And now we know!

  I see a lot of strange things while on the pier.  Most have to do with the Bayou, water and the critters that dwell therein but sometimes things stick out like a sore thumb.   Yesterday, Mark and I meandered down the path and onto the pier like any other day.  Once there, we usually plop ourselves down on the bench and sit a spell just watching the water or sunrise/sunset (whichever the case may be).  This time we decided to hold off a bit and observe some strange action taking place on the bench.  A few days ago, I had placed an empty crab shell on the bench. This was from a crab molting and leaving behind the empty shell.  I had good intentions of mounting it once it dried but it needed a few more days in the bright sunshine to make it odor free.  The crab shell was not what caught our attention, though.  It was a honeybee.

  On the crab shell, a small honeybee was quite busy.  It was working hard on parts of the shell and the cartilage between the joints of the legs and claws.  This seemed to be a strange action for a honeybee.  I knew that the yellowjackets and wasps were always trying to scavenge foodstuffs but honeybees?  This seemed out of character for these bees.

  Once inside, I decided to research a bit about honeybees and their need for salt. Perhaps this would explain the actions of the bee. I really did not think the bee was trying to eat crab!  Sure enough, certain bees of the hive search out salt supplies and bring some back to the hive. The salt is needed for the bees own metabolic processes and also for the development of the larvae.  Although some beekeepers put out salt for the use of their bees, it seems that sea salt is preferred by the bees. That crab seemed to be there for a reason (other than my future craft project!).  

  One point of interest..honeybees taste with their feet!  I actually did not know this but it seems that when we see honeybees crawling around on something, they are actually tasting it.  They have a sense of taste for saltiness and sweetness but don't seem to be able to taste bitterness.  

  So, now we know!  The mystery of the crab shell and honeybee has been solved!