Page 2 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - Feb 15, 2023

2 HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK FEBRUARY 15, 2023
CHASING THE
LIGHT
with Dave White
I“met” bees as a boy and have loved them ever since. They are wonder- ful in themselves, and I think I am a better person for hav- ing learned how they live their lives.
Bee colonies, which can contain up to 50,000 indi- viduals, are considered “su- per organisms,” in which individualism and “it’s all about me” are unknown. The insects work cooperatively to support their queen, and they always put their colo- ny’s needs first. Using pher- omones, or odors, to commu- nicate, they make decisions
Bees are admirable. Not only are they fascinating and a significant factor in the food supply, but they inspire me to see the importance of moving beyond self-concern to helping others and benefiting all. Sweet food for thought?
The bees’ role in our food supply is well known. They pollinate over 30% of the crops consumed by humans and are the only insect to make a product that humans eat: pure, sweet honey.
Dave White was born in Cal- ifornia and began teaching at Punahou School in 1972. Now retired, he enjoys time with grandkids, volunteering for the DLNR in Lēʻahi Crater, spending time in the ocean and beekeeping with students.
Chasing The Light is pro- duced by Lynne Johnson and Robin Stephens Rohr.
Honeybees are now strug-
Can We Be More Like Bees?
“Anyone who thinks they’re too small to make a difference has never met the honeybee.” — Unknown
that benefit the entire group. A bee colony will have only one queen, and she will lay 2,000-3,000 eggs each day during her two- to three-year life. Newly emerging bees are assigned jobs in the colo- ny and during their seven- to eight-week life, they take on various tasks. They start as caretakers: feeding brood, grooming nest mates, making comb. Next, they may work in honey production or as guards at the hive entrance. Finally, near the end of their lives, older bees will become the nectar and pollen foragers we see in our yards and gardens. Because they work togeth- er to promote the health and success of their colony, “bee
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gling worldwide to overcome threats to their survival: pes- ticide accumulation, habitat loss, mites and small hive beetles. As our species (Homo sapiens) struggles with its own issues, locally and globally, our honey-producing insect friends offer role models for human behavior.
unemployment” is unknown; every bee is always busy.
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