A Swarm Of Bees
11 December 2017 | Tenacatita Bay, Mexico
George Stonecliffe
Sue saw them coming! A swarm of honey bees chose our boat out of 15 in the harbor to land on. They swarmed on to the end of our mizzen boom probably wanting to take up residence. But not if we could help it! So I donned long sleeve shirt and long pants, shoes and socks, rubber bands around my pants at the ankles, garden gloves, hat and mosquito netting all over from hat to my waist, leaving my arms and hands out to do whatever. First, I sprayed them with white vinegar which they supposedly don't like. I was spraying directly on a 3-4 bee thick blanket hanging on to the boom. No response. So we had some Raid for crawling insects, nothing for flying insects. But we used that with total effect. I sprayed them, then ran into the boat where we had closed windows, and had screens over the rest of the portals, as they stirred and started flying around. But they didn't come after me. So I went back out, and did it again, noticing that several were on the deck dying. This time I sprayed longer all over both sides of the boom. I ran back in side the boat. I removed the sail cover. Sprayed some more. Then I raised the mizzen sail to shake any bees out of the sail. And sprayed the inside of the boom again. Continuing to sweep up the dying bees, I noticed that several of the bees were flying up to the top of the main mast. Oh no! Our main mast does not have an opening at the bottom (it is keel-stepped). But there are openings where the lines go over the sheaves at the mast head, and where the halyards come out of mast above the main deck. I sprayed Raid into these lower openings, hoping to discourage their presence. But at this time I think some are still in the top of the mast. Tomorrow we will go to Barra de Navidad, and among other things, will by some more raid for flying insects! The battle continues.