The bee on the left is one of my own honeybees. She lives in a nice white box in my yard and flies about visiting the flowers.
Notice that the gentle honeybee, unlike wasps and hornets, won’t sting unless she absolutely has to, to help defend the hive or the honey or the queen mother bee… If a bee stings you, she will die.
But she’ll always put the well-being of the colony ahead of her own interests and safety — it’s her instinct.
Even more gentle and sweet is the bee on the right. She lives (on a black satin cord) in my jewelry box.
This is one of a pair of lampwork-glass bee beads that came as a sweet surprise from their creator, Josephine Brooks (Lampwork Art). So cute!
I had visions of using them to make a pair of glass bee earrings…
But last night I gave away the other bead.
I gave it to one of my best girlfriends, also a beekeeper, who has had a very tough year — she needed a happy little bee-beady surprise. Yes, it was hard, hard, hard to give up one-half of my two-bee treasure. No question about it — I had to struggle with a bit of natural greed before I could say “This one is for you.”
Funny how things work out:
My friend’s delight, in the end, made my own pleasure in Jo’s gift all that much greater… and I’m willing to bet there’s a Life Lesson here.
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What a precious bee…the bead is cute as well! I have been wanting to start my own hive. How did you start up with yours?
Hi Becca!
Glad to hear you’re interested in beekeeping — the world very much needs all the bees it can get!
The best way to get started in beekeeping is to hook up with some experienced beekeepers. It’s very much a hands-on kind of learning experience, so nothing will substitute for going out in the field…
That said, the Beekeeping for Dummies book is a good way to get a sense of what’s involved.
If you don’t know of any beekeepers in your area, check with your Agriculture Department or Google for a local beekeeping association.
Good luck!
Never knew that about the honeybee.
Cute post!