The Bees

I phoned the AC guy to ask if he could come do a tune up before the Graduation festivities.  (Almost every year we do this to avoid having AC problems during the heat of the summer.)  Knowing that it was not an emergency we were patient and waited till Monday at 4:00pm for him to arrive.

When I opened the door, he smiled and said "We have a little bit of a problem."
"Ooo...that is not a good lead in for our first conversation." I say following it up with a smile.

"Well, I went on the side of the house to test the AC unit but I was attacked." says the AC guy.
Thinking he was refereing to our neighbor's dog who is quite big and likes to bark, I insisted that I could help him. As we rounded the corner he interrupted my commentary on the large harmless dog.

"It isn't the dog.  It is the bees."
"The what?" I asked.
As we approached the AC unit we could see a swarm of bees congregating on the hose that leads from the AC unit into the house. Ughh...really?  Does everything have to end in a problem when I plan ahead?

"That is a dilema." I respond.  "Let me call the pest control guy and then I will let you know when we get it taken care of."  The AC guy leaves and I call Pest Control guy, Kevin.  Kevin comes over within an hour and sprays the bees with some bug spray.   Although bees are falling dead to the ground, the number does not appear to be diminishing, and the bees seem more agitated.   

"It looks like I am going to need to wait until it is dark and they are all settled down." Kevin remarks, and he sets a time to return.

Nine o'clock rolls around and Kevin arrives with his "super distance extra strong bee spray".  After spraying for a minute or so he stops, and comes to ring my doorbell.  "The bees are coming out as fast as I can kill them. You must have a hive in your wall or something like that. Some bees are protected and can't be killed.  I need to call the county in the morning, have them look at one and then have them send out a bee keeper to remove the hive and move it to a different location if necessary."  Really?  We have people monitoring and moving bees around?

The next afternoon I get a call from Kevin telling me that the extension office has looked at one of the bees and cleared my bees to be destroyed--instead of moved.  Kevin sets the time to come take care of it in the evening.  Great, I think a little relieved, that still gives me time to get rid of the bees 24 hours before people arrive for the graduation.

But alas my bee situation continues. Kevin knocks on our door later that evening.  "The good news is that we sprayed the hive and the bees are dying.  The bad news is that the ones that are still alive are really angry.  Also, the poison takes about 24 hours to kill the majority of the bees.  Then, of course, the bees could linger for up to a week.  I guess I am just wanting you to know that you really shouldn't have people outside your home, or on the deck for a week or so."

I am slightly stunned, knowing that I he and I have already discussed that people will arrive tomorrow.  Additionally, that we are barbecuing on the deck for the graduation lunch.  "Okay." I say knowing that there is really nothing more that he can do.  "I appreciate you coming right out and helping me get this all figured out before the party."

"No problem." says Kevin.  "Just have people run to and from their cars when they arrive for the next few days."  He smiles and walks away.  Is he kidding?  Tell me he's kidding.