Beautiful picture of a carpenter bee and flowers, isn't it? Have you ever experienced the incessant buzzing of these creatures? I know, I know. They are "harmless". They don't sting. They just buzz around, flitting here and flitting there. If you are a bee lover, I apologize in advance for my next statement.
One of the frequent spring and summer pastimes at Holloway's is to sit on the front porch swatting these buzzing nuisances with a racket. On an average day, you can sit on the porch in one of our comfortable rockers and watch the sawdust drift down from the overhang like snow.
The oldest part of our building dates back to 1761 so I guess the wood must be like a fine wine vintage, only getting better with age. It feels like each year there are more and more of these little buzzers. We are constantly plugging the holes where they have bored into the wood. But such is life in a log cabin.
However, do you know why carpenter bees bore into the wood?
It is to lay their eggs in a protected environment. Okay, I guess we can handle that.
But..........
Do you know these wonderful bee larvae actually are?
They are the favorite delicacy of a certain bird, namely this Downy Woodpecker.
Yes, that's right. We have been invaded by a woodpecker. One day last month I was walking behind the building (to scare off the woodpecker) when it dive-bombed at me. I guess I interrupted its afternoon snack.
The past month has been spent plugging holes and repairing damage left by these visitors from nature. I'm thinking.....maybe Maria needs to design her next quilt telling the story of the Carpenter Bees and the Woodpecker.
What do you think?
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