For some, bees are cute, innocent creatures. But for others, it is the root of all their nightmares.
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Don’t bee afraid

By: Caitlin Tapia

When I was young, my dad used to take my little sister and I to the river where we would hike around and have a makeshift picnic in the bed of his truck. Nothing could go wrong, unless there was a bee.

Being a little kid, I was terrified of bees. I thought they were coming after my sandwich, and if I didn’t give it to them, I was going to get stung. So, I did the only rational thing; I ran away with my sandwich in hand.

As I’ve grown up, I’m no longer terrified of bees, and  the rest of the population shouldn’t be either.

For one, they’re actually very smart creatures. They have multiple dances that they use to communicate with one another about nectar sources. The “waggle” signals that they have found nectar, the “shake” is when they need help collecting the nectar and the “tremble” is when they need help processing the nectar.

While many creatures have different forms of communication, I don’t think it would be as well-received if I shook my butt every time I opened my fridge and got food.

They’re also incredibly necessary for the ecosystem. Bees are responsible for pollinating much of the world’s food supply and maintaining the health of the plants which provide us oxygen and combat CO2 emissions. However, several types of bees are endangered due to invasive species and pollutants which could have damaging effects for everyone.

Save the bees if for no other reason then to not force me to use Splenda in my tea. The taste of honey is simply unmatched in my tea and on my toast.

While I may still jump when I hear a buzzing sound in my ear, their little, fuzzy, round bodies are not a threat to me or my sandwich as long as it is not a wasp or hornet.

All of that having been said, I absolutely have no shame in taking an entire can of wasp spray to a single wasp. As much as I respect living creatures, the world would be a better place without them, and I still don’t forgive them for stinging me in the foot last summer.
 

I am afraid

By: Petra Molina 

Okay, imagine you are a 12-year-old kid playing outside and enjoying a warm sunny day. You hear someone say, “Put on your shoes!” But shoes are for the weak, you think. The Incas never said, “Wait a second, I don’t want to get my feet dirty,” before going to war with the Spaniards. Honestly, what have humans even evolved into? This was my mentality one fateful day in my youth.

As you run towards your brother to tackle him, chanting battle cries, you feel a burning pinch on the sole of your foot. Pain. Pain. Pain. You squeal as you notice you have been stung by a bee. It is still stuck on you. As you grab it, it bites you with its last breath. Really? Did I just get stung AND bit by a bee? Since when do bees even bite?

Whatever. It was just a tiny pinch, and the adrenaline rush is over. Who cares about a bee sting? It is actually rather sad that an innocent insect lost its life. 

Tackling my brother is the most crucial part of my day again. 

Cut to later that night. 

I start to hear a soft buzz in my ears. I attempt to swat it away, but nothing seems to help. As the buzz gets louder and louder, I feel something get closer. I turn around and see a swarm of angry bees charging toward me. 

I have never run so fast in my life. But to my surprise and dismay, I’m actually not moving. I’m on a treadmill at the gym, working out. I look down, and my foot is stuck in some sort of underground bee nest. The bees begin to climb up my leg and bite and sting every part of my body. My last thought: weren’t bees supposed to be nice?

I wake up at 3 a.m. with the worst fever ever. 

It turns out I’m allergic to bees.