swordshapedleaves:

redshiftsinger:

marisatomay:

“don’t eat honey because it exploits the bees and they can’t consent!!!” bees are literally unionized and will walk out if they don’t like being in the beekeeper’s hives

It’s true.

I worked with a beekeeper (not at beekeeping, guy had a day job as a machinist and kept bees as a side thing). One day there was a swarm in the parking lot and people were freaking out because, y'know, BEES EVERYWHERE. Beekeeper guy went to his truck. Pulled a swarm-catching box out. Put it on the ground and walked away.

Bees went in the box after a while. Guy put the box back in his truck and drove home with them.

You cannot prevent bees from leaving a hive they don’t like the conditions of, without also preventing them from being able to make honey. The latter is dependent on them being able to come and go as they please. If they don’t like their hive THEY WILL LEAVE.

Beekeeping is probably the single most non-exploitative animal agriculture in the entirety of human history. I don’t know how it’s even possible to exploit bees. They answer only to their queen.

They absolutely do not answer to the queen. If she sucks they will kill her and make a new one.

the bees have a better society than we do