Cooperative Living May 2015 - 3

THE INSIDE STORY
I have to confess
that I've never been a
big fan of certain insects
that sting. My
inadvertent adversarial
encounters with
Bill Sherrod
wasps, hornets and
― in particular ―
yellow jackets have
usually not ended well.
Once when I was in college, I
visited a pond deep in the woods of
Hanover County for a pleasant afternoon
of fishing. Sitting on the pond's
bank, fishing rod in hand, I soon
noticed a growing cloud of insects
buzzing through the outer periphery
of my vision. I turned my head slightly
and noticed they were all the same
type of bug, some sort of bee. I stood
up, and a vortex of yellow jackets
issued forth from the entrance to their
nest, on which I'd unknowingly placed
my posterior.
Wearing shorts and a tee shirt,
I was soon also clothed in a yellow
jacket, sustaining multiple stings as
I dropped my fishing rod and abandoned
my tackle box, flailing and wailing
like a banshee through the early
evening woods. Later I received additional
stings when I went to retrieve
my fishing gear, which had landed
right beside the yellow jacket hole.
Honeybees, on the other hand, are
usually not apt to sting, unless you
happen to, say, step on one with bare
feet while the little bee is working the
backyard clover. In my mind,
thoughts of honeybees evoke the ohso-pleasant
scent of honeysuckle and
fresh-mown lawns.
Like lots of things in life, we tend
to take for granted honeybees and the
good work they do pollinating a wide
variety of plants. But without these industrious
little insects, agriculture and
our economy, in general, would suffer.
This issue's cover story, The Plight
of the Honeybee, looks at the difficulties
facing honeybees today, and possible
ways through these challenges.
The feature also includes some things
we can all do to help these industrious
little summer friends.
As writer Audrey Hingley points
out, beekeepers are fond of saying
that one out of every three bites of
your food is either directly or indirectly
related to insect pollination. So
it's definitely in our best interests to
do what we can to help these little
insects thrive. n
- Bill Sherrod, Editor
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Our Mission
To inform you about your cooperative and its efforts to
serve your energy needs; how to use electricity safely and
efficiently; and the people who define and enhance the
quality of life in communities served by electric co-ops.
Contents
MAY 2015
Hard Times for Honeybees
The ubiquitous honeybee, so essential to agriculture
and vital to our economy in general, today faces
unprecedented challenges.
The Lowdown on Backup Generators
When severe weather interrupts your power,
backup generators can save the day. Here are
things to consider when choosing one.
28
A Hidden Treasure Near Altavista
Teamwork and exceptional cuisine make for a
great dining experience in this unassuming local
eatery along U.S. Route 29.
Stories from the Road
Local food and history are served up in heaping
helpings for our wayfarer travelling Route 360
through Virginia's capital city.
Viewpoint
Mailbag
Whatzit?
History Mystery
Say Cheese!
Happenings
Currents
DEPARTMENTS
2
4
4
5
8
9
10
Bang for Your Buck 12
Local Co-op Pages 18
Healthy Take*
Caught in the Web*
Safety Sense*
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28
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20
21
22
It's Your Business* 23
Feathered Friends* 24
Reader Recipes
34
Your Co-op Power 36
Classifieds
Rural Living
* not in all editions
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Please recycle this magazine.
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Cooperative Living May 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cooperative Living May 2015
