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ISSN : 2287-8327

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Vol.45 No.4
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Attributes and references to honey bees (Insecta; Hymenoptera; Apidae) and their products in some Asian and Australian societies’ folkloristic domains

Journal of Ecology and Environment / Journal of Ecology and Environment, (P)2287-8327; (E)2288-1220
2021, v.45 no.4, pp.287-292
https://doi.org/10.1186/s41610-021-00213-x
Meyer-Rochow V. B. (University of Oulu: Oulun Yliopisto Ringgold ID)
Meyer-Rochow, V. B. (2021). Attributes and references to honey bees (Insecta; Hymenoptera; Apidae) and their products in some Asian and Australian societies’ folkloristic domains. Journal of Ecology and Environment, 45(4), 287-292, https://doi.org/10.1186/s41610-021-00213-x
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Abstract

Background: References to insects in myths, stories, and idioms can be found in almost any culture, but with regard to references involving honey bee species in the Asia-Australian region, little information is available. Such references to bees can be highly informative by revealing attitudes of admiration, fear, ignorance, or even revulsion towards these insects. Results: The subject is briefly reviewed and examples of references to bees of selected cultural communities are given. Although folkloristic references to honey bees were found to be mostly positive highlighting fearlessness, cleverness, and industriousness of the bees, some also touch upon their ability to cause pain. Conclusions: Owing to the decreasing contacts and increasing alienization regarding insects generally, a plea is made to collect whatever information is still available about references to bees in songs, myths, stories, proverbs, and idioms and to compare such uses from different regions, e.g., North and South Korea. This would support other fields of research aiming to discover and to describe cultural relationships, migrations, and contacts between different peoples of the Asian/Australian region.

keywords
Socio-linguistics, Ethno-entomology, Insect appreciation, Cultural role of bees

Journal of Ecology and Environment

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