"Steve Peek" wrote in message
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
...
"Steve Peek" wrote in message
"Jim Elbrecht" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 9 Jun 2011 14:57:16 +1000, "FarmI" ask@itshall be given
wrote:

Duh!

Here in mainland Australia, we do not have Bumble bees. There are
Bumble
bees in Tasmania but no on the mainland - lucky Tasmanians having these
delightful bumble bees!

Anyway, I've been reading a book on beekeeping and it's written by a
north
American. I've been finding it hugely irritating to read because the
author
writes about 'honey bees' this and 'honey bees' that and 'honey bees'
the
other thing..........

Since I KNOW that I'm reading a book about bees, bee keeping, and honey
production for the backyard hive owner, I've been wondering why this
person
keeps adding the adjective 'honey'. Duh! One dropped penny...........


Another 'separated by a common language thing'? In the US, Bumble
bees are chubby fellows who are not the thoughtful workers that
Honeybees are. Their nests are seasonal so they don't store honey.

Honeybees are truly social critters who make-- honey.

If you just say 'bees' - you include a bunch of species, most of whom
don't make honey. [Carpenter bees, mason bees, bumble bees are the
most common in my area.]

Jim

You are badly mistaken, Jim. There are several "races" of bumblebees
(Bombus bimaculatus) that do make and store honey. Generally it is in
small amounts and not typically stored for extended periods. Do a bit of
research before making profound statements.

But if we are talking about a response to my post, where I was wittering
on about bees used for production of honey in backyards, then is Jim's
response wrong?

I apologize for being harsh. Jim's response is both right and wrong.
There are several species of Apis including the common "Italian" honeybee
and most if not all have been domesticated in their native areas. There is
a stingless honeybee in the Amazon and the wild Aussie bush bee that may
be exceptions.

I believe I've read the same irritating book you were speaking of. I don't
recall the author, Dadant perhaps?

It's called 'Storey's guide to keeping honey bees' and is written by Malcolm
T. Sanford and Richard E. Bonney.

It only irritates me because of the constant repetion that the wee beasties
are 'honeybees' rather than just 'bees'.

I suspect it probably wouldn't irritate native USians as much as it does me
because they/you seem to use that term as a matter of course. To me seeing
'honeybees' rather than just 'bees' causes an eyejag every time I see it
i.e. I pause and reread because it's so alien a term to me.