Sunday, October 7, 2012

Bee-Resilient Part II

I will allow the experts to explain the exact science of the miraculous bee: As these exotic wings change directions, according to Dickinson, even more vortices are added by the rotation of the wing literally flipping over in a 90˚ arc. Using its wings as a propeller with a rotating blade, the bee's wing also flaps "back into its own wake, which leads to higher forces than flapping in still air. Lastly, there is another peculiar force known as "added-mass force" which peaks at the ends of each stroke and is related to acceleration as the wings' direction changes (Phillips 2005).
Two things are involved in how the bee moves its wings: it creates its own unique dance; it does not attempt to move its wings like a hummingbird because it would surely remain earthbound. Secondly, it is constantly moving dimensionally in width and length (arc) and willing exposing its underside to get greater force. Two lessons should leap from the page: don’t do what everyone else does; do what works for you even if it looks strange. You may have to work harder to achieve success, but work it. In addition, expose yourself to criticism, ridicule; spit in fear’s face as you turn yourself upside down to be able to lift off the ground. Sure, you are exposed, but once you achieve lift, no one can touch you. It seems effort seems to be like a great deal of work to defy nature, but one only needs to consider what bees do for us once they are in the air to see it is worth all the effort. Bees pollinates flowers which take in our carbon dioxide and release needed oxygen, and they also produce something awfully sweet and beneficial in honey, (which I use to help me combat allergies).
Did you know that primarily bees are responsible for the pollination necessary for one-third of human food consumption? Did you know bees are so resilient that they can live even in Antarctica? Bees are adaptable as well. They have learned to open a type of mistletoe that typically requires a bird to provide the service. Some species of mistletoe have started to die in New Zealand for want of some helper to open their buds. Then some ingenious bees came to the rescue. By biting the head of the flower and pushing their legs into the bud and popping it open,they have access to the needed pollen, and they plant survives. You, little bee, are so necessary and needed in the great plan of God's. Ephesians 2:10 states,"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Bees may be solitary or may live in various types of communities including social and asocial varieties. Believe or not but, some groups of bees cohabit based on gender. In fact, there are groups of females, maybe sisters, and they divide the work amongst themselves. Scientist call these groups semi-social. So maybe I will name one the girls Bee-Something.
If, in addition to a division of labor, the group consists of a mother and her daughters, then the group is called asocial. The mother is considered the "queen" and the daughters are "workers". These castes may be purely behavioral alternatives, in which case the system is considered "primitively asocial" (Wikipedia).
What are some characteristics of the bee? Although a bee sting contains toxins which are painful to those who are allergic, if unprovoked the bee is generally quite peaceful. Humans are its greatest predator. A non-aggressive insect, this flying beauty has been a part of mythology and legend for centuries. Considered industrious, social, and diligent, they are often used as role models in advertising. Some might merely view them as a pest to be destroyed, like a wasp or ant, but bees are not essential to the eco-system. Just recently, the United States and Britain came under a scare becasue of the diminishing numbers of bees in those countries. But what happens when bees are damaged. There is a strange phenomenon known as the zombie bee. When bees are infected by a particular parasitic fly, they exhibit behavior which might make one think that they are drunk. How so like humans, when we are infected with dread, fear, or fatalism we become the living dead. We no longer live; we merely exist without hope. I am confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). Bee-Hopeful, Bee You, Be Resilient, MJ

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