Bee time - Prologue and chapter 1

1. Bees and Humans

1.1. Bees were here before us and therefore have always been a part of our history

1.2. early bees were more solitary but much like today they had branched hairs for trapping pollen ; now some bees are still solitary, some are in loose communal groups or some form highly complex society's

1.3. without bees we would not have diverse groceries missing out on most of the fruits, vegetables, berries and nuts we have available today

1.4. we depend on bees for survival and theyre survival depends on hoe well we manage the environment they rely on

2. Bees impact

2.1. there are 20 percent of angiosperms that can only be pollinated by bees while another 45 percent which bees assist in pollinating

2.2. 229000 of 352000 species known require or greatly benefit from bee pollination

2.3. colony collapse disorder where a hive will die out within a few weeks is catastrophic for bee population and agriculture production

3. Bee lifestyle

3.1. there is a wide array of wild bees with different characteristics and habits

3.2. there are bees that make a deafening buzz to ward off so they can find a certain flower in tropical jungles (giant orchid bee)

3.3. the sting-less bees live in tropical or subtropical regions and they build large nests in hollow tree trunks or underground cavities. they evolved jaws and venom sacs that are just as painful as another other bees sting

3.4. conversely there are the bumble bees which have adapted to colder climates and can be found within six hundred meters of the north pole

4. Bee interactions

4.1. among all the activity in the hive the most common activity is interaction in between 2 bees

4.2. us humans can learn much from bees like our place in nature and engaging with our fellow humans

4.3. moments of presence and awareness are rare for humans but common in bees

4.4. The worker bees feed the larvae and took care of them while the queen bee( not king like aristole thought) influences the majority of the hive and lays eggs

4.5. bees are very resilient and have survived through some of the harshest situations because of the collective response to stress

5. The Apiary

5.1. When going through the daily rituals, one feels aligned with the past and the present.

5.2. being in the apiary is a full body experience engaging all of ones senses

5.3. both apiaries and controversial human issues require a high level of concentration and engage all of your senses