The Difference Between a Bee

The Difference Between a Bee

I frequently hear people complaining about bees. They talk about bees in such a malicious and derogatory way that I can not help but feel sorry for bees. What has a bee ever done to hurt anyone? Alright, so people have been stung by bees. From what I gather, though, it would seem the general populace is on a holy crusade against bees. And for no apparent reason other than that bees have stung people in the past.

It seems to me that our society has given the bee a cunning brain full of wicked and malevolent thoughts. The bee, it seems, lives its life bent on inserting its stinger into as many hapless victims as it possibly can. This is as far from the truth as possible. I have observed the diligent bee in his native habitat. The bee is a peaceful little fuzzy-bodied insect who lives his entire life serving his queen in the gathering of nectar and the raising of young. They are related to the very ant whose virtues are extolled in the Scriptures (in the same taxonomic Order).

I have even ventured so far as to analyze those who dislike bees. Due to the popular image of bees, the ignorant view them with high respect and much fear. Then, should someone vanquish a bee, they feel they have done a great service to the world and should be praised for their courageous deed. Never mind the hive that waits for the little bee's return, or the thousands of plants that will never be pollinated due to the bee's industrious efforts.

Killing a bee requires no skill at all. The bee is completely oblivious to humans, and is very slow to become angry. In my youth, when there were many bees, I would sit amidst them and provoke them by jostling the flower in which they were stuffing their faces. They would fly up, circle about, and land on the same flower. If I continued to provoke the bee, it would eventually fly away. Swatting a bee is equivalent to stepping on an ant. The ant is helpless to protect itself, does a great service to the earth worldwide, and does nothing to interfere with humans.

One day I realized why bees were getting such a bad repute. I don't remember exactly where I was, perhaps a picnic or fair or other public place, but there were numerous yellowjackets swarming about the trash bins. Yellowjackets have little in common with bees; they are foul-natured little beasts, easily enraged by the most innocent blunder. I overheard various people complain about the trash bins, saying there were too many "bees" to throw their garbage away safely. Again, at school, I have seen students lose control of themselves due to a misguided yellowjacket which strayed into the classroom. Teachers and students alike refer to the wayward yellowjacket as a "bee," and when they say the word they spit it out of their mouths as though it tastes unpleasant.

So this is why the innocent bee's reputation is tarnished! Yellowjackets, though they are actually wasps and not bees, look enough like bees to the layman to be referred to as such. The ignorant masses lump the dastardly yellowjacket and the hard-working bee together under the same word. This is not only unfair, but a great social injustice.

A bee has a fuzzy body. A yellowjacket has a shiny body. A bee often has "baskets" of pollen on its rear legs. This is never seen on a yellowjacket. The biggest observable difference between the two is that bees avoid humans and love flowers. If I ever see a winged insect buzzing about at a picnic, obviously interested in the food, I know without a doubt that it is not a bee. I have never in my life seen a bee inside a building. Plenty of yellowjackets, but never bees.

Whenever I see an insect which could be a bee, I am slow to pass judgement. If it is indeed a bee, I wish it well and thank God for creating such a noteworthy insect. If it is a yellowjacket, I attempt to kill it. This does not mean that I am far superior to those who call yellowjackets bees, rather that I am no longer ignorant about the distinction. Perhaps the world would be a better place if bees were bees and yellowjackets were not.