[CH] The "Bees" part of "The Birds and..."

danceswithcarp (dcombs@bloomington.in.us)
Wed, 15 Sep 1999 21:15:20 -0500 

----- Original Message -----
From: Rockin' Randy <ledbelly99@yahoo.com>

> My Grandad was a beekeeper for years.  One time a single bee stung him and
> he almost died.  Apparently the toxin from other stings had built up in
> his system.  That last sting must have raised it to the amount that almost
> did him in.  He had to find another hobby after that.

Anaphylactic shock (allergic reaction) to anything isn't caused by a
build-up
but rather by an over-sensitization to the material at hand.  Some things
cause
the body to produce hystamines and after two or a zillion exposures (but
it's
not supposed to happen on any first exposure) things go haywaire and the
reaction is for the body to way overproduce the hystamnines, which cause
all sorts of negative.  Thus the use of anti-hystamines to treat it.

> To be somewhat on topic, did the list ever reach a consensus on whether or
> not it was safe to store Habs in honey?


I'd say it's safe.   My dad was a beekeeper and made a berry-honey mix that
never killed us.  I don't recall us ever putting the lid on the jar though.
Not out
of any botulism concern though, just mainly we was lazy kids.

But to those honeybees.   What one isn't told about "The Bees" is that yes
indeed they mate, and they mate in the sky while flying, but the male dies
while copulating, or while falling to his death  You see, and this is true,
The Great Creator gave male honeybees a scrotum with testes, and a penis.

Alas though, there was included a design flaw:  They aren't connected.  So
the only way the sperm can make the trip from the former to the latter for
discharge
is if the scrotum explodes in mid-copulation.  No lie.

Knowing this as we do, we can surmise that male bees don't know it, because
if they did, well, no Queens would ever be impregnated.  Also this would
limit the practice of self-abuse among younger bees.  "Bzzzt?  Man, whatever
you do, DON'T be yanking on that..."

My dad, who were a funny, but cruel man, told me about this horrific fate
that
awaits drones when I was a wee laddy meself.   He made sure to mention
that although this affliction had never been known to strike humans, that
we shouldn't rule out the possiblity of mutation occuring at some, unknown
time.
"Who knows," he said,"A kid mutated like that wouldn't even know it until
like the drone, well, KA-BLOOOEEE."

I was a chaste lad, and maintained a certain purity until well into my
second
marriage



carp