# Abejas - again



## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

For the fourth March in a row we have had an abeja experience. My helper and I are in the process of sealing/painting the house getting ready for the rainy season. About 10:30 this morning a swarm of maybe a thousand or more bees came by and settled in one of our trees. The swarm had a diameter of perhaps 20 feet and they formed a hive inside the tree which was maybe twice the size of a rugby football. They were large red/brown bees. (I am allergic and so that ended my painting for the day). 

My wife called the bomberos. They showed up about 1:30PM - in force - there were perhaps 10 of them (one woman !) - only to learn that the swarm had moved on 10 minutes earlier. They checked around the yard to make sure there weren't any accidents waiting to happen - looks like we are ok for now. 

But it is a small world. This was the third visit for one bombero - and we live in/near a very decent sized city. He speaks English and said - I always like coming to your house because I can practice my English


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

I guess spring is finally here. I'm looking out my window and I see a squadron of swallow-like birds perhaps 30-40 of them doing their top gun simulations. I have to assume they are eating flying insects of some sort. They look pretty happy. 

The other thing I've noticed lately is the large birds have returned. I like to think of them as Hawks but friends insist they are vultures. First there was only one for a week or so, but then two more have come back. 

But - when the weather warms up - and they are predicting anywhere from 35-45 in the coming weeks - that brings out the alacrones (in large).

Edit : and from now until the rains come we will have the insistent sound of the 'crickets' - but I'm sure someone knows the correct name for them...


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

Cicadas. They don't sound ANYTHING like crickets. Around where I live, they don't start up until about 3 weeks before the rains.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

surabi said:


> Cicadas. They don't sound ANYTHING like crickets. Around where I live, they don't start up until about 3 weeks before the rains.


Perhaps I should have said "from around now" and not "from now" BUT going with your theory. In 2017 we had....

Feb - 3 days of rain - 0.04 inches
Mar - 14 days of rain - 1.81 inches
Apr - 17 days of rain - 4.22 inches
May - 26 days of rain - 11.68 inches
...


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

Crickets sound like an on/off noise, but "rainbirds" sound more like birds; hence their name.

Seems like they appear about the same time as ...mosquitoes. You know, just about the time you can sit outside again.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I sure never heard a bird that sounds like cicadas. Cícadas sound like cícadas. Now those little tiny white lizards make sounds like birds but at night.. I always wondered what kind of bird sang at night, until an indigenous stayed in my house and we looked and looked for a lizard and found it under one of a shade..Cute little guy.. we left him here so we have a little lizard living in the house..

In France we call the cicadas , cigales and they are a symbol of hot weather and summer.. the hotter it gets and the lower they sing in the pine trees and you can actually see them and catch tem. We love them because they mean hot weather and Provence, vacations name it .. all we love..


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

lagoloo said:


> Crickets sound like an on/off noise, but "rainbirds" sound more like birds; hence their name.
> 
> Seems like they appear about the same time as ...mosquitoes. You know, just about the time you can sit outside again.


Actually I've never heard them called "rainbirds" anywhere except by gringoes who live around Lake Chapala. I read on the Chapala forum that it's because some gringoes a ways back who had no idea what that sound was, thought they were birds and that misnomer stuck among the gringoes. Apparently the Mexicans look at them with total non-comprehension when they use that term.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Same here..


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

I'd say cicadas sound more like a siren going off. Certainly not like crickets or birds. Maybe some people need to get their hearing aids checked


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

surabi said:


> I'd say cicadas sound more like a siren going off. Certainly not like crickets or birds. Maybe some people need to get their hearing aids checked


Hey, what do I know? I'm just a gringa around Lake Chapala and asked another gringa what that really loud noise was: "rainbirds" said she, and explained that it wasn't really a *bird *bird, but an insect, and that they start up a couple of weeks before the rains come.
Amazing amount of noise from a tiny critter !


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