Comments on: Colony Collapse Disorder : Blogging Against Disablism Day

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:50:01 +0000

Enjoying your blog, this post in particular. As a ’student’ of evolution, and a care giver to my partner who has a disability, I would further add to what you’ve said. Until we understand ourselves as members of the earth, and as creatures subject to evolution, then we won’t be able to overcome our tendency to treat hurt people poorly. If we know what our instincts really are, then and only then do we have the option to make a conscious choice to act differently. Being caring and altuistic to those who are different from us does not come naturally, it must be learned. Becoming more aware of how connected we are to other types of animals, such as bees, is a good step in that direction.

I’m linking our blog to yours, and hope you’ll check us out and consider linking back. Take care!

By: Guy

Guy — Sun, 18 May 2008 15:08:30 +0000

Wonderful post; really nice analogy, which I will use myself. Very well written.

By: qw88nb88

qw88nb88 — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:04:33 +0000

No, that’s definitely Apis mellifera, even if you can’t quite tell from the photographic angle. Bumbles are much larger and broader, and patterned slightly differently.
andrea

By: Kieran

Kieran — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 06:17:43 +0000

That’s a bumble bee.

By: andrea

andrea — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:45:55 +0000

Surya, having trouble with the typo; what do you mean by “espeaing”?
andrea

By: Surya Niraula

Surya Niraula — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 10:41:32 +0000

i too is suffering from faceblindness i just not only can remember once’s face but i too cannot remember the espeaing so i want help from you

By: meg

meg — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 04:13:16 +0000

Andrea what is your last name? It’s hard to quote you as a professional author if your full name is know where to be found on you site. Thanks

Good post. I like your writing.

By: Moggymania

Moggymania — Sun, 20 May 2007 07:38:29 +0000

There’s a new CCD theory being investigated now, in case you haven’t heard… It could be that commercial bee food, which is often protein-based, has been spiked with melamine right along with a lot of pet food. This blog entry has an interesting quote/summary, and the comments below include some interesting information:

http://www.itchmo.com/read/scientists-testing-connection-between-melamine-and-mass-bee-deaths_20070518

(I admit that I find it pretty much impossible to not be terrified and unfriendly of their particular variety of insect. I’ve got a severe, likely deadly allergy to their venom — I lost consciousness and landed in the hospital the first and only time I was stung. So I know they’re necessary to our survival, but really wish they weren’t!)

By: qw88nb88

qw88nb88 — Sun, 13 May 2007 01:45:20 +0000

This is a bit more serious than overdue library books; do kindly return them forthwith!

By: Lord Garfunkel of Ballyesmond

Lord Garfunkel of Ballyesmond — Sat, 12 May 2007 22:22:42 +0000

I think I might know where the bees have gone you know.

By: Catana

Catana — Wed, 09 May 2007 18:45:47 +0000

Beautiful analogy. It reminds me that this kind of thinking (my kind, also) can simply be brushed aside by the “experts” as overinclusiveness. I observe that most people don’t understand analogy or metaphor very well, but I have a hard time resigning myself to the idea that real thinking is somehow merely a mental defect.

By: seahorse

seahorse — Thu, 03 May 2007 22:26:51 +0000

Great parallel with important observations on how we humans shoud treat each other and respect every part of our society. Hop over to Lady Bracknell for an amusing, if unrelated, bee tale.

By: abfh

abfh — Wed, 02 May 2007 23:10:14 +0000

An article just posted on MSNBC.com suggests that the bees may be falling victim to a parasite:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18442426

But even if it is a parasite, rather than a human-induced cause such as pesticides, you still have a very valid point that people often don’t appreciate how much we rely on others (insects, animals, other humans with different abilities, etc.) to sustain our lives.

By: Penny

Penny — Wed, 02 May 2007 23:00:21 +0000

What a great analogy, I agree with Bev. AS Byatt’s _The Biographer’s Tale_ has a character who studies bee taxonomy, and she gets a few pages of dialogue on the importance of studying bees, and noticing what’s up with them.

By: Karen

Karen — Wed, 02 May 2007 18:14:45 +0000

Great post!

By: Bev

Bev — Wed, 02 May 2007 11:59:42 +0000

Such a useful analogy. I was getting a bit tired of spreading the Peppered Moth’s story; this will add some needed variety to my limited arsenal of arguments. Just don’t tell me we need cockroaches, too, okay? I don’t even want to know.

By: Club 166

Club 166 — Wed, 02 May 2007 11:11:56 +0000

Great post, Andrea!

I’ve been explaining bees function to my 5 year old lately, who is scared of bees, but hadn’t thought myself of the similarity to humans that you describe.