OK 2 posts in one day. But had to tell of the bees sweetness and courage. First of all this isn't one of my bees but they look much like this and I do have dandelions like this.

Anyway when I got my bees they came in a screened box with a can of syrup water and a young queen. That's it, I took the queen's little cage out and fixed it so she could eat her way through the fondant. Then I poured out the rest of the bees into the hive box. They had to build a home from scratch. Lost a lot of them right off from the stress and they were probably older. Worker bees live only 4-6 weeks. They literally work themselves to death. They were literally throwing dead bees out of the hive on the ground 20-30 a day. Thankfully that stopped. I helped them a little with syrup water, and watched as they came into the hive with yellow pollen on their legs. Talk about busy bees. In a little less than 2 months they have built comb, started brood (baby bees go Melissa that's what I named the queen; Greek for honey bee). I see stages of larva, pupae, as well as pollen cells. And their numbers seem to be increasing. So in spite of my inexperience and them starting from scratch they are doing well. Knock wood.

To the sweet courage part. Everyday I visit sometimes twice or more a day. So they "know" me. I take them a half jar of syrup water so it is fresh. Have yet to be stung. ;-) But if I happen to be wearing dark clothing they can see me as a threat. They will buzz at me even "bump" me. I back up and they go about their business. We have an understanding, anything I do I do without threat and they let me live. HA! I love those little bees. Like from "Ule's Gold", "I take care of the bees and they will take care of me".