Leave Them Bee, Honey!

Honeybees. At first, we may celebrate the increasingly limited appearance of an insect that reaps havoc with its legendary "stinger" over the summer of 2016 (think about it- when was the last time you saw a honeybee in the warmer days). But, the fact of the matter is that honeybees benefit us way more than we benefit honeybees (that is, if we even benefit honeybees at all). Honeybees are so ingrained within our economy as well as consumption habits that the recent population declines are detrimental and destructive to our day-to-day lifestyles. We can say goodbye to watermelons, cantaloupes, pumpkins, winter squash and yellow squash since honeybees' pollination system will be no more. We can say goodbye to all recipes, face/hair masks, and homemade sickness remedies made up of honey. It is time that we call for regulated pesticide usage. It is time that we enforce strict rules regarding the handling of honeybees by beekeepers. It is time that we let go of our fears surrounding honeybees and quit celebrating a lack of bees at our picnics.