TELLING THE BEES

A common belief is that bees must be made acquainted with the death of any member of the family, otherwise these intelligent little creatures will either desert the hive or stop working. The old way of doing this was for the good wife of the house to go and hang the stand of hives with black. Another way was for the master to approach the hives and rap gently upon them. When the bees attention was thus secured, he would say in a low voice the name of the deceased and that they had died.      -- Excerpt from A Book of New England Legends and Folk Lore

Some of us talk to our bees regularly. Others only on solemn occasions. However you choose to tell your bees is the right way. Below is a tribute to recent members who have passed away.

H. Emerson Powell, 1902-1982

Ellis Schweitzer, 1928-2009

Walter H. Richards, 1910-2002

Dorothea L. Richards, 1917-2002

Roman Osadca, 1950-2022