Ahoy! Dick,

According to my *casual* observation, the bees seem to take the shortest
possible route, having once figured it out although during their initial
search, they do a zigzag flight around the mesh as if to figure out how to
get at the corn dust in the chicken feeder.  Next they fly through the
mesh with ease a few more times; however, as Dave pointed out, they appear
to fly clear over the fence and land vertically like a helicopter would
once they realized the shortcut.  Nevertheless, I would like to verify my
observation by spending more time at the chicken coop next time when it is
warm.  We are, this is the fly in the ointment, in the thick of winter
here in the People's Repuiblic of Oklahoma (between January 12 through 17)
when the average low is about 25 F.  Give me another week or so with
improving weather.  I will do a better job.  My bees are, I have been
watching them, usually up and about when the temp hits around 47 F
[commandoes] and 54 F [the regulars] although I even observed them flying
a ground-hugging, bullet-flight, at lower temp, especially if they had
been cooped up longer than two weeks.

On a different note, Dick, do you have ferral bees in Alaska?


Yoon