Beekeeping folklore, traditions and customs

[BernardBlack]

Read this interesting article recently about ancient beekeeping customs.

https://www.rte.ie/culture/2024/111...ook-on-bees-and-beekeeping-in-irish-folklore/

I had heard about the tradition of the Queen’s keeper of the bees telling the bees when the head of the monarchy dies. But the rest are new to me.

Has anyone heard of any of these customs, or have some customs of their own?

 

[Wilco]

Interesting read. Some of the latter sentences remind me of my pondering whether folktales of faeries originate from bees. I find it plausible.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

telling the bees is a tradition all over Europoe, as for the queen's beekeeper telling the bees she'd pegged out. I very much suspect that this is where the 'tradition' started rather than there being a long tradition of beekeeping monarchs. After all, the saxe Coburgs have to maintain the fiction that they are keen environmentralists.
King Hywel ap Cadell (880-950 AD) Aka Hywel dda (Hywel the good) last king of the Britons, codified a set of laws to protect bees, beekeepers and mead makers. He also set up a few aws to give women a more equal status (no wonder fat Hal the eighth quickly scrapped those laws!) Whether he had bees himself, who knows? but as every monastery and manor kept bees in those days then yes, probably.

 

[Macbear]

A fascinating read. It seems that many BKs talk to their bees, doubtless for a variety of reasons. What ever those reasons may be the main impression given is of conveying respect to those bees and this will be reflected in the ways the bees are handled. I'm none too sure the bees are linguistically inclined.
It would be interesting to know more variables before committing to a view on whether bees followed funeral processions. What time of year, the weather etc.. It seems sad that such tales relate to death - any tales of bee "celebration" at the return of a BK who may have been unable to tend them [perhaps through serving in war, being incapacitated by illness, having been imprisoned ...]? This all hovers around a different current thread touching on anthropomorphism, perhaps.

 

[madasafish]

Talking to bees is - in my view - equivalent to talking to rocks.
The speaker feels better, the intended recipient of the words feels nothing.

 

[Dodge]

Talking to bees is - in my view - equivalent to talking to rocks.
The speaker feels better, the intended recipient of the words feels nothing.

Yes, it's all so the speaker feels better. I often walk to my hives in the garden pointing my finger and saying something like "now now behave yourselves" seems to work as i don't get stung tbh.

 

[Penninetrader]

We had some good news a few days back on a health issue, my good lady told me over lunch that she had gone to our girls to tell them and it clearly make her feel more at peace. I regularly talk to them and sometimes sing, does no harm

 

[Ely]

I swear at mine sometimes

 

[Penninetrader]

I swear at mine sometimes

Risky

 

[Sutty]

Risky

The ones I call a "little b@stard" have just left their sting in me, so sadly will die anyway!

 

[Penninetrader]

The ones I call a "little b@stard" have just left their sting in me, so sadly will die anyway!

They are linguistic experts tha knows so hold your tongue, I even believe they read minds so hold the thoughts as well.

 

[Murox]

And I thought I was bonkers

 

[Penninetrader]

And I thought I was bonkers

You clearly are, look at the company you keep

 

[BernardBlack]

Yes, it's all so the speaker feels better. I often walk to my hives in the garden pointing my finger and saying something like "now now behave yourselves" seems to work as i don't get stung tbh.

I’ve never really thought about this until now, but I find myself saying Hello to the bees when I open them up. “How’s it going today?”. Or if they seem cranky, it’s “all right, calm down, it’s only me!”

I think it’s more of a focusing thing for myself actually. Getting in the zone.

Now that I read that back, it does sound bonkers! What was it they say about goalkeepers? I think us beekeepers can be chucked in with the mad goalies