Bees

Ring: Delfina Delettrez, Matches
Necklace: Bill Skinner, Asos

The bumblebee: Bombus terrestris. Do you like bees? Being more passive than their wasp relatives, I get the impression that generally, bees are popular insects, and valuable pollinators. I personally find their furriness and black and yellow stripes rather endearing.

Since I was very young, I've enjoyed the wildlife documentaries of Sir David Attenborough, whose comfortingly familiar voice is the authority on fauna and flora on television. Social insects are my absolute favourite to watch (from the safety of my living room) because of their complex hierarchy and teamwork.

Little did I know that attached to bees is a world of symbolism and mythology. So if you're wearing something with bees on it, don't forget all the positive connotations they bring with them!

Bracelet: And Mary, Asos
Earrings: Avalaya

MYTHOLOGY

In ancient Greece, bees were seen as the organisers between earth and sky, a sacred insect that bridged the gap between this world and the afterlife. Bees are also associated with eloquence and speech, from anointing the lips with their honey. The name Melissa means 'honey bee'.

Egyptian mythology features bees, too - sun god Ra's tears turned into bees when the landed on the sand of the desert. Like wasps, ants and termites, bees are eusocial insects, showing an advanced level of social organisation. Consequently, governed by an omnipotent queen, bees represent royalty, their hive was seen as a model of absolute monarchy.


HERALDRY

Manchester City Council's crest
The Latin means 'wisdom and effort'

Closer to home, Manchester City Council's crest features a bee - these well-loved insects are used throughout heraldry to represent diligence and industriousness.


MODERN MYTH

Have you ever heard that, according to aerodynamic calculation, bumblebees should not be able to fly? The calculations were made in the twentieth century upon the assumption of fixed-wing flight, but bumblebees actually fly using different mechanics, like how helicopters fly. So, bumblebees in fact do not 'violate aerodynamic theory'!

Top: Oasis, Asos
Shirt: Warehouse
Dress: Oasis, Asos

Bee mythology sources: Wikipedia, Lune de Miel