08-28-12 Stinging hoodlums

I waited as long as I could before writing this piece for the pain was too great. Last week, as I was looking through the front glass door, I noticed a highly unusual activity by my front hive. It looked like a cloud of bees coming in and out of the hive's front entrance. At closer look, I realized that hive was being robbed. I blocked the entrance to the hive while facing bees that were way more aggressive than mine.
 I guess robbers have to have an attitude!
 I left it closed for about an hour and things settled down. Having lost access to the honey the attackers had moved on. The next morning I opened it and found only about a third of the honey left.

Two days later, as I checked my two backyard hives, I was alarmed by the presence of dead bees and dead baby bees by the entrance.

Even though it was drizzling, I immediately opened both hives to find out all their honey was gone. Just a few days earlier, I had told some of my colleagues how important it was for me to keep the honey inside the hives for "the girls" to eat in winter.
They deserve it!
The next day, my whole yard was invaded by super aggressive bees that roamed in gangs and even went after me, something my bees never do. Based on their actions, I have to assume they were Africanized bees (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africanized_bee)
I have since tried to get in touch with the county beekeeping association to get confirmation of their presence in the Triangle but got no response so far.

So, what's a man to do once he realizes his girls are no Amazons and they get their butt kicked by some roaming hoodlums? First I reduced the entrance to the hive to make it easier to defend ( a little late since the proverbial horse is out of the barn), I started feeding them sugar syrup and pollen patties which, added to whatever they still can collect at this time of year might allow them to rebuild enough storage for winter.
Now my source of delight has turned into a cause for anxiety as I try to read every odd in-flight as a potential threat.

On the good side: time to think about and start the Fall/Winter garden with some lettuce and endives growing in flats and some bush beans and kale started directly into the garden.

Emerging bush bean

Future lettuce

On the not so good side: I have been receiving more and more nocturnal visits by Bambi and family, nibbling here, chopping there.
Since I refuse to live without my home grown cool season greens, I am now forced to stretch some deer fencing around some of the beds (I do not want to fence the whole garden) but it takes away the open look/feel I really like.

Sometimes it is hard to love nature!!!!! :( :( :( but, no, I do not plan to give up.

Pictures:

It figured I couldn't see it, hidden as it was.

Banana flower. For perspective, it is about three feet long. As it opens up, I will keep you in pictures.

Spanish Trumpet

Pickerel plant. Lives in shallow water and in bogs.

Passion flower, so called because it reminds some people of Christ's crown of thorns.