While cranking out my slant of the Arizona Film Office, I recalled how I happened to learn this priceless tip that has helped prevent similar scenarios from happening on countless "rural" locations I've worked on.

While filming out in the desert, the craft-service table was attacked by bees ... actually a swarm of yellow jackets. Not just a few, but a fast-growing amount that quickly turned into the hundreds as they crawled over everything on the table.

Thought "Crafty" was far from the actual set, right in the middle of a take, the Script Supervisor cried out in pain -- a bee had crawled into her Coke can and stung her on her lip as she took a sip in the hot sun -- Ouch!

Fortunately, a Rep (actually our assigned Ranger) from the AZ Film Office solved the problem in a matter of moments. I followed him to the Caterer's Mobile Kitchen Truck where he grabbed a large watermelon, cut it in half, and threw it about ten yards away from Craft Services.

Within minutes, ALL the bees were all over the watermelon ... and as long as we kept a watermelon as a distraction, they never bothered us again. And it was amazing that they'd eat all of that sweet juicy Red Meat all the way down to the white rind, leaving what looked like just a large salad bowl left that was white on the inside!