>>Not only do I learn a lot about beekeeping I also learn new words like scofflaws I can't wait to use that one in a sentence. I swear Randy and Allen read the dictionary as a pass time, my vocabulary has greatly increased from
reading their posts.  Thanks, Karen T-K
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Etymology for Scofflaw in Relation to Bees

Here I am with this history stuff again. 

Facts about the origin for the word ‘scofflaw’ in relation to bees.
Did you know the biology of honeybees played a role in its choosing?  

I am finishing up on the series; ‘Bees During Prohibition’ FB articles, 
and have uncovered a very obscure fact relating to the origin for the 
word scofflaw in relation to ’Bees During Prohibition.’

When national prohibition began in 1920, the government found that 
many people were flaunting the Volstead act, and needed a word to 
characterize these law breakers;  preferably in a non-flattering and 
disgusting way.  A contest was held at Boston in 1923 to coin a word 
to describe  "a lawless drinker of illegally made or illegally obtained liquor" 

The winning entry was chosen by a panel of judges on January of 1924 
from more than 25,000 entries; the prize of $200 being split between 
two contestants who sent in the same word in separately.  

Newspaper headlines on January 16, 1924 read:  “Scofflaw given 
position as horrid word”  “to stab awake the conscience of the lawless 
drinker” 

The judges accompanied their findings with five reasons for choosing 
‘scofflaw.’  One was “it should preferably begin with ‘s’ as ‘s’ words have 
a sting,”  ,,,and there lies the first ‘bee connection‘ to the word. 

The term scofflaw was often applied to bees during prohibition.  
Bees had a habit of visiting the mash piles at illegal moonshine 
operations and drinking from the sewers which flowed with quantities 
of whisky, wine and beer dumped by the prohibition agents.   From 
about 1926 till the end of prohibition, bees having this ‘drinking habit’ 
were often referred to as ‘scofflaw bees,’  

The ‘first use’ of the word scofflaw in relation to bees appears in 
newspapers at San Francisco 1926,  perhaps originating from a poem 
which which was popular during prohibition and may have been 
circulating in the community for a few years prior.

"Oh once we sought the busy bee,
And housed her well in hives.
Because she worked industriously,
To sweeten all our lives.
But honey now no longer lures,
Like a nectar more divine.
And a little "Scofflaw Bee" insures,
A year's supply of wine." (1926)

The article goes on to describe a ‘species of bee’ known as the ‘Wine Bee' , 
'Scofflaw Bee' or ‘Bootleg Bee.’ This tiny buzzer, no bigger than a lima bean, 
has created a new problem for prohibition enforcement officers.  The Little
insect is openly flaunting the Volstead act in many California rural Communities, 
making them among the "wettest" sections in the country.  To winekeepers 
the "scofflaw bee" is known as the wine bee. He merely wipes his hind feet 
in a bucket of sweetened water and converts it into a high powered hooch.  
Early day California Indians know the properties of the "bee wine" and spent 
long hours hunting for the pools in hollow logs where the bees "fermented" 
the insect brew into a compound that rivaled the best mule whiskey.  Later 
settlers watched the "wine bees" at work and discovered that the fermentation 
was accomplished by pollination, but the secret of the correct pollen remains 
a mystery to this day. Recently a whole family of "scofflaw" or wine bees 
invaded Coloma, just south of San Francisco, going from there in increasing 
numbers to San Mateo and Burlingame, a few miles farther south

Beekeepers in that section recognized them at once and provided them with 
materials for their trade.  All that is required is a jar of sweet water. The bee 
hunts about secures certain pollen combinations and drops them in the water. 
Within a few hours fermentation sets in and the "kick" develops.  Thousands 
of the bees are now in California. All you have to do is leave a crock of sweetened 
water outdoors and the bees do the rest.

I am sure the serious wine and mead makers are amused by the above article 
and know what the article is referring to.  But do you know….?

What are ‘Wine Bees’?….and Why so Called?

J. Waggle 
Historical Honeybee Articles 

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