The Birds and The Bees

[tab123]

No, not that kind, the kind you encounter when riding.

The red-winged blackbirds now are out in force in the Midwest. These birds are incredibly territorial and love to dive bomb cyclists. Last weekend riding in SW Michigan, I was followed by several. I barked like a dog (yes, "woof, woof"), which seems to discourage them from pecking at my helmet.

I also felt something sharp hit my upper thigh while riding along. It really hurt for a few moments, and I did not see anything on my shorts. However, I think I was stung by bee or a wasp. I have a half-dollar size red welt that is a bit swollen. I don't see a stinger but the area is irritated. Two years ago I was stung in the face near my eye by a wasp while riding (luckily I did not crash), and my face swelled to the point where I looked like an alien. (The worst part, though, may have been the effects from the steroids I had to take to reduce the swelling.)

When I first started biking, I thought I needed to worry only about cars and dogs. Who knew the other hazards?!?!?!?

[salsabike]

Tab, I love the "woof woof part"! Great story.

After my spouse got stung in the lip two years ago on a tandem ride, we took to carrying bee sting relief stuff (small tube).

[kenyonchris]

Maybe you could get one of those blow up owls that they put in barns to discourage little birds from coming in...strap it to your back. Maybe it would help with the birds.
I was attacked by ground wasps once while mowing a field, and had a major incident with hornets that thad taken up residence in a cross country log I was using while teaching a jumping lesson (with horses, not bikes)...they were MAD, MAD, MAD and the horses knew it, but have never been stung while riding the road bike.
Everything bites me on the mountain bike. Mosquitos, wasps, bees, spiders, and ticks. I am like a magnet. I have avoided (narrowly) snakes and the kamikazee squirrels that reside in the park here. I keep waiting for one to jump on my head and latch on to my ear or nose. But so far no takers.

[MomOnBike]

I've had red-wing black birds buzzing my front wheel right in front of my fairing. Kind of neat, acutally.

I also engage in "conversations" with them. I ding my bell and they chirp back. I know, I know, the things we are saying are not the sort of things I say in front of my mother ("get out of my territory you %##**&!"), but I do enjoy it.

I'll pass on the bees.

[Vireo]

I've had red-wing black birds buzzing my front wheel right in front of my fairing. Kind of neat, acutally.

I also engage in "conversations" with them. I ding my bell and they chirp back. I know, I know, the things we are saying are not the sort of things I say in front of my mother ("get out of my territory you %##**&!"), but I do enjoy it.

I'll pass on the bees.

When I did Trans Iowa May 2-3 a 320 mile non stop gravel race. I thought those birds were so striking (pun intended). I was amazed at their flying skill. I spent a lot of time looking off the gravel road watching them fly around.

Rudy Project helmets have a mesh screen to prevent bees from getting in your helmet while riding. I've had bees fly into my helmet

[Aggie_Ama]

The only time I have been stung by a bee is riding and through shorts. I have also heard reports of rattlesnakes on some of the trails and get this- a bobcat! At DH's last mountain bike race they had one running on the trail. DH scared a wild turkey at the same trail. I don't know of anyone bit by a rattler but they scare me. We also have to watch for white tail deer, I have heard one report of someone hitting one they dart across the roads especially during rutting season. Our birds seem a bit mellower than yours thankfully.

I did once see a hawk drop out of the sky and grab a snake in a field while I was riding on the road. It was impressive to watch him fly with the 3-4 foot snake.

Oh we do have to be careful of cattle, they startle easy and in some spots there are open range ranches so that means cattle in the road! Someone told me they hit a bunny on a trail. The rider wasn't injured, she wasn't sure about the bunny though.

[kenyonchris]

On a MTB trail (a DORBA kept trail, used very frequently) two springs ago I saw THREE rattlesnakes on one ride. I don't do snakes. One was curled up on the path and I dang nearly careened into it (my husband was behind me). My husband and another biker prodded it off the path, it was rattling up a storm. The second was crossing the path and was all of two feet from me. The third was sleeping in the path. By that time, I was ready to call for a helicopter to come and get me. Ugh.

[Groundhog]

Wow, glad we don't have rattlesnakes in Western Washington.

The timing on this thread is perfect as I ran into a bee both yesterday and today on my commute. The first bounced off my nose and onto my chest. The one today got stuck in between my helmet strap, hair and ear. I whipped off my helmet with one hand while riding, as I'm allergic and have a great fear of being stung. Luckily, no sting.

[crazycanuck]

We have some nasty birds(magpies & others) that seem to think it's fun to dive bomb humans. No so much fun when you're up in the hills & trying to avoid honky nuts plus pay attention going downhill.

There was an incident earlier this year(i think) where a young girl was attacked by a magpie & had to have her eye removed. That was just one attack I can remember

Should you want to be birdy free, place some cable ties on the top of your helmet. It may look funny but the birds don't bother ya!

The other option is to wave your bike pump in the air whilst riding .

Snakes..umm ya! Tiger Snakes, King Browns etc..not something you want to encounter. Isn't it wonderful that Australia has 8 of the 10 most deadliest snakes in the world...lovely...ermm..no.

[Aggie_Ama]

On a MTB trail (a DORBA kept trail, used very frequently) two springs ago I saw THREE rattlesnakes on one ride. I don't do snakes. One was curled up on the path and I dang nearly careened into it (my husband was behind me). My husband and another biker prodded it off the path, it was rattling up a storm. The second was crossing the path and was all of two feet from me. The third was sleeping in the path. By that time, I was ready to call for a helicopter to come and get me. Ugh.

OMG you just described hell to me! The one I have heard the most reports of in my area is the very well traveled Barton Creek Greenbelt. I already have been terrified of rattlers and then I watched a show about what happens even if you get treatment, now I am really scared. I really HATE snakes! I can deal with bees and wasps but rattlers and water moccasins no way. This wasn't riding but I saw a water moccasin on a local run and bike path. They are known to be aggressive, I was not a happy runner.

[irrealised]

I really need to learn to deal with bugs (especially the stinging kind) if I'm going to keep MTBing. I was out the other day on a nice doubletrack path just riding along when I hit a bumble bee. It was fuzzy, it touched my face, and I tried to escape... which consisted of throwing myself into the grass on the side of the path. I knew I didn't have time to unclip, but I tried anyway. At least I picked a soft area to bail.

That was not a good instinct though, and now I'm freaked out about what I might do if I have another bee encounter. Crashing is not a good plan.

[kenyonchris]

OMG you just described hell to me! The one I have heard the most reports of in my area is the very well traveled Barton Creek Greenbelt. I already have been terrified of rattlers and then I watched a show about what happens even if you get treatment, now I am really scared. I really HATE snakes! I can deal with bees and wasps but rattlers and water moccasins no way. This wasn't riding but I saw a water moccasin on a local run and bike path. They are known to be aggressive, I was not a happy runner.

I have ridden that a couple of times and it just LOOKS snakey, so I am not surprised to hear that there ARE snakes there. After I survived that snake ride, my husband (at the time) said, "I guess we won't be riding this again." And we didn't. I was skittery for a while, but a few years of no snakes has made me feel a little less like every stick is a snake ready to strike.
Water moccasins are seriously aggressive. They will swim over to bite you. They are territorial suckers. I have seen a lot of them and dealt with a few on patrol (one of the downsides to the job...snake calls when Animal Control is off).

Give me a bee or a bird any day.

[kenyonchris]

I actually nearly had a head on with a chipmunk the other day. It was running straight down the singletrack for me. The only thing I could think was "Oh my gosh I am going to kill a Disney character!" We both swerved in the correct way at the last moment. I hit a tree, but it was better than keeping Cinderella from the ball because her seamstress or whatever was killed by me.

[Tuckervill]

ROFL! That's hilarious!!

[tab123]

Update on the bee sting. The affected area was getting bigger. I had a red, secondary ring around the main area. My leg is infected, and I have to take antibiotics (bummer, I don't like taking those things). My doctor said there was a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine reporting that 50% or so of bees and wasps carry bacteria on their stingers. I always feel a bit like a hypochondriac when I go to the doctor about these kind of things, but I am glad I did.

The chipmunk story was a hoot!