On Mon, 2 Sep 1996, Allen Dick wrote:
 
> <snip>
> > the following facts:
> >
> > 1. Honey bees don't bite, they sting.
>
> They do, in fact, bite.  They often will bite my wrists long before
> they are sufficiently provoked to sting.
> >
> > 2. Honey bees are social insects.  They work for the good of the
> > hive. There are no walk outs, strikes, or pay raises.
>
> We, of course, have no way whatsoever of knowing that.  Pretty
> fanciful -- and anthropomorphic to boot.
>
> > 4.  No human has been stung by a Queen
>
> Well, if you consider Andy to be a human ;) -- as I do -- we all know
> that is not true. (Right, Andy?)
>
> > 5. Honey Bees fly over 55,000 miles to make 1 pound of honey. And A
> > worker honey bee makes only 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in her
> > lifetime (From SueBee Home page: http://www.suebee.com
>
> Well, maybe the public can believe that, but these are wild guesses
> and generalities -- not 'facts'.  These guesses are based on
> assumptions that are not always true.
>
> > 9.  The queen lays over 1000 eggs a day.
>
> Not my queens.  Some days, yes, many (most) days of the year, no.
>
> > 10. Swarming bees are least likely to sting because their abdomens
> > are distended with honey.
>
> ...Until they hang around a few days in bad weather, then believers
> beware.
>
> > 11.  We are loosing bees and we should consider them to be our
> > friends. Do not step on them out of spite.
>
> I doubt anyone can step on enough bees to make much of a difference,
> but, okay -- besides it's hard on your bare feet  :(  and makes amess
> of the rug.
>
> > 12.  Beekeepers don't get Arthritis or Cancer  ( I would like to get
> > a reference on this one)
>
> Me too, because this is easily proven false.
>
> There is quite surely some truth to the beliefs that bee stings are
> beneficial in some types of arthritis.  Less likely IMO is the less
> commonbelief that beekeeping may have some inhibiting effects on some
> cancers.
>
> Just  ask any beekeeper how his back is, or if he knows of a
> beekeeper who had cancer, and the falacy of this becomes obvious.
>
> How many beekeepers on this list have arthritis or cancer?
>
> I have some arthritis.  Don't know about cancer... (Hope not).
>
> Regards
>
> Allen
>
> W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                         VE6CFK
> RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0
> Internet:[log in to unmask] & [log in to unmask]
> Honey. Bees, & Art <http://www.internode.net/~allend/>
>
Gee.....I thought this list was about sharing information and helping each
other.....not shooting holes in other people's posts......sheesh!
 
                          Ian Watson
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