To the editor:
I am responding to the opinion article “To Bee or Not to Bee” in last week’s Democrat.
As a retired biologist and university professor, and beekeeper for over 30 years, I recognized the experience described by Alicia Woodward with a nest of stinging insects that she identified as “bees.” Most people think any stinging insect that looks like a bee is a honey bee, the animal she correctly identified as responsible for pollinating so many of the nuts, fruits and vegetables that we humans eat.
In fact, the insects that Ms. Woodward ran afoul of probably were “yellow jackets,” a species of wasp or hornet. These carnivorous insects are common at this time of year, and become aggressive, especially when disturbed at their nest.
There are thousands of native species of wasps and hornets. The honeybee was brought to North America in 1622 by European settlers, escaped from their hives, and subsequently spread throughout the continent. Except for “Africanized honeybees” (not found in Indiana), honeybees are usually docile, and only sting when their hive is disturbed.
As an active member of the 10 o’clock Beeline Beekeepers Club, which meets at 7 p.m. at the library in Nashville on the second Monday of each month from February through October, I would like to come to the defense of our local honeybees. Honeybees do not form nests in the ground, or moveable objects, such as the seat cushions of a boat. They are usually found in beehives or hollow trees; however, they will invade large structures, such as the wall of a building.
If you would like to know more about these wonderful creatures, and the rewarding hobby of beekeeping, you are welcome to come to one of our meetings.
Anthony Gaudin, Old Haggard Road
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