This mixed media collage is part of a honeybee collection completed in 2023 inspired of my latest hobby – beekeeping!  Did you know that bees drink honey AND water?  It’s true.  Bees eat honey to fuel drones, refuel worker bees and for winter stores.  They feed it to their brood.  Bees use honey as an energy source, and it is packed with the nutrients they need to remain healthy.  And yes, bees drink water – much more than honey. They use it to regulate the temperature of the hive, feed young bees, and dilute stored honey. Some research suggests bees receive nutrients from water as well. Bees collecting water is almost as common a sight as bees on flowers. A strong hive on a hot day can use over a quart of water a day. This occupies 800 workers each making up to 50 trips to the water hole a day.  So even bees know, when it comes to water, it’s important to drink up!  This piece includes the sentiment “Life alone can be sweet, but life shared is almost always sweeter.”