Would it be ethical to keep bees and not take their honey?

[Coventina]

I was researching my thesis in the library just a bit ago, and came across some books on beekeeping.

I've always been interested in bees, but never considered keeping a hive. I really am not interested in harvesting honey!

Anyway, in one of the books the bee guy was talking about how the honeybee is under enormous pressure, and wild hives are vanishing due to habitat loss, etc. He was talking about the environmental benefits of hobbyists keeping bees. I found it interesting.

My biggest concern is that I live in the Southwest, which has been colonized by the Africanized variety, and if I were to keep "regular" honeybees they could become "prey". Heck, WE could become prey if they invaded & took over the hive!

Maybe it isn't such a good idea.

But I'm interested in the idea in theory.

What do my fellow AR people think?

[MuseRider]

1. An interesting idea!

I will also be interested in any responses. We used to have loads of honeybees but it has been years since I have seen them except for the occasional bee. Even the bumblebees are getting scarce. It scares me and saddens me. I would certainly be up for creating an environment for them, I certainly will have room for several hives. African bees have not made it up this far yet but it won't be long. Last I read they were pretty close.

[flvegan]

2. Better question: Why would it NOT be ethical?

What would be the ultimate demise/disposal of those bees? I think your answer lies there...

However, if you're looking for an "okay" to keep bees so long as you don't "harvest" the honey...? Shit...harvesting honey isn't so bad, it's what happens to the hive.

BTW, THAT my friends, is the be-all, end-all discussion of everything. Screw the honey, what happens to the hive?

[LeftyMom]

3. A couple I met has a hive living on the back of thier barn/workshop thing

They don't pester the bees for honey or anything (being cool and vegan and all) and the bees just chill out there. The bees just found a spot they liked and set up shop. That was neat.

Maybe instead of buying a hive, which would mean giving money to somebody who does exploit the bees even if you don't, you could just create a bee-friendly space in late winter/early spring when the queens are setting up shop and see what happens? Possibly in conjunction with planting a few bee-attracting plants. That makes more sense to me than putting out a bee box, because the boxes are just full of little bee squashing hidey-holes.

Keep in mind though, the bees honey people lament the loss of are european bees and already an introduced species. Before africanized bees became a problem, the european honeybees were on the decline because of pest sprays in agriculture and their suceptibility to mites.

Honestly, since you live in an area with Africanized bees, the whole thing sounds like a potential disaster. After all, if the africanized bees killed your bees and took their hive, you'd have to kill them for your own safety. Why risk that if you don't have to?

[Coventina]

4. Yeah, I was coming to that conclusion in my original post.

So I've pretty much decided against the idea.

I want to know :wtf: the scientists were thinking when they created that species....and then were irresponsible enough to release it into the wild.

I think they should be criminally prosecuted and held responsible for the lives & $$ that has been lost due to their Frankenstein experiment.

[Critters2]

5. We are inundated every autumn with introduced Japanese "lady-beetles"

They look rather like regular ladybugs, but are more prolific (they get into everything!). They were brought to the Midwest to eat avids on soybean plants. Apparently, they do that in Japan. The OBVIOUS difference, though, is that they have natural predators in Japan, which they do not here. So, once the beans are harvested in the fall, the critters just go everywhere and anywhere searching for food and shelter. They bite, they spray a foul-smelling liquid, they're just not great neighbors.

But some genius thought it would be a good idea to introduce them into a new ecology. Was I the only one who learned better than that in the effing FOURTH GRADE?!!!

Okay, rant off.

[AlienGirl]

8. I love those bugs! They winter over in my mom's house by the thousands

They are crazy for sweet stuff, and if you give them a drop of sweetened coffee they'll drink it. I think they look very cheerful crawling around the ceiling. They're the only nice thing about winter in that part of the country.

Tucker

[everythingsxen]

6. Well, you could keep the bees...

and try to keep them safe from take-over.

If you don't want the honey, you could sell it. :shrug:

AFAIK it doesn't hurt the bees in any way.

[AlienGirl]

9. Depends on who's taking the honey

Many beekeepers end up killing a lot of bees, and large commercial operations often just let the hives starve to death in the winter becaue it's cheaper than feeding them.

It is possible, on a small scale, to have a hive of bees and take a portion of the honey, leaving enough for them to use in the winter. It's just not profitable.

Tucker

[mzteris]

7. Ok - so I'm not vegan -

but *just* a vegetarian :) - and I understand about exploitation of animals - the dairy industry and the chicken industry. (Believe me - we'd go soy milk if the boys could possibly stand the taste of the milk but we've tried and tried - anyway. We do try to buy free-range eggs....... but I digress.)

WHY is it "wrong" to eat honey? No bees die. If you only take a small portion, you're not killing any bees - so I'm not sure I understand why it's wrong.

Also since I'm asking questions - is wool ok? (Not that I actually wear it, just wondering.)

And SILK? Yes, or no?

[AlienGirl]

10. Silkworm pupae are killed in the conventional harvesting of silk, so it's a no-no

There is silk made in India from discarded cocoons; it's available at http://www.ahimsapeacesilk.com .

Conventionally, the silkworm cocoons are steamed alive to get the silk to loosen.

Tucker

[mzteris]

11. I didn't know that.

I'm not a big fan of silk. (It has a funny smell to me when it gets warm.)

I was just wondering about these things.