<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/>