Editor:
Re: Stung by desire to follow in his footsteps, Sept. 27.
Bees, wasps, hornets, orchard mason bees, bumble bees, etc., what is the difference?
Some of them sting more than others.
The subject article deals with a situation where during the recent Terry Fox Run, a number of children got stung at the White Rock Elementary premises.
After investigating the matter, I found that the stinging was done by wasps, not bees! Bees do not normally sting unless they are mistreated.
I have operated a registered apiary for many years, and I cannot accept having bees blamed for something they did not do. These little creatures are godsent. Unfortunately, there is a worldwide problem with bees disappearing for some reason.
I should like to praise the children affected by the ‘nasty surprise’ for their stamina to continue with the Terry Fox Run.
May I also suggest that spokespeople and reporters familiarize themselves with the difference of the various types of insects, to avoid feeding misleading information to the public. There is indeed a lot of very interesting information available on the Internet, or through courses at beekeeping clubs, etc.
There is no need for any bee or wasp problem in this area. If anyone calls the City of White Rock, my partner’s and my name and telephone numbers are available, and we take care of the situation immediately.
Dr. Karl H. Cremer, Surrey