Hi All
 
As a beekeeper I have noticed that bees are very bigoted in who they
sting. I keep a number of hives in places where they are near farm
environments. This usually means that both black and white peolple
will be near the bee hive. I have noticed thatt bees will sting black
people who are fifty metres away, ignoring myself or a number of
other white beekeepers I have spoken to. Interestingly enough,
people of mixed origin, even with straightened hair still get zapped
so there may be another factor. (I have also noticed that bees sting
dogs and birds but not cats - hair type/feather typpe?)
 
So, I have noticed that it appears to be curly hair among other
aspects that triggers bees. But the interesting thing is, if this is
an inherited response of african bees to their natural predator,
african people, they technically are not seeing whites etc as a
danger. Now in europe, a predator of bees for many years when the
skep system was used was man. In areas where raiding a skep killed
the bees such as the UK the bees are aggressive, and in areas where
the climate allowed them to survive more they are less so, eg the
italians.
 
So, do european bees ignore black people and preferentially sting
whites? Just a thought.
 
Keep well
 
Garth
---
Garth Cambray       Kamdini Apiaries
15 Park Road        Apis melifera capensis
Grahamstown         800mm annual precipitation
6139
Eastern Cape
South Africa               Phone 27-0461-311663
 
3rd year Biochemistry/Microbiology    Rhodes University
In general, generalisations are bad.
Interests: Flii's and Bees.