Dave and I had a great time visiting the arboretum in Raleigh last weekend.  We saw amazing landscaping, plant variety trials in full swing, went on a guided tour led by the director of the arboretum and saw some honey bees up close and personal. 



I even got to go in their "cage" with them.  It was amazing to have hundreds of bees swirling around me, just going about their business.  The photo above shows bees coming in and out of their hive.



I've wanted to get honey bees for a while now.  I've even taken a beekeeping course.  Two things are keeping me from becoming a beekeeper.  One is a lack of experience with bees (they're not critters that I'm used to handling and I don't understand them very well).  The other is the near impossibility of being able to maintain a healthy hive without using serious pesticides to kill the parasitic mites that honey bees are now plagued with.



I love to watch them though.  They are fascinating creatures!