>For the record I stopped fishing with live bait about forty years ago due to the pain I caused the bait.

Aah Dick, but what of the fish? I love this stuff! The less knowledge and qualifications I have on a particular subject the freer I feel to pontificate. Pain is a response to avoid injury. Probably true both physically and emotionally. Fear is a response to avoid pain. At least mostly true. I don't like pain and I don't like fear. Something that I share with nearly every living thing I encounter. Some say extending into plant life. 

>A European honey bee doesn't appear to have second thoughts about ripping its guts out with its stinger.

Appear is the key word here. A suicide bomber or Kamikaze either has no fear or overcomes it for a perceived greater good. As with the altruistic flying off to die in our bees. Would they not rather die in the warm embrace of their loving kin?  

At the bottom of this discussion I believe is empathy. Humans most definitely feel it. Studies show that other life forms show it. I was born with a double dose. I hate killing or causing pain or fear to anything. Hogs, bees, pets, worms, I can't cut down a tree without being aware of the lost life. I as a living organism depend on the consumption and killing of all manner of other living things to remain alive myself. It's a complication. Most of us here I believe are above average with empathy and that is a glorious group.

In a short while we in the north will be out among our bees, lots of you already are. In the mean time pontification is the most fun we can have.

Paul Hosticka
Dayton WA

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