A Hands-off Way to Support Bees
Source: Library of Congress, 1940. “Donald Gill, Utah beekeeper, needed bees, sugar and equipment to weather a series of bad seasons caused by weather conditions. A Farm Security Administration rehabilitation loan put him on his feet again.” https://lccn.loc.gov/2017765248
There was Papoo, shirtless and surrounded by bees.
My late grandfather was a furniture maker, and he had what I considered to be way-cool hobbies that were even cooler than his profession: stock car racing and beekeeping. I thought he was fearless, driving weekend laps at 411 Raceway – us locals just called it 411 – and calmly tending the bees up on the hill behind his and Gran’s home. No shirt on hot days, no beekeeper’s mask…ever.
I credit Papoo for my appreciation of bees.
Recent news about honey bees is – not to be an alarmist – alarming. NBC Nightly News aired a story on April 1 by Dana Griffin, who reported on an increase in beehive thefts (https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/bee-thefts-on-the-rise-amid-surge-in-honeybee-deaths-236068421821).
This comes amid reports of the loss of more than one million bee colonies in a nine-month period (June 2024-Feb. 2025). The “loss” refers to the death of a worrisome number of bees, not “just” the theft of hives. Honeybees give us about 75% of our food, and this represents a critical loss. They are, quite literally, the bedrock of our food system.
If you’re so inclined, please spread the word about bees and support bee “stuff” – beekeepers, artists who incorporate bees in their work, folks at your local farmers market who sell their own honey, etc. Check to see if there’s a beekeepers’ association near you and ask if they need help, or consider signing up for a beginning beekeeper class if that’s a good fit.
Prefer to stay hands-off when it comes to supporting bees? In some states, you can pay extra for a bee-themed license plate. A portion of the higher fee goes to the beneficiary organization that works to save bees. Some states with bee license plates include Tennessee, Colorado, Kentucky (available by July 2025), Maryland, Oregon and Texas.
One Etsy artist I found is not only incorporating bees in art, they’re repurposing vintage dictionary pages. Sweet – on more than one level!
PrettyPaperOfBlue on Etsy has “dictionary bees” available unframed for $10.99, with free shipping from Yorkville, IL.
Source: Etsy/ PrettyPaperOfBlue
On the upcoming auctions front, I found a surprising number of beekeeping supplies on HiBid. Sure, if you type “bee” in the search bar, you’ll find a slew of stuff, and that’s how I also stumbled on the two cool items below.
Source: HiBid/ Central Sales and Auction Co. (Dexter, IA)
This vintage bee smoker comes with the original box. Very neat. It’s offered by Central Sales and Auction Co. in Dexter, IA. The closing date is April 15 at 10:00 a.m., and the broker’s fee is 15%. Look for Lot# 1156.
Source: HiBid/ Live Oak Auctions (Hudson Oaks, TX)
What’s more charming than a bee brooch? This little beauty will be sold on April 9, with the auction beginning to close at 7:00 p.m. CST. Look on HiBid for Live Oak Auctions (Lot# 85X) in Hudson Oaks, TX. Auctioneer’s fee is 18%.
Source: Tennessee Department of Revenue
And, yes, there has been a license plate like this on my car for the past few years. Available in Tennessee since 2019, the “Save the Honey Bee” plate costs $61.50 annually, with $35 going to nonprofit Honeybee Tennessee.
I hope Papoo would be pleased.
Etta's Etceteras 