What we can learn from bees

Just to preface this. I am not a bee expert by any means. I am simply fascinated by the little creatures. Today I met with a mentor who's had bees for several years and I got to observe a bit and ask questions. And I was inspired to write about them. So...

Bees!  l

These insects are incredible. Really. I think we as a species can learn so much from them. 

* They're all about community. Sometimes people are selfish. I definitely am. But bees are actually in it for the whole community. They can't survive without the queen, or by being separated from their hive for very long. So they'll actually sacrifice themselves or others, for the sake of the hive. Talk about team-building!

* Highly organized society. Each bee throughout their life has a very specific function to complete. The first few days after being born, they clean up the cells. Later on, they act as guards to protect the hive. And only in the last phases of their lives they are able to leave the hive to collect nectar, pollen, and water. Yep, they've got organization nailed down. I aspire to be this efficient.

* They really are busy-bees. This expression is full of truth. The female worker bees that is, (go figure...) They can fly extremely far distances in search of food and work hard building up wax to deposit the honey. 

A Honey Bee colony will fly a total of around 55,000 miles to make just one pound of honey. { source }

* Honey! I may be biased, but we should really learn how to make something so nutritious and medicinal as this sacred nectar. I mean, we came up with all kinds of GMO and strange things to stick in stuff we eat. Sometimes I'd rather live on a farm and suck on flowers too ;)

What do you think when you hear the word 'bees'?

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