‘National Beekeeping Day’ The Science Spectrum August 17th

I didn't even know 'National Honey Bee Day' was a think until I saw the following press release from the Science Spectrum...

HONEY BEE DAY
August 17th, 2024
August 17th is National Honey Bee Day!

We are celebrating with an event all about bees! Join Science Spectrum and the Caprock Bee Keepers Association for an afternoon worth all the BUZZ! Enjoy Bee-themed activities and interactive live science demonstrations that will showcase the important roles bees have in our environment! Experience it all at Science Spectrum Honey Bee Day! You’ll want to BEE there!

Bees are still beloved by just about everybody!

Back in winter, if you made a list of the Top 100 things you look forward to about summer insects and bugs probably wouldn't have made the cut. But I guess it depends on WHICH bugs.

A new poll asked people about 20 different insects, and asked whether their reaction to them was: Positive, negative or neutral.

In the end, butterflies came out on top. 80% of people had a positive view of them, 15% were neutral, and only 4% had a negative view.

Fireflies were second. Followed by:

• ladybugs
• honey bees
• dragonflies
• caterpillars
• bumblebees
• praying mantises
• earthworms
• grasshoppers.

SHOCKINGLY, mosquitoes are NOT popular. They came in last, with 86% of people saying they had a negative view of them. 8% said were neutral, and 5% of hardcore nature lovers said they LIKE mosquitoes.

Cockroaches were the second-most hated. Followed by:

• wasps
• ants
• cicadas
• spiders
• spotted lanternflies
• June bugs
• moths
• roly-polys

According to its organizers, the National Honey Bee Day program started with a simple concept:^[1]

Bring together beekeepers, bee associations, as well as other interested groups to connect with the communities to advance beekeeping. By working together and harnessing the efforts that so many already accomplish, and [by] using a united effort one day a year, the rewards and message is magnified many times over. We encourage bee associations, individuals, and other groups to get involved. The program is free and open to all.

The event was started in 2009 by a small group of beekeepers who petitioned for and obtained a formal proclamation by the USDA honoring honey bees and beekeeping. In 2010, a non-profit, Pennsylvania Apiculture Inc. was organized to facilitate and promote the observance better. The original observation date was August 22, 2009 (the fourth Saturday of August), but since then, it has settled permanently on the third Saturday of August.

National Honey Bee Day is managed by HoneyLove.org, a Los Angeles-based honey bee educational non-profit.