Most of us know by now that the population of honey bees across the world has been drastically plummeting lower and lower over recent years. Beginning in the late 1990s, scientists noticed an unusually sharp decline in numbers that has only continued to escalate over time. Pesticides, industrial agriculture, and global warming have all contributed to the harmful loss of these important insects. Without their help pollinating our plants, we could stand to lose a third of our food production worldwide.
To help promote awareness for this unfortunate issue, as well as guide those with any fear they might have for the buzzy bugs and to overcome that anxiety, Sara Mapelli performs an unusual ritual. She begins by carefully seeking out the queen from a hive, then with the matriarch safely tucked into a small compartment worn around Mapelli's neck, she waits for the rest of the loyal bees to follow the scent of her pheromone and join her. Soon, Mapelli is covered in over 10,ooo insects, wearing them as if they were a normal T-shirt. "When they're on me, it's a little uncomfortable," she explains in what most might see as the biggest understatement ever. They pinch her skin to hold on and squirm around to get as close to their queen as they can.
But Mapelli stays calm and begins dancing inside a circle of people looking to join her in her connection with nature. It's definitely not something many of us would ever sign up for, but those who do seem invigorated by their unique experience.
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