3 ms·
This part interested me: > believed to be the sacred insect that bridged the natural world to the underworld When we were kids, my brother and I would keep aw
by Igelau 5y ago
This part interested me:
> believed to be the sacred insect that bridged the natural world to the underworld
When we were kids, my brother and I would keep away from dead bees because they "might come back to life". We had probably been warned that the bee might be dormant, or that the mechanism of the stinger can still trigger even after the bee is dead. Maybe a friend gave us a mixed up version of the facts. The way we had it set it in our heads was that dead bees could come back to life.
- throwanem 5y agoVespid wasps, especially the family of hornets and yellowjackets, have alarm pheromones. This is why it's a very bad idea to kill a wasp: her sisters are likely to smell what you did, and may come and try to kill you right back. Damaging the body of a dead wasp can also release the pheromone, eliciting the same response. I don't know that we need a just-so story to explain a folkway around avoiding interference with the remains of deceased hymenopterans, but if we do, this is probably the strongest candidate.
- cardiffspaceman 5y agoIn "To Have and Have Not" Eddie believes that dead bees can still sting, "especially if they was kind of mad when they got killed."