Can Bees BEE Vengeful, As Portrayed in Man vs. Bee?
As bee enthusiast numbers are rising, it has been exciting to see bees making headlines in the news, on television shows, and in movies. The simple act of raising awareness does not have to BEE an in-your-face approach, but the value of bees and the relationship humans have with them is pretty spectacular to watch unfold in a more public eye.
As the general public’s fondness and concern for these essential pollinators increases, watching Man Vs. Bee may cause some to gawk at the portrayal of the bee as a vengeful little buzzer. So, do bees have the capacity for spitefulness, anger, and vengefulness?
Although at first, the little buzzer brings a smile as this small insect seems to have a massive impact on the character, it quickly strikes viewers that there is no way a bee is pacing in front of a bedroom door plotting revenge. The torment the main character attempts to handle this highly combative bee is humorous, and even more so that the bee seems to escape with complete victory. Could a bee survive all these attempts and close calls?
Bee research is a big deal, and entomologists study bees in hopes of finding ways to protect bees from disease and allow them to thrive and become more robust, which has positive effects on us all! The bee in Man Vs. Bee is the bumblebee, which are highly social. Honeybees are another species of bees that want to be close to their colony. A queen bee starts her nest, and once that happens, the bees try to stay near the nest. They only leave to collect food. It has been found that bumblebees are a bit moodier, fluctuating between social and solitary phases.
The Portraying of a Combatant Bee
Is it possible for a bee to have mal intent and taunt someone? That is the day’s question, and the short answer is no. Even though bees do have a loyalty to protect their hive that may seem combative, they are looking out for the nest. If someone gets in their space, they will defend it and do what they can to keep them away. This would mostly look like flying around you and stinging as a last resort. Most people do not know that bumblebees can sting multiple times, whereas honeybees only get one shot, but no bee species actively uses its stinger as a first line of defense.
Do Bees Pick A Person To Target?
Contrary to the attraction of the bumblebee to the main character in Man Vs. Bee, bees’ olfactory senses are their primary driving factor. Some odors attract bees, and some odors can actually cause bees to BEE more aggressive! Their pheromones can be alarmed, and trigger aggression – these odors can be detergent used to wash clothes and perfumes, and sometimes a person’s natural body odor can be a scent that draws them close, good or bad.
Likely Misconceptions in Man Vs. Bee
There are a few liberties the directors took that make the back-and-forth relationships of the bumblebee and the main character more entertaining but are not likely a common characteristic or something a bee would do. First, although the bumblebee in Man Vs. Bee fought for peanut butter, it is not a well-known bee favorite. Bees need a few things to survive. Bees mostly want fructose, so sugar and water solutions and pollen are the intent of their not terribly complex palate. So, the peanut butter challenge is done strictly for entertainment value. Secondly, although bees are mighty little insects, moving a cup is not something that could or would be done by a bee to escape. They can carry large amounts of pollen but nothing as substantial as a cup. If you saw this scene, it was shockingly funny!
Believe it or not, bees are good learners and can be taught to move balls around, resembling popular sports. They are capable and intelligent because they have to BEE able to fly far from the nest, get food, and return to show other bees (through an impressive dance) where to get the food! That’s Incredible!
What You Should Do When Trying to Get Rid of a Bee
When trying to get rid of a bee, the last thing to do is swing your arms and get emotional or act frantically. As is true with many animals and insects, the more agitated you are, the more agitated they respond. When dealing with a single bee, it might be worth contacting a local beekeeper with experience for ideas. It is undoubtedly better to call a professional when looking to relocate a hive! There are experienced bee removal companies that maintain the integrity of the hive in moving it to another location and do it safely and quickly. It is never recommended to remove a hive on your own!
As far as the one bee that may BEE in your house, open a window or door and create opportunities for them to return to their nest – they are as eager as you are for them to get home.