Honeybee News
Honeybee in contemplation in one of Manny’s hives [Photo Credit: MJTM
Scientists and beekeepers have long believed that a queen honeybee was made almost entirely by what she ate. A larva nourished with royal jelly would develop into a fertile queen rather than an ordinary worker. New research suggests the transformation is more elaborate, with the queen’s wax chamber playing a critical role in shaping her development.
New research apparently confirms this thinking. Scientists find that the chamber in which a queen develops also plays a crucial role in shaping her destiny.
A study published June 3 in Nature, titled “Queen cell architecture shapes honey bee queen development,” found that the wax used to construct queen cells (the new honeybee queen bedchamber), has distinct physical and chemical properties that influence larval development. The findings challenge the long-standing view that royal jelly alone determines whether a larva becomes a queen.
Honeybees invest substantial time and energy constructing queen cells, leading Baer to wonder whether the chambers serve a purpose beyond holding extra food.
Studying both western honeybees (Apis mellifera) and eastern honeybees (Apis cerana), researchers compared the wax used in queen and worker cells, the bees that build them, and the effects of each environment on developing larvae. They also identified a previously unrecognized group of young worker bees, which they call “queen cell builders,” that appear specially adapted to construct queen chambers.
Analyses showed that queen-cell wax is softer, less dense, and chemically distinct from worker-cell wax. The workers that construct these chambers appear specialized for the task, spending more time building them, generating more heat, and displaying unique patterns of gene activity.
The strongest evidence came from experiments in which queen-destined larvae were reared on royal jelly but covered with either queen-cell or worker-cell wax. Larvae under worker-cell wax experienced significantly higher mortality and developed into smaller pupae, while those under queen-cell wax more closely resembled naturally reared queens.
“The old idea was relatively simple: take an egg, move it into a queen cell, feed it royal jelly, and you get a queen,” said Boris Baer, co-author of the study and entomologist and director of the Center for Integrative Bee Research) at the University of California, Riverside. “What we found is that there’s an entire machinery behind this process. It’s much more sophisticated than we imagined.”
ETSY and “cult-like” Group Dangers.
The Tower of London [MJTM
LONDON— The British conservative tabloid Daily Mail recently turned its attention to the online occult marketplace, reporting allegations that one woman became involved in what she described as a “cult-like” group after making a purchase from an Etsy seller.
The controversy surrounding an online occult business has sparked allegations of fraud, false credentials, financial exploitation, and harassment from former customers who say they lost thousands of dollars after becoming involved with self-described witch and spiritual teacher Ashley Otori.
Several former members of a Facebook group associated with Otori’s business, 7th Witch House – The Order of Dark Arts, told the Daily Mail they were initially drawn in through purchases of candles, oils, potions, jewelry, and magical services sold through Etsy. Many said they were later invited into a private online community centered on Luciferian and demonic magical practices.
Former members claim Otori marketed products with extraordinary promises, including wealth, healing, weight loss, relationship repair, and other life-changing outcomes. Some allege they spent thousands of dollars on products, courses, and consultations that were never delivered or remained incomplete years after purchase.
The women also allege that Otori falsely represented herself as holding a doctorate in psychology from Harvard University and used the title “Dr. Ashley Otori” to promote paid consultations. According to the report, former members attempted to verify the degree but were unable to do so. A spokesperson for Swarovski likewise denied claims that the company had collaborated with Otori on a jewelry project.
Several former followers described the online group as increasingly “cult-like,” alleging that members were encouraged to spend money, defer to Otori’s authority, and avoid questioning her claims. Multiple former members also claim they experienced years of harassment after leaving the group.
Otori strongly disputes the allegations. One former customer has filed a civil lawsuit seeking more than $48,000 in damages, alleging fraud and misrepresentation. Otori has moved to dismiss the case, which remains pending.
Call for contributions to a collection of Pagan/ Heathen/polytheist/animist responses to AI.
Author Yvonne Aburrow is asking questions about the intersection of AI and Paganism and proposing a new book.
AI is shaping up to have a significant impact on human society and our relationship with Nature, each other, and our humanity.
As such, Leo XIV’s papal encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”) is an important and timely intervention. I’m not normally in the habit of reading papal encyclicals, but this one was good.
You may have come across the notion of non-overlapping magisteria — the idea that religions don’t get to weigh in on science, and science doesn’t get to weigh in on spiritual matters. This is sometimes framed as “partially overlapping magisteria” because both religions and sciences address the mind.
In the case of AI however, many people have claimed that it is becoming conscious — so that takes us into the realms of spirituality and religions. And in any case, as Pagans, we care about the natural world, and AI is already having a significant impact on the environment.
As suggested by JuniusPublicus12 in this Reddit comment:
Expanding the notion of Personhood (or restoring it?) to the natural world and other, non-human sentient beings is an element I would see as central to an Earth-centered response to this encyclical.
Aburrow writes “To that end, I am proposing an anthology of Pagan, Heathen, polytheist, and animist responses to AI, under the following broad headings”:
AI and personhood
- Expanding the notion of Personhood (or restoring it?) to the natural world and other, non-human sentient beings, how do we ensure that the rights of the environment, rivers, forests, trees, and animals are protected from the effects of AI?
Can AI develop personhood or consciousness?
- In an animist or polytheist worldview, is consciousness pre-existing or does it emerge from complex systems (such as human brains, ecosystems, or neural networks)?
- In the light of our relationship with human society, with Nature, each other, and our magnificent humanity, how can we ensure that the values of compassion, interconnectedness, and respect for all life are maintained in a world with AI in it?
Pagan values and AI
- First articulating what you believe Pagan, Heathen, animist, and/or polytheist values to be, can you extrapolate how you would apply them to the development and use of AI?
- Is AI in conflict with Pagan, Heathen, animist, and/or polytheist values and culture, or aligned with them?
- Is there a way to use AI ethically within a Pagan, Heathen, animist, and/or polytheist ethical framework?
Our theologies and AI
- Is the development and deployment of AI compatible with Pagan, Heathen, animist, and/or polytheist theologies? Is it hubris?
- Can AI become conscious? If you believe it can, how does that sit within the framework of gods and spirits that is found in Pagan, Heathen, animist, and/or polytheist worldviews?
AI and embodiment
- What does it mean to have an “agent” which doesn’t have consciousness, conscience, or a body?
- If you believe AI is, or could become, conscious: how does that sit within your ideas about the body, mind, and spirit?
Legal framework
- Could Pagans, Heathens, animists, and/or polytheists claim a religious exemption if we refuse to use AI in the workplace?
AI and modern slavery/exploitation
Notably, the Pope apologized for the role of the Catholic Church in transatlantic slavery, and articulated the social doctrine of the church in relation to modern slavery and exploitation.
There were not that many Pagans during the era of transatlantic slavery and its aftermath, but there were some prominent problematic people who influenced the development of contemporary Paganism. Some were virulent racists (e.g. Algernon Swinburne), others were involved in colonialism to some extent (Gerald Gardner, Pamela Colman-Smith). How do we reckon with this in relation to the exploitation of people in parts of the world where rare earths are mined to help build smartphones and AI components? (I’m not interested in hit-pieces on Gerald Gardner, but the fact remains that he was an administrator in a British colony.)
Can we outline a critique of modern slavery and exploitation of workers that AI is causing — a critique grounded in Pagan ethics and values?
Contributions may be up to 5000 words long. They must be written from a Pagan, Heathen, animist, and/or polytheist perspective (the New Age and New Thought are philosophically and theologically different from Pagan, Heathen, animist, and/or polytheist perspectives).
In order to make contributing to (and reading) the anthology more accessible, please don’t feel that your response has to be an academic article. You can pick one aspect of the topic and address that. Poetry is also welcome.
Deadline — Samhain 2026.
More details are available from Vox Clamatis Books
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Tarot of the Week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: Phantasm Tarot, by Paulina Fae, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
Card: Six (6) of Pentacles
This week, there is likely to be a focus on interdependence, networks, and sharing. Recognition that wealth comes in many forms, particularly community resources that encompass knowledge and skills will be key. The expression of generosity of spirit and spending time to help others has the potential to pay dividends that are likely to reach well beyond the moment.
Conversely, there will always be those individuals who mistake generosity and kindness for weakness, and as a result, will attempt to take advantage given the opportunity. While discernment may be called for in how resources are shared, the underlying message is one of sustainability. Support in the form of material resources is important, but providing the knowledge and tools to create self-sufficiency is even more so.
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Healing Hooves: The Donkey Doctors of Paris
[Credit: MJTM
According to a recent Associated Press report, the Ville-Evrard Hospital in Neuilly-sur-Marne, France, operates a unique animal-assisted therapy program centered on five therapy donkeys named Nono, Pitou, Oscar, Manolo, and Malraux. The program, which began in 2016, has become an officially recognized healthcare unit within the hospital and is funded through France’s public health system.
Patients living with anxiety, depression, autism, schizophrenia, and other mental health conditions participate in sessions that involve caring for, grooming, and walking the animals. Therapists and nurses report that the donkeys’ calm, patient nature helps participants relax, build trust, and engage in social interaction in ways that traditional clinical settings sometimes cannot.
The program was created by psychiatric nurse Ermelinda Hadey and her husband François, who believed that donkeys’ gentle personalities made them especially well-suited for therapeutic work. Some of the animals were themselves rescued from neglect before being trained to assist patients. François describes donkeys as “emotional sponges,” capable of responding sensitively to human emotions and forming meaningful bonds with those in their care.
Hospital staff say the benefits extend beyond simple companionship. Caring for animals can encourage patients to develop routines, improve communication skills, strengthen self-esteem, and regain a sense of purpose. Patients interviewed by the AP described the sessions as calming and restorative, offering a welcome break from the routines of treatment and medication. Several said the experience helped reduce loneliness and gave them something positive to look forward to each week.
The program has since expanded to include goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, turtles, and other animals. While its organizers hope for additional scientific research to further document the benefits of animal-assisted therapy, caregivers say the results are already visible in the confidence, engagement, and smiles of the participants.
As many Pagans know, healing doesn’t require two legs; it often arrives on four legs.
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