Monday 9 July 2018

Drunk Bees



We were most amused to read this account of liquored-up bees:


Orkney Herald - 24th February 1897




 How on earth does a bumble-bee show 'remorse and disgust'? Texting last night's companions to apologise for their behaviour? Recycling their cans and bottles under cover of darkness? Commencing a juicing diet in order to detox?


Bombus lapidaries does none of these things. The lush.


Perhaps you are wondering when Humblebees became Bumblebees? Well wonder no more readers... wonder no more:


https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/aug/01/humblebee-bumblebee-darwin


I do not know why drunk bees surprised us so. In Orkney of yore, even the babies were at it.

2 comments:

  1. Well, it's not uncommon for bees to get drunk, humble/bumble or honey variety. Sometimes, even hornets and wasps get drunk, though I don't know enough about entomology to know if they're truly bees or not. One way to get rid of the pesky ones is to set out containers of beer--the critters will drink and drink. So do cockroaches, in case you wondered. ^_^

    Thanks for the link to the article--I have only known the fuzzy fat bees as bumblebees, but it makes sense that they would have been called humblebees because they do hum or buzz very loudly when flying.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm totally getting some bees drunk tonight. But I shall be a perfect gentlewoman and make sure they all get a taxi home.

    ReplyDelete

Are you delighted by what you have just read? Are you revulsed and appalled? Do let us know, we'd love to hear from you.