Walking in the woods in the morning a downed tree-limb caught my eye and especially the small heap of nesting-like material with Bumblebees doing seemingly random motions into the material. On closer inspection I realized that a dead limb made heavy by the incessant rain of the last few days had fallen, tumbling their nursery of this years crop of new bees out onto the path. I had inadvertently left my camera at the house so back I went to retrieve it. Perhaps it had only happened moments before I saw it first for the bees seemed to ignore me completely at the time - I even gently pried into the duff material with a stick which exposed the bee-to-be larva casings and they seemed to ignore me. When I returned with my camera to take photos some still ignored me but one or two (sentinels?) of the plucky little buggers came after me giving me a good smart on my back as I turned in retreat. First time I've ever had one of the usually peaceful Bumblebees sting me - can't say I can blame them, first their home suffers an 'act of God' and then this lumbering thing comes along poking a camera into their affairs.
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