On Sat, 1 Apr 2000 16:24:10 -0800, you wrote:

>What a surprise I had when I inadvertently touched a birdhouse I had hung on
>the corner of our large Ballard front porch, and about a dozen bees came
>tumbling out!
>The bees look like fat fuzzy honeybees, not as big as bumblebees.

Sounds like the same bees that took over a birdhouse (I had hanging
in a tree) that Black-capped chickadees had been using for several
years. The bees took it over a couple of years ago about this time of
the year. I left them alone for the summer, but had to throw the
birdhouse away after the bees died off in the fall. They and the
bugs that came after made such a mess, I didn't feel the effort
was worth it to try and clean the house up.

On the other hand, the orchard mason bees that briefly visit my yard
each spring leave a nice neat appearing 'block' after they are done.
Unless, like last year, I neglect to protect them quickly enough
and then the flickers have a field day.

-Craig
Lake Forest Park, WA
cekerns at eskimo.com