved ears of corn) I get antsy (ha!) and woozy. It's only natural shapes that do this, so I'm free to play Hexic and Battletech to my heart's content.

By: klanawa

klanawa — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:18:07 -0800

from shadow vector's link: "OH DEAR LORD ITS SO BEAUTIFUL. I AM SO PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN RIGHT NOW." mccain voter, i'm guessing...

By: Damn That Television

Damn That Television — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:19:09 -0800

Tags: bees

By: TungstenChef

TungstenChef — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:25:58 -0800

Well gee at least most of the people in this thread now know that beekeepers can be easily found. It's called a phone book. A bunch of people registering their sense of smug self-satisfaction is not a good indicator of anything.

By: anoirmarie

anoirmarie — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:28:32 -0800

so much for thanking god for the worker bees...

By: quin

quin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:28:37 -0800

Ungh. That picture combines two of my phobias: swarms (1) and natural honeycombs (2). I know what someone is getting for Christmas!

By: Potomac Avenue

Potomac Avenue — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:28:56 -0800

If I came across that on my BBQ grill and there was nobody to talk me down, I totally would have gone all DEFCON BugBomb. Plus I would have bought a new grill and seriously considered stripping and painting the deck. And covering it with bug zappers. Fuck that, nuke it from orbit, its the only way to be sure.

By: ShadowCrash

ShadowCrash — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:32:04 -0800

robocop's link about cicadas is fantastic. It's posts like that that making reading this intranet thing worth it. Too bad about the bees, though.

By: Marisa Stole the Precious Thing

Marisa Stole the Precious Thing — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:32:58 -0800

THIS MAN IS JUST LIKE HITLER

By: Mister Cheese

Mister Cheese — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:33:10 -0800

What average person sees a few bees and goes, "Time to call my local beekeep!" This is actually a good question. I fear that less and less people would actually think to do this. But there's plenty of places where people are in fact aware of local beekeepers. My pa got a lot calls from the fire department for swarms. I don't hold it against a person who goes out and kills a bee colony. There are parts of society that aren't educated about how to deal with such a situation, and have a fear of bees that is justifiable. Bee stings can be fatal if there is an allergic reaction, or there are enough of them. But it ain't going to happen if you don't mess with those bees. What really bothers me is when people appear to take delight or satisfaction from destroying a colony. I remember as a freshman in college watching a couple of my classmates throwing water ballons at a vagrant bee swarm on the side of a building. Those bees would most likely have left on their own, but they were instead killed because someone decided it would be fun. The man linked may had legitimate concerns for his safety, but the fact that he put it on the internet in this manner makes me think he took delight in the whole process. As someone who's been raised with an enormous respect for bees, and been there with my pa as he was worried about varroa mites and colony collapse that sort of attitude doesn't sit well with me at all.

By: adipocere

adipocere — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:33:30 -0800

It is a shame, and a little sad. However, sometimes that's the price you pay for going down an evolutionary path where your greatest defense is to have much larger organisms terrified of you. Sometimes, the terrified organism might just wipe you out. Especially if the organism in question is human, which generally wipes out anything which frightens it.

By: Marisa Stole the Precious Thing

Marisa Stole the Precious Thing — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:36:03 -0800

The man linked may had legitimate concerns for his safety, but the fact that he put it on the internet in this manner makes me think he took delight in the whole process. As someone who's been raised with an enormous respect for bees, and been there with my pa as he was worried about varroa mites and colony collapse that sort of attitude doesn't sit well with me at all. I have to agree, 100% And did the photos look pretty out-of-focus to anyone else?

By: bicyclefish

bicyclefish — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:38:18 -0800

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By: mullingitover

mullingitover — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:41:00 -0800

Marisa Stole the Precious Thing writes "THIS MAN IS JUST LIKE HITLER" No, Hitler at least wasn't a total idiot. This man is more like Paris Hilton. This is what an spoiled, unthinking moron would do.

By: JimmyJames

JimmyJames — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:41:07 -0800

Man, I love bees. And I agree, someone should add the "asshat" tag to this post. The one thing that makes me happy though is the lack of "LOL!! nuke the fuckers!!!1!" comments. A fair number of people like to point out that mefi is a den of god damn hippies. And, you know what, I'm really okay with that. Anyone who calls for a moment of silence on account of a needlessly killed bee hive is welcome to share a pint of homebrew with me.

By: Joey Michaels

Joey Michaels — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:45:46 -0800

Bee Hitler

By: The Light Fantastic

The Light Fantastic — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:49:26 -0800

Oh boy, another round of INTERNET KNOWS BEST. What average person sees a few bees and goes, "Time to call my local beekeep!". I don't even think I have a local beekeep, let alone a mental check to call him. This really isn't uncommon knowledge, and there is a story on most local news stations at least once a year with a similar story. Bees will hive just about anywhere, including in the walls of your house. So, maybe it's the case of " GilloD knows least." I find it hard to believe the guy didn't hear them - a bee hive is loud and generally has a cloud of bees coming and going around it.

By: Durn Bronzefist

Durn Bronzefist — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:53:06 -0800

but the fact that he put it on the internet in this manner makes me think he took delight in the whole process. I have to disagree 100%. He might do so obviously demonstrating delight ("ya! got the fuckers!") or remorse ("it sickens me that I didn't notice the hive") but the mere fact of putting it on the internet doesn't decide it either way.

By: Potomac Avenue

Potomac Avenue — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:56:50 -0800

Dear Metafilter, I recently discovered a scary cluster of these delicate yet dangerous beasts under my bed. Who should I call about this complicated problems? Please hurry I am running out of sausage. I'll take my answer off the air.

By: JimmyJames

JimmyJames — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:59:26 -0800

I have to disagree 100%. He might do so obviously demonstrating delight ("ya! got the fuckers!") or remorse ("it sickens me that I didn't notice the hive") but the mere fact of putting it on the internet doesn't decide it either way. If you accidentally hit a dog with your car, and felt guilty about it, would you take pictures and put them on the internet?

By: mattoxic

mattoxic — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:59:58 -0800

Couldn't he have called an apiarist? Now I'm in a bad mood. Thanks metafilter

By: Marisa Stole the Precious Thing

Marisa Stole the Precious Thing — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:00:33 -0800

Dear Potomac Avenue, Beedogs are generally malign, and will only attack if you poke them with sticks. I recommend calling the beedogkeeper, who you can find in your yellow pages. Just don't gas them to death like some kind of beedog Hitler. XOXOXOX, M

By: Marisa Stole the Precious Thing

Marisa Stole the Precious Thing — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:01:09 -0800

generally benign

By: Mister Cheese

Mister Cheese — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:02:49 -0800

"I have to disagree 100%. He might do so obviously demonstrating delight ("ya! got the fuckers!") or remorse ("it sickens me that I didn't notice the hive") but the mere fact of putting it on the internet doesn't decide it either way." Yeah, I agree Durn Bronzefist. I'd hoped that "in this manner" would've got that across, but no, just putting it on the internet doesn't indicate it one way or the other. I read it over again, and it doesn't sound like he's overjoyed at the destruction... more a satisfaction in his ingenuity. Still rubs me the wrong way, but then I'm at the highly bee sympathetic side of things.

By: JimmyJames

JimmyJames — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:05:37 -0800

With Africanized beedogs, all bets are off. They'll lick your face raw and get tons of slobber on you, just for walking in the front door.

By: Potomac Avenue

Potomac Avenue — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:06:26 -0800

Beedogs are generally malign Oops, too frightening, stopped reading here. Now where'd I put that Zyklon B?

By: xmutex

xmutex — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:08:46 -0800

30,000 bees vs. 30 hornets. Sans fire, though.

By: Durn Bronzefist

Durn Bronzefist — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:09:51 -0800

If you accidentally hit a dog with your car, and felt guilty about it, would you take pictures and put them on the internet? I dunno. If you accidentally hit your kid with your car, would you bury him in the garden? Analogies are fun!

By: Dasein

Dasein — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:13:31 -0800

Now where'd I put that Zyklon B? Not funny.

By: Durn Bronzefist

Durn Bronzefist — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:15:13 -0800

I will note that I've had pictures of me in my bat-fighting gear (that's gear in which to oust bats, not a bat costume) and would have no hesitation putting it on the internet. I would do so because it these were unusual and interesting situations, not because I delighted in smacking the flying rodents around. (in point of fact they were cute and I sang to them)

By: fantabulous timewaster

fantabulous timewaster — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:15:30 -0800

Dear Potomac Avenue, One year for Halloween, a friend and her dog both came to our house party in bee costumes. Never before or since have I seen an embarrassed dog. If you and your friends guffaw at your beedogs they will put tails between legs and slink back under the bed. Hours of entertainment!

By: erebora

erebora — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:18:02 -0800

Movie is gone. And presumably pirated? Bad mefi :(

By: Ambrosia Voyeur

Ambrosia Voyeur — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:20:49 -0800

I like my women like I like my BBQs.

By: limmer

limmer — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:21:44 -0800

Not to split hairs here, but there is a huge difference between a 'swarm' and a 'colony' of bees. What that guy was dealing with was a colony because the bees had been established for many weeks, if not months. A swarm is a mobile group of bees looking for a new home. Swarming is the natural method for increasing population. As the bees reproduce and fill an existing hive they begin to feel cramped and that (and other things) trigger the production of a new queen. Once the new queen is reared roughly half the colony gathers around her and they leave the hive en masse. Swarms are usually seasonal and behave completely differently than colonies. Swarms are mostly docile because they are intent on moving and protecting the queen, which resides in the center of the ball of bees. Swarms carry honey with them and bounce from tree to tree or whatever other structure they can find that is close and convenient. Beekeepers collect swarms by simply containing them and then providing them with a new home (generally a wooden hive box). You literally shake the whole mass of bees down in front of the hive and they walk right in...very cool scene. When you see a crazy picture of a guy with his head in a big pile of bees...that's a swarm. Colonies, otoh, defend their home to the death. Removing an established colony, while possible, is usually not a good option. I agree that this guy should have called any one of the list of people that would have been able to help, but just wanted to clear that up.

By: NoMich

NoMich — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:22:37 -0800

I like my women like I like my BBQs. Ashy?

By: anazgnos

anazgnos — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:29:17 -0800

They don't let you have bees in here.

By: mazola

mazola — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:31:08 -0800

Couldn't he have called an apiarist? RTFA. He had bees, not apes.

By: mattdidthat

mattdidthat — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:35:38 -0800

OMG WTF BBBQ

By: Big_B

Big_B — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:40:10 -0800

I like my women like I like my BBQs. Well I usually like mine clean and shiny, but even when they get all greasy with usage I keep using them. I do try to clean them up in the fall for winter storage though!

By: oogenesis

oogenesis — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:45:31 -0800

This makes me want to cry. Perhaps there should be more effort made to educate people about what to do in situations like these. Most of us here know about CCD...the average person doesn't.

By: Skot

Skot — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:49:43 -0800

*Nic Cage runs frantically into thread* This is murder! Murder! You'll all be guilty, and you're doing it for nothing! Killing me won't bring back your goddamn honey! OH, NO! NOT THE BEES! NOT THE BEES! AAAAAHHHHH! OH, THEY'RE IN MY EYES! MY EYES! AAAAHHHHH! *Mathowie breaks Nic Cage's legs* Ahhh, my legs! *thread sings and sways beatifically*

By: electroboy

electroboy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:52:13 -0800

Just throwing it out there, but if said douche is in the southern US, especially the southwest, the bees could be africanized, and reasonably dangerous. That's not to say he shouldn't have called a beekeeper.

By: brneyedgrl

brneyedgrl — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:54:42 -0800

If the bees were truly Africanized, the douche would not have been able to get close enough to kill them. I hear you just have to breath loud and they swarm out to kill you.

By: electroboy

electroboy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:57:42 -0800

Not necessarily true. Africanized bees are aggressive and persistent, but not quite as bad as they're made out to be.

By: FatherDagon

FatherDagon — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:06:54 -0800

I like my women like I like my BBQs. Covered in bees and poison.

By: kuujjuarapik

kuujjuarapik — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:08:27 -0800

I find the paucity of grilled food in this man's diet a horror that is only surpassed by his willful destruction of the bee colony. That the man documented the episode proves to me that he is 3 kinds of stupid. I'm willing to bet there's a few more kinds we'll never know about.

By: OrangeDrink

OrangeDrink — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:24:31 -0800

Eddie Izzard does make the best bee noises. I'm deathly afraid of bees because they're, well deathly to me what with the allergies and all, but the internet has information.

By: quin

quin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:30:50 -0800

Now where'd I put that Zyklon B? Dasein : Not funny. Zyklon Bee. Better? No. I guess not.

By: Durn Bronzefist

Durn Bronzefist — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:40:20 -0800

Movie is gone. Meh. It was a B movie.

By: WPW

WPW — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:43:42 -0800

[Beedogs are] generally benign The first eight are regular bees

By: adamdschneider

adamdschneider — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:46:43 -0800

I'm surprised no one has mentioned that this apparently took place outside the US. He makes two references to the metric system and writes "ran like the clappers," a phrase I was previously unfamiliar with but thought sounded British. According to this it is almost unknown outside the UK.

By: Jofus

Jofus — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:47:24 -0800

Behold the terrifying majesty of the Hornimann Museum's Internal Beehive (Of Horror)

By: Astro Zombie

Astro Zombie — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:50:43 -0800

I don't think douche kills bees. I think it just makes them smell like citrus.

By: tomble

tomble — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:10:14 -0800

To clear some things up: This happened in Australia - (Mortein is an Australian insecticide, all measurements given are metric, Jumbuck brand bbq). "Ran like the clappers" is a term used in Australia. Also, we don't have Colony collapse in Australia, in fact we export bees!

By: tomble

tomble — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:13:10 -0800

Also: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=664953

By: archaic

archaic — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:20:47 -0800

I keep hoping someone will do something like this to the human race soon.

By: archagon

archagon — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:30:06 -0800

I'm surprised at all the personal attacks in this thread. Don't remember too many people complaining when the wasp removal Ask MeFi question came up.

By: mullingitover

mullingitover — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:33:12 -0800

archaic writes "I keep hoping someone will do something like this to the human race soon." Someone? No, it's already happening but it's a collective effort. Get in a car and do your part!

By: exogenous

exogenous — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:40:08 -0800

I just wanted to say the cicada story linked above by robocob is fucking great. on preview: the typo can stand

By: DU

DU — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:41:15 -0800

What average person sees a few bees and goes, "Time to call my local beekeep!". What average person doesn't know that beekeepers will come and take away a swarm/hive for you? And, sure, the bomb may have been overkill, but he probably thought there was one of those little hives... Do you even know what bees are?

By: regicide is good for you

regicide is good for you — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:44:31 -0800

Oh boy, another round of INTERNET KNOWS BEST. What average person sees a few bees and goes, "Time to call my local beekeep!". You'd be amazed how many situations can be dramatically improved by not asking oneself what the "average" person would do. Take a look at the average state of average society, the result of average people doing average things. This is your litmus test? Really? People should be shunned for not adding a "Can this problem be solved without death" box early on in the flowchart. Why is that a hard concept?

By: Thoth

Thoth — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:48:11 -0800

By: archagon

archagon — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:51:05 -0800

"Take a look at the average state of average society, the result of average people doing average things." What's your definition of "average society"?

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:54:52 -0800

What average person sees a few bees and goes, "Time to call my local beekeep!". I don't even think I have a local beekeep, let alone a mental check to call him. Anyone who has grown up in the country, or knows anyone from the country. We kept hives at my place for our local "beekeep" He'd come by a few times a year to maintain the hives and take the comb out and he's bring by a bunch of honey "for our troubles" or what have you. We liked honey but not quite enough because it was starting to pile up in the basement. We'd get a gallon or so a year and ate sort of normal food so it was tough to use up all the honey. We'd made honeyed walnuts, peanut butter and honey sandwiches, honey syrups and we'd even give away OUR gift honey because we had so much of it. There's probably still some down there in my mom's house, it never goes bad. Now that I'm in Vermont I'm sort of a syrup snob, but I'll still buy the real maple stuff even if it's in the supermarket, but I only buy honey from the farmer's market from someone with their own bees. I didn't click the link, too depressing.

By: apis mellifera

apis mellifera — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:13:20 -0800

Wasteful and sad. I understand that it's a fairly typical reaction that people have to honeybees, one made out of ignorance more than malice, but that doesn't make it any less depressing. I can remember being so afraid of bees that I would have wanted to "nuke from orbit first and ask questions later, har har har," but I was, like, 10 years old. Learning a little bit about the creatures that live around you and trying to overcome your irrational fears is really in your best interest, folks. The species you save may be your own.

By: everichon

everichon — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:20:02 -0800

"Can this problem be solved without death?" posted by regicide is good for you lol

By: shockingbluamp

shockingbluamp — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:20:03 -0800

They were Africanized bees. They had little Obama stickers above thier stingers.

By: yonation

yonation — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:49:43 -0800

anyone have a non borked link?

By: Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America

Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:53:52 -0800

That picture combines two of my phobias: swarms (1) and natural honeycombs (2). I don't have a corn story, but the last few pictures of the honeycomb gave me a feeling of revulsion. Kind of like the lotus-boob effect, only milder.

By: robcorr

robcorr — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:55:39 -0800

What a dick.

By: desuetude

desuetude — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:25:59 -0800

I judged him first for his atrocious grammar, until I got to the hehehe and then the "weapon of buzz destruction" and then I found myself buzzing at him angrily and wishing these had been africanized bees. Gah. "Bee's" indeed. (And I'm bee-phobic. Do you know how annoying this dude had to be to get a bee-phobic person willingly imagining bee scenarios?!)

By: scheptech

scheptech — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:26:17 -0800

Suburban DIY mentality. There isn't a home related problem Home Depot can't solve. I know, I've been there.

By: nola

nola — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:32:26 -0800

What average person sees a few bees and goes, "Time to call my local beekeep!". I don't even think I have a local beekeep, let alone a mental check to call him. Anyone who has grown up in the country, or knows anyone from the country. Exactly. This was a terrible waste, and while I understand the guy may not have understood how simple it would be to relocate the hive it is still a foolish thing that he did here. It would be like finding 50 cows in your backyard and shooting them all in the head cause you didn't know what else to do. Except the cows had stingers, yeah cows with stingers, but you get my point. It's a waste.

By: nola

nola — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:34:27 -0800

I don't have a corn story, but the last few pictures of the honeycomb gave me a feeling of revulsion. Kind of like the lotus-boob effect, only milder. Holy shit dude that image still gives me nightmares.

By: paisley henosis

paisley henosis — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:41:19 -0800

If I found fifty cows, with stingers half the size of their body, in my back yard? Yeah, I would kill them all, as quickly as possible. I get your point, but holy shit that would be scary.

By: ColdChef

ColdChef — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:23:30 -0800

I am deadly allergic to bee stings. A bee sting has the potential to kill me dead. I don't like bees.

By: MiltonRandKalman

MiltonRandKalman — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:47:05 -0800

I too am allergic not deadly but I puff up bad. A sting or two and you could rent me out as a bouncy castle. If I thought there were a few bees taking root, I totally would have bombed it. If I knew it was a colony I was staring at I would have froze in fear until a roommate put my rigor body on a handtruck and wheeled me to a safe distance. It wouldn't be fear if it wasn't irrational.

By: JHarris

JHarris — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:35:02 -0800

I think we've finally found the Honeycomb Hideout. I APOLOGIZE FOR NOTHING!

By: Dreama

Dreama — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 03:20:17 -0800

o/` Honey Comb's big, yeah yeah yeah It's not small, no no no Wanker's got a big bad bomb Big bad bomb will kill all the bees Wanker's just killed all the bees! o/`

By: Jofus

Jofus — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 03:52:57 -0800

(turns to camera) 'Hello, we're arguing about bees.'

By: Hat Maui

Hat Maui — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 05:07:35 -0800

oh the beedog-manity* (*not to be confused with the beedog-manatee, a hard-to-explain crossbreed)

By: evilcolonel

evilcolonel — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 06:21:33 -0800

Bees are on the what now?

By: kuujjuarapik

kuujjuarapik — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 07:49:36 -0800

Australia has so many damn bees, we export them to the rest of the world. Ease up, people. Let's throw a coupla bees on the barby, mate.

By: dejah420

dejah420 — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 08:08:16 -0800

We live in an area where it's half suburban and half farms. We had a massive, massive hive build up near our willow trees not long back. Now; I love bees, but my son and I are both insanely allergic to them. I knew there was a lot of honey production around here, so I called the honey company in the next county, they called a local beekeeper, he came out in full Defcon Beekeeper of Doooom gear, got the hive, and went away. Later, he swung by the house with pictures of their new home and a half dozen mason jars of honey. Our house attracts bees because of the veggie garden, the butterfly garden, and I think maybe the decorative flowers I have growing on the arbor. We see a lot of bees. But I just sort of track where they're flying to and from, and when I see a hive, I call this guy. Everyone wins. Bees are really important to agriculture. And not just in a hippy-dippy tie-die kinda way. Without bees, our crops will fail. That's how the majority of plants in this country get pollinated. Killing bees is signing our own death warrants.

By: Pyry

Pyry — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 13:34:23 -0800

Killing bees is signing our own death warrants. The occasional destruction of bee colonies with bug bombs is not the cause of CCD.

By: limeonaire

limeonaire — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 14:05:51 -0800

I don't have a corn story, but the last few pictures of the honeycomb gave me a feeling of revulsion. Kind of like the lotus-boob effect, only milder. Holy shit dude that image still gives me nightmares. Oh God. Thanks a lot for introducing me to the world of lotus boob and its freaky cousins...

By: NikitaNikita

NikitaNikita — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 20:25:53 -0800

What the aforementioned "lotus boob effect"?

By: Ynoxas

Ynoxas — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:23:16 -0800

Alot of the indignation within this thread regarding CCD is completely unwarranted. This took place in Western Australia, which has absolutely no lack of bees. Australia has so many damn bees, we export them to the rest of the world. Ease up, people. posted by Thoth at 6:48 PM on November 14 How dare you try to stand in the way of a good old-fashioned MeFi outrage-athon? If I had found that on my BBQ I would have had it melted down for scrap and probably burned the deck off the back of my house. Nikita^2: Lotus boob effect.

By: Shecky

Shecky — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:44:37 -0800

The original link is dead, but I found another source for the pic in case anyone's still interested: http://images.shoutwire.com/pic_full/chemicalwarfarebees_jpgdf008323-0fb9-48e5-9d51-2fae01de0ce7.jpg

By: Shecky

Shecky — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:46:10 -0800

Whoops, part 2 as well: http://images.shoutwire.com/pic_full/chemicalwarfarebees2_jpg8691f26c-1d55-4834-bbb5-f809a1924615.jpg