Shall we spray the bees to kill them?

[Squash64]

One of our Bangladeshi plotholders read the notice I put up about the bee meeting next Sunday and asked me how we planned on getting rid of the bees.  Spraying? 

I did my best to explain that bees were good and we want them on the allotments, I hope he understood. 

It just goes to show that there is still quite a lot of ignorance out there.  My own brother-in-law (Italian) thinks that bees are bad and can't understand why we want to encourage them.

[hellohelenhere]

Wow, that's bizarre!
However, if anyone is anti-bee for any reason - I have stacks of seeds for an African Marigold which is double and therefore uninteresting to larger bees - it must get pollinated by the teeny ones that you barely notice unless you look really hard, or some other tiny fly or wasp. People with an anaphylactic allergy to bee stings may want them, I'm growing some for a friend for that exact reason. Ping me if you'd like seeds.

Otherwise, it's all pro-bee here, I'm have been given calendula and marigold seeds by lots of kind peeps and I'm hoping for bee-heaven in my garden this year!

[emmy1978]

Yes Betty, I too am looking forward to the bee talk so I can find out how to get rid of them too...crease! 
You are right, still lots of ignorance out there, quite frightening really. You'd think everyone makes the same connections but sadly not.
I watched a programme last year about the plight of bees and the impact that the loss of our bees would have. I had nightmares for weeks afterwards. 

[mat]

be interesting to know why they think bees are bad...  what is their viewpoint?  may be good to understand...

mat

[Robert_Brenchley]

They're both from countries with a tradition of beekeeping or bee hunting (I think they do both in Bangladesh) so it'll just be their individual reaction. They've probably never had the chance to learn anything about bees.

[Squash64]

I can't speak for the Bangladeshi plotholder but my brother in law thinks that all bees do is sting people.  He doesn't eat honey so that wouldn't appeal to him.

[mat]

okay, so if there is no specific reason for them hating the bees (apart from the stings, which for some people (like my mum) can be life threatening...) then education may help - re: pollination, etc, which we in the UK rely on (they may have had other insects to carry out this act for them!)

It's good to understand their viewpoint, so you can place a counter argument as required

mat

[small]

May there be a language problem here?  The Pakistani and Bangladeshi families I used to work with used 'bee' for anything buzzing around, be they flies, bees, wasps, and for the children, even a ladybird in flight.  As usual, education is the key.......

[Squash64]

May there be a language problem here?  The Pakistani and Bangladeshi families I used to work with used 'bee' for anything buzzing around, be they flies, bees, wasps, and for the children, even a ladybird in flight.  As usual, education is the key.......

The Bangladeshi man did look a bit puzzled as he read the poster so I took him over to a photo of a bee which was on the noticeboard.  But he still thought we were going to kill them!


Hopefully he will come to the meeting on Sunday.

[reddyreddy]

  If bees become extinct man would only survive a few years afterwards, according to Einstein.

[Chrispy]

My OH works in a nursery, and one day she came home and asked `Ladybirds are good insects ain't they?`

I said yes, and asked why, appaerntly her boss had been telling the children that ladybirds are nasty, they bite and if you see one you should squash it.

[lewic]

It depends where the bees are. If they made a home in my shed or under my decking I'd have something to say (or rather spray!) about it...

Sounds like it might be a language/culture thing though, in hot countries there are a lot of disease-carrying creepy crawlies and buzzing things!

[Robert_Brenchley]

If bees become extinct man would only survive a few years afterwards, according to Einstein.

It's a good quote, but Einstein never seems to have said it! If all pollinators became extinct, we'd be in real trouble. If honeybees disappeared, there would be problems, but there are plenty of other pollinators out there.

[emmy1978]

My OH works in a nursery, and one day she came home and asked `Ladybirds are good insects ain't they?`

I said yes, and asked why, appaerntly her boss had been telling the children that ladybirds are nasty, they bite and if you see one you should squash it.

  How awful-we teach the kids about 'mini-beasts' which includes all insects. It's amazing how many under 5's think "kill first ask questions later!"
I once said to a litle girl "Oh look, a caterpillar" to which she promptly stamped on it. 

[hellohelenhere]

I fear that 'I'm a Celebrity, Get me Out of Here' is making things worse, too - using insects only for the 'ugh' factor. A revolting way to treat wildlife, as Germaine Greer has pointed out. Yes I know she's pretty batty, but she does come out with lots of interesting points as well...

[Squash64]

I fear that 'I'm a Celebrity, Get me Out of Here' is making things worse, too - using insects only for the 'ugh' factor. A revolting way to treat wildlife, as Germaine Greer has pointed out. Yes I know she's pretty batty, but she does come out with lots of interesting points as well...

I can't understand how they get away with treating the creatures like that.  When Gino Dacampo killed and cooked a rat,  he was threatened with prosecution but the contestants are given live grubs to eat.  Doesn't make any sense to me.

[Squash64]

My OH works in a nursery, and one day she came home and asked `Ladybirds are good insects ain't they?`
I said yes, and asked why, appaerntly her boss had been telling the children that ladybirds are nasty, they bite and if you see one you should squash it.

What a shame. 

I'm sure that everyone on allotments knows how good ladybirds are, but how many recognise the larvae?



I didn't have a clue when I first saw one because they look a bit strange and not like a ladybird.

[djbrenton]

If bees become extinct man would only survive a few years afterwards, according to Einstein.

Einstein died out years ago. What did he know?

[cornykev]

Ahh thats what they are Betty, I had loads of these on the plot last year and didn't have a scooby what they were.
My five year old knows Bees are good insects and understands pollenating but is wary of them, she loves worms and will pick them up and she knows to stick her foot on a snail if she see's one in the garden.     

[Mortality]

I wonder if he thinks theyre a wild hive somewhere and therefore a problem.