Comments on: Queen of the Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us?

By: Gracie

Gracie — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 21:48:49 +0000

Karen,

We humans created the unsustainable single crop monocultures. That, and for a variety of reasons the film made it clear that we are the problem and should be actively working toward a solution.

There was no mention of honeybees displacing other pollinators, but a quick google search indicates this too is problematic. (I believe the film mentioned that the bees that are shipped to California for the almond groves are shipped back after a two week period.)

By: Karen

Karen — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 15:17:35 +0000

I have not had the opportunity to see this yet. However, I am not finding much discussion about the possibility that the honeybee itself is a monoculture, and has displaced native pollinators the same way that monoculture crops have displaced more diverse crops. I am not so sure that replacing queens will solve the problem, because billions of honeybees are still billions of honeybees. Has anyone in the industry turned his attention on himself and said, “gee, maybe it’s us.” As long as mankind continues to look outside himself for blame and solutions, the result will be catastrophe, every time.

By: gracie

gracie — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:26:15 +0000

Well the problem starts off with that Einstein quote up there. Nobody’s been able to find any evidence he actually said that. But for the most part, it was some of the more wildly speculative comments about the dangers of genetically modified food and the mystical powers of honey that had my eyes rolling. An entomologist remarking on the illnesses of the honeybee carries more weight then when a philosopher with no background in science does, yet in the film, they were presented equally. I wish I took notes so I could cite each instance.

This quote from Douglas Adams says it better than I can, “All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated and well supported in logic and argument than others.”

(I also want to go get me a hive of my own.)

By: Virginia

Virginia — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:27:20 +0000

Great concise review! I know so many people who are beekeepers these days who will probably want to see this film. But I’m curious what the pseudo-science and speculation was in the film. I hope you can share some particulars.