In Lithuania the practice of Beekeeping is ancient and many of their beehives are made in the shape of idols of gods. Most notably the goddess Austėja and the god Babilas, while the goddess was like the Queen Bee, Babilas was more of a drone big, gluttonous and hairy.
Telling the Bees
Telling the Bees, is an old Rural Custom of Europe that was carried over to America by settlers. It involved telling the bees about important happenings in day to day life, including births, marriages and deaths. At weddings cake and other offerings might be left for the bees, while with a death black cloth would be draped over the hive and a mournful tune may be hummed or sang. These various customs were said to be done to avoid the Hive leaving especially in regards to the death of their beekeeper, but it also may be a leftover tradition involving bees as messengers of the gods and of/to the dead. It also may be a way of insuring the bonding of the beekeeper to the collective consciousness of the hive, so as to retain the trust of the bees and continue the symbiotic relationship between man and insect.-TLK
Telling the Bees, is an old Rural Custom of Europe that was carried over to America by settlers. It involved telling the bees about important happenings in day to day life, including births, marriages and deaths. At weddings cake and other offerings might be left for the bees, while with a death black cloth would be draped over the hive and a mournful tune may be hummed or sang. These various customs were said to be done to avoid the Hive leaving especially in regards to the death of their beekeeper, but it also may be a leftover tradition involving bees as messengers of the gods and of/to the dead. It also may be a way of insuring the bonding of the beekeeper to the collective consciousness of the hive, so as to retain the trust of the bees and continue the symbiotic relationship between man and insect.-TLK
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Napoleon & Merovingian Bees
The Merovingian ruling Dynasty of the Franks found the bee to be a most hallowed and sacred animal. This symbolism of immortality and royalty influenced Napoleon who took the bee as his own symbol, sewing it into his robes, and using it for his flag (The Bumblebee Flag of Alba). This was partly to escape the use of the Fleur-de-lys, though ironically he might have actually just gone to the older version of said symbol if some evidence is to be believed. While the symbol is associated with the Merovingians, it likely finds even older origins in the Diana and Artemis style cults of the Old Ones who used the Bee as a symbol of the goddess.-TLK
The Merovingian ruling Dynasty of the Franks found the bee to be a most hallowed and sacred animal. This symbolism of immortality and royalty influenced Napoleon who took the bee as his own symbol, sewing it into his robes, and using it for his flag (The Bumblebee Flag of Alba). This was partly to escape the use of the Fleur-de-lys, though ironically he might have actually just gone to the older version of said symbol if some evidence is to be believed. While the symbol is associated with the Merovingians, it likely finds even older origins in the Diana and Artemis style cults of the Old Ones who used the Bee as a symbol of the goddess.-TLK