Bee Tattoos

There are many historical accounts of bees and wasps being employed as ammunition in warfare. The ancient Mayans threw hives of wasps and yellow jackets at attacking tribes, as did the Romans and Greeks, who even catapulted them onto enemy ships. There are references in the Bible to swarms of wasps and hornets being used in divine retribution! Then there's the old Irish tale of a woman, around 500 AD, who used them against cattle thieves. While their hives were treated as weapons, it was the honey from the bee that was used in the healing and treatment of the wounded.

Early beliefs claimed bees were heaven-sent. Because of their ability to find their way home over great distances, the bee came to represent the soul. It stood for sexuality and chastity, as well as fertility and care, and there are many stories of small children being protected by bees. Killing a bee was even believed to bring bad luck. In Ireland, honey-wine was thought to be the drink of immortality, and consequently bees were protected by law. In England, however, an old superstition encouraged people to kill the first wasp of the season. It protected you from your enemies, for that month, at least.