Bees make the world go round. Our lives depend upon the generous gift of their pollination. In many cultures across the world, bees and other pollinators are regarded as sacred beings, which anyone who has ever carefully observed them can wholeheartedly attest to. One of my personal favorite pastimes is simply sitting still, watching the bees make love to the flowers. For it is this intimate dance which allows life as we know it to continue, and provides us with the nourishing foods and fortifying medicines we depend upon.
As you may know, bees are suffering greatly at this time, and their health is being threatened by the use of the highly toxic and now ubiquitous neonicotinoid pesticides which disrupt their nervous and immune systems. As a result of the use of these harmful chemicals, along with a constellation of other factors, bee populations have plummeted in recent years. I strongly recommend learning more about this phenomena, commonly referred to as Colony Collapse Disorder, and I’ve included some resources for doing so below. In addition to educating ourselves and advocating for the bees, there are lots of things we can do to support them in more intimate ways as well. One of my favorite ways to nourish and honor these buzzing babes is simply to make them a cup of tea.
