Buzzin'

Our garden this year is turning out to be a haven for wildlife it would seem! Not just the usual suspects, slugs, snails and birds (though the latter of these obviously are somewhat deterred by the Pussycats!) but no, we've also had squirrel sightings (we wondered how the birds were eating the nuts so fast!) in the early mornings and we also have a resident frog (who we've named Philleus!)

We didn't get much gardening done last year due to the awful British summer so I imagine much of the natural interest lies in the slightly unkempt aspect of our wilderness but we are making some inroads into cleaning the place up this year... We've started with the greenhouse which is filled with Chillies, Peppers, Aubergine and Pumpkin plants! (D is determined to carve his own, home grown pumpkin for Halloween this year and I'll use the pulp for soups!!) and of course, the grape vine which is now established enough for us to allow it to bear fruit! Summer wine perhaps?

Anyhoo... During the recent flurry of activity, we decided to add a little more substance to the old compost bin (we have two - the new one which is current and the old one from a year or so back that was full and nicely mulching away!) but as I lifted the lid, I noted a faint humming / buzzing sound. Looking inside, I spotted a bee - presumably flown in looking for food and in thinking nothing of it, proceeded to tip the contents of last years grow bag onto the top of the old waste matter...

It was like something from a Horror Movie!!

suddenly, a whole swarm of bees started climbing out through the soil...! Emerging as if enraged and certainly in a way scary enough for me to slam the lid closed and run!

Oh yes, we've got a bees nest (hive?) in our compost bin!

Braving the risk of multiple stings a while later, we looked again and saw a large, presumably queen bee and a host of others swarming over the larvae inside... It's kinda nice to think we've got such marvels of nature lurking in our garden but also a bit perturbing noting that we've got potentially painful residents just yards from where we sit on an evening!

We'll have to see how the summer pans out...? Jxx