Posted August 3, 2011 by Rachelle Owen
Awww, how cute!
OK—not really. Bees aren’t cute, I admit it … but does that mean they shouldn’t be considered or respected? I don’t eat honey for a couple of reasons—because it’s not OK to steal, and because being different shouldn’t be a death sentence.
Profiting from honey (aka exploiting bees) requires the manipulation and exploitation of the insects’ desire to live and protect their hive. Just like pigs, cows, and other factory farmed animals, honeybees are victims of unnatural living conditions, genetic manipulation, and stressful transportation. Often queen bees are killed, confined, and artificially inseminated (which also involves killing the male bees or “drones”) … sounds familiar, right?
Luckily, many sweeteners are made without exploiting bees: Rice syrup, molasses, maple syrup, agave nectar, and dried fruit or fruit concentrates can replace honey in recipes. Ditching honey keeps your diet sweet (to animals!) and cruelty-free!
peta2 Street Team Coordinator + lover of vegan food, cats, animal rights, Dawson's Creek, and Harry Potter.
Too long to explain here, it's long enough for a novel.
Father loves to farm, be self sustainable, loves to read, he's a antiques/vintage auctioneer, art student, and looks like mr. Rogers. My mother is a Montessori teacher and is amazing with children, all about local organic foods, loves gardening, cooking etc. my sister who is nine years older than me was into indie music and introduced me to all sorts of things at a young age. This all rubbed of on me and from that base I grew into similar things. I'm an INFJ
I'm tall, a geek, nacho - obsessed, I love sewing and Cath Kidston, also I'm vegetarian (wannabe vegan.)
Jersey girl now I'm all country.
I love animals about as much as rock, heavy metal, tea, and coffee. Hoping to make a difference and help animals through PETA!!!
Life On A Tour Bus
I am Angela. When I am not helping animals I am listening to music, reading, or playing video games. My spirit animal is a fox and I love nature. What else is there to know? Want to know anything about me, need advice or anything message me :)
Well let's just say life ain't always beautiful but it's a beautiful ride. I love all my pets and would do anything for them. I have one dog, two cats, a ferret and my babygirl shaymin,(the cutest hedgehog alive) I'm into all different kinds of music. I'm a singer myself and love art.
595 days ago
0
I think bumble bees are cute
but not wasps. Just the bubble butt bumble bees 
595 days ago
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I use agave! So many people ask me why I don’t eat honey and I just say because it’s wrong but now I can go into a little bit more detail.
649 days ago
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Nice article, but i can’t believe you can’t see that bees ARE CUTE!
649 days ago
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I didn’t know that any of this was going on! This is just as bad to me as factory farming. In fact now that I think about it there is no difference between what is going on here and what goes on in factory farms. Even though bees are number one on my list of adorable things they still deserve a life without suffering, just as any person or animal should. Free the Bees!
652 days ago
1
Bees ARE cute…
We need a blog like this. Vegans, don’t kill bugs just cause they are in your house! Love bugs and spread the word.
The horror of what happens to bess is not the only why bugs are mistreated.
1.Never wear silk. Silkworms are drowned in their cocoons then their cocoons are unraveled and made into clothing.
2.Watch out for carmine. It’s made from the cochineal bug, their scales are ground up and used for coloring in things like yogurt and pink frosting and Del Monte red cherries.
3.Check your fruit. Lac-resin and resin are secreted from bugs…I need more info but even if they aren’t hurt it’s disgusting, I mean think about what a secretion is!
I love bugs.
Campaign for Annelid, Insect, and Arachnid Equality
652 days ago
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Luckily for me I’ve never liked honey aaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnddddddddd I’ve known this so I haven’t eaten honey in years
But thanks for sharing this with everyone else!
653 days ago
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I’m afraid of bees, but I still respect them. No honey for me!
654 days ago
0
I hate bees they scare the shit out of me, and I hate honney.
So anyway.
654 days ago
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is there any honey acquired humanly?
655 days ago
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..so that movie was true?!
656 days ago
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agave necter is soooo yummy! why would anyone even want honey when theres agave?
656 days ago
0
I use agave!
656 days ago
0
i never liked honey…im vegan so its all good, but we should totally share this
656 days ago
0
I like bees. Am I the only person who thinks that bees are cute?
656 days ago
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I adored bees in fifth grade. In the grassy area at our school, there were always bees, flies, and other bugs around. Some of the kids used to kill them because it was “funny.” I was horrified. I gathered my friends and started some kind of group thing, the Bees. We would be on the lookout for kids harassing insects, and tell them to back off. One time I got so mad at this guy for killing three bees and stomping around the little graveyard we had made, I lost it. I went on ranting and screaming at him about treating the bees respectfully, not torturing them and taking away their lives. The harassers became scared off, and no longer killed insects while we were on the watch every recess. I hope I have that willpower still inside of me, somewhere. I’ve already convinced one of my fb friends not to eat gelatin today(by informing her of the contents and all), and someone to slowly become vegetarian, to work her way around her parents. I want to be a part of an protest. Are there any McDonald protests happening soon in CA?
652 days ago
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You are awesome! Bugs are awesome. I know the horror of bugs being killed, I lost it before screamed and cried and my mom for killing a centipede for 3 hours straight. I want to found an organization for bugs because there just aren’t enough people that love bugs. So yah, keep sticking up for bugs!
657 days ago
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I honestly think that bees are adorable!
657 days ago
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Poor bees
Many vegans don’t think honey is an “animal product”.
657 days ago
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I think honey tastes nasty anyway
657 days ago
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i hated honay anyways even before i knew about the cruelty behind honey
657 days ago
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I’m glad you did an article on this. I think many people are unaware of the cruelty behind honey.
657 days ago
0
Only had alittle honey once in my lifetime when my primary school forced me. Even when i was little and didn’t know what happened to bees i just didn’t want to eat it and i’m proud to not eat it because of the cruel methods.
657 days ago
0
i had no idea this happened! i just threw out my bottle of honey.
thank you for letting me know!
649 days ago
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i understand that you didn’t want to continue eating honey, but you didn’t have to throw it out. you could have given it to a friend or a family member to finish it off. now all of the suffering the bees went through for that bottle was just wasted.