Monsoon Coming to an End (Cottonwood, Maricopa: home, cost, airport)

[grmi66]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Sounds similar to what I experienced, minus the stings, thank goodness.

Be careful out there, folks, those Africanized bees are the spawn of Satan himself.

Still get the shivers if I hear more than a couple of bees when I'm out hiking or running. They like to attack your head, so all my stings were in my hair and back of the neck. Will never forget the feeling of bees rooting around in my hair.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by grmi66

Still get the shivers if I hear more than a couple of bees when I'm out hiking or running. They like to attack your head, so all my stings were in my hair and back of the neck. Will never forget the feeling of bees rooting around in my hair.

OMG!!!

Bees can be jerks. I was stung while floating on the lazy river at Wet N Wild. Just minding my own business. Didn't even see it until I felt the sting. Well, I saw the dead bee right after. Jerk. First aid station gave me stuff for it...guess they deal with lots of stings.

First visit to W & W in March, they had an area roped off due to a swarm of bees.

[cjs123]

Originally Posted by grmi66

We are about 2-3 weeks away from starting to open the doors and windows first thing in the morning and being able to enjoy an evening drink after work on the patio.

As far as the bees go, I ran into a swarm last year at North Mountain. Was hiking off trail, turned a corner and the hive was inside of a small cave about 20 yards away. The little SOB's chased me for over half a mile (and I'm a decent runner) and I got stung about 15 times. From reading accounts on the local hiking forum I frequent if the bees are looking for a new nest and swarming overhead you are pretty safe. Just duck down and try to sneak off and generally they will fly right over you. But if you run into them after they have a nest built and bump into the first line of sentries like I did, prepare to get stung. Last year a guy & his dog got killed in the mountains south of Tucson from killer bees.

How awful! I've only been stung once (wasp) and I can't imagine getting stung a bunch of times, or something worse like the poor guy and his dog.

Interesting about the sentries. This reminds me it has been over 20 years since I've walked around on North Mountain--where does the time go???

[grmi66]

I looked it up, it takes 7 stings per pound to kill you. So it would take over 1000 stings to kill the average adult.

Around the Phoenix area I've heard of the bees hanging around North Mountain, Lookout Mountain had some last year and Camelback has had them as well. A few years back a guy jumped off a ledge on Camelback because he was getting stung so much.

[locolobo13]

I've run into bees on Shaw Butte. The scariest was a swarm right on the edge of one of the little used trails. I should have backtracked but just walked slowly by. The next week they had a hive there and I was able to slowly walk by again. After that I started going way around. Month later the hive was gone.

On the NW side of N. Mtn there's a little used trail and I think I heard bees buzzing deep in the wash. Never saw a one.

A few years ago there was a news clip about africanized bees at a soccer game in South America. Brazil I think. Several of the players laid down and stayed very still. The bees chased the ones who were still running. Not sure if that's good advice or not. Not sure I'd have the courage to lay down and stay still. I think if they are already stinging you then you are targeted.

That said it's something to think about. Best advice is to stay away from swarms and hives. Unless you know what you are doing.

[PoppySead]

Originally Posted by cjs123

Also loving those lower nighttime temps; love watching the sky at night/dawn, though I did get chomped a few times by mosquitos and some other weird thing.

The Texas sage looks GORGEOUS right now; blooming like crazy. The bees are loving it, too.

I loath those bushes, I'm allergic to bees and for some reason everyone loves to put those buy mail boxes and drive up speakers. lol It's like a bush of bees.


When you have stray bees at night that usually indicates a hive near by as they don't travel far alone. It simply got too into it's business and didn't get back to the hive soon enough. They will fly toward light like moths do, trying to get their bearings.
I've had quite a few night bees as well, I'm sure there is a hive somewhere, hopefully not in my roof.

[cjs123]

Originally Posted by PoppySead

I loath those bushes, I'm allergic to bees and for some reason everyone loves to put those buy mail boxes and drive up speakers. lol It's like a bush of bees.


When you have stray bees at night that usually indicates a hive near by as they don't travel far alone. It simply got too into it's business and didn't get back to the hive soon enough. They will fly toward light like moths do, trying to get their bearings.
I've had quite a few night bees as well, I'm sure there is a hive somewhere, hopefully not in my roof.

I haven't noticed sage bushes near speakers/mailboxes around here; there is nothing but rocks around our community mailbox but I have seen sage bushes on my way into a store, just not sure where. I'm sure I'll notice the landscaping more, now the subject has come up.

I'm noticing more bees around the sage this year; I usually notice them in the nearby Palo Verde tree, but right now the sage are in bloom and the PV is not. I've only seen that one 'lone ranger' at night.

Interesting about them flying toward a light; I had the house/patio lights out since I had gone outside to skywatch, but I did carry a small LED flashlight which was on for a few seconds. I'd been out there in the dark for a while before the bee showed up; maybe it wanted me to turn the light back on.

Seriously, if you do have a hive I hope it is discovered and removed pronto, especially since you are allergic.

[cjs123]

Originally Posted by grmi66

I looked it up, it takes 7 stings per pound to kill you. So it would take over 1000 stings to kill the average adult.

Around the Phoenix area I've heard of the bees hanging around North Mountain, Lookout Mountain had some last year and Camelback has had them as well. A few years back a guy jumped off a ledge on Camelback because he was getting stung so much.

Found this online; I think it refers to that incident, plus others.

Camelback Mountain Hiker Dies After Fall During Bee Attack, Two Others Stung 300 Times Each; Off Main Trail on Climbing Route | Phoenix New Times

[new2colo]

This latest supposed chance for rain was a complete bust. There was just lightning off in the distance after dark yesterday and high humidity when I woke up this morning. Monsoon season last year lasted into the beginning of September. I remember downpours and pretty crazy lightning the day after my birthday (September 9). We'll see what this year brings or if the season will basically end for us after the humidity lowers today.

[cjs123]

Originally Posted by new2colo

This latest supposed chance for rain was a complete bust. There was just lightning off in the distance after dark yesterday and high humidity when I woke up this morning. Monsoon season last year lasted into the beginning of September. I remember downpours and pretty crazy lightning the day after my birthday (September 9). We'll see what this year brings or if the season will basically end for us after the humidity lowers today.

Same here; when the wind kicked up a bit last night and I saw lightning in the windows and heard some thunder I thought, here we go! But it was a no-go.

Maybe there will be a big storm for your birthday.