Yes, the big time almond bloom is on! It happens the later part of February to the first week or so in March after which the pedals start falling but the bees remain in the orchards until released by the grower. Then everything about moving bees (February) happens all over again in reverse. The bees are heavier from the honey they have gathered in the orchards and hive populations are greatly increased and growing which leads to swarming if left unchecked (more on this in May). It's early spring in Idaho the last half of the month as the bees roll in from California and we get ready for splitting nucs and raising queens which is one of the busiest times of the bee year. We'll get into that in April.
There isn't a lot of activity in the bee yard in March that hasn't already been covered, so it's a good time to provide some related information on bee stings and bee suits as well as literature references for those interested in learning more.

BEE STINGS
Nobody likes to get stung and we take all precautions to avoid it, but stings happen. A small percentage of the population (about 5%) is allergic to stings and for them a bee sting is serious; resulting in difficulty breathing, upset stomach and perhaps a trip to the hospital or worse. Needless to say, this group has no business messing around with bees. For the rest, stings usually mean minor pain, swelling and discomfort. Depending on the individual, a degree of immunity develops after a number of stings, and, for the beekeeper, stings are always worse in the spring when there haven't been any for a few months. For anyone working in and around the bees, stings become similar to a mosquito bite - a minor annoyance. The worse place to get stung is in the face or around the eyes, which can swell shut for a day or two. Otherwise, it just hurts - crying is optional!

Stinger magnified about 25 times.

THE STINGER
Without some sort of defense, honey produced by the bees would be freely taken by both man and beast destroying the hive and leaving the bees to die in the process. Without the deterrence of the stinger, the bees would continuously be robbed of their honey treasure and eventually become extinct.
Unlike the wasp or hornet, an individual bee can only sting once, as it looses it's stinger in the process and eventually dies. Bees sting for only two reasons:
1. to protect their hive or
2. because they feel their life threatened.
Otherwise, they go about their business without aggression.
The stinger that detaches from the bee includes, not only the barbed stinger itself, but a venom sac and a bundle of muscles. After delivering the stinger, the bee tears itself from it and these muscles work for a considerable time thereafter with a pump-like motion forcing the stinger deeper into the wound and discharging the venom.
To minimize the effect of the stinger it is important to properly remove it immediately after being stung. The stinger must not be pulled out, for in this process, the venom sac will be mashed and fully discharged. Instead, immediately:

• Remove the stinger by scraping (from the side) using a knife blade or fingernail. Be careful not to press on the venom sac.