Bee Inspired

Yesterday I was reading about propolis, spurred on by a conversation with my neighbor regarding honey bees. I learned that the bee gathers propolis from tree resin and that all propolis is unique depending on where it is gathered, the time of year, etc. Some propolis will be high in one chemical component while the sticky resinous substance gathered from the same location at a different time of the year will vary in its chemical blueprint.

If the resin is collected from conifer trees the propolis may have upwards of fifty chemical components derived from waxes, balsam, pollen and even essential oils. Propolis in the hive is used to seal cracks and even mummify unwanted substances and artifacts.

This led me to believe that the Egyptian mummification process began by their observations of the honey bee. After all the bee was revered in ancient Egyptian culture.

All this speculation was going on in my brain when early this morning fellow Backwards Beekeeper Max Wong posted this article from the Guardian titled Honeybees 'entomb' hive to protect from pesticides say scientists. The honey bee is so smart, meanwhile fellow humans continue to use harmful pesticides which are the plague of Mother Earth.

I hold tight to the intention that one day soon the two legged homosapien will wake up in a graceful manner. In the meantime I'll infuse extra doses of awareness into my natural botanical perfumes to facilitate the process and continue to support the honey bee in all her magnificence.

Earth Day occurs on April 22nd, learn about events happening worldwide at the Earth Day Network.

Image: Honeybee college ©Roxana Villa