The Lonely Honeybee

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 8 1s lead down middle (3 bars), lead up (3 bars) and cross to 1st place opposite sides to face down, 2s face up
9-12 1s+2s set, 1s+2s change places on sides (1M+2L RH and 1L+2M LH)
13-16 1s turn ¾ LH to finish 1L between 2s facing 2M and 1M between 3s facing 3L
17-24 1s dance LSh reels across, 2s+3s giving hands when possible
25-32 2s+1s+3s circle 6H round to the left for 6 steps, pivot and chase back to places. 213

(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)

Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams

The Lonely Honeybee - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Instruction Videos

Dance Information

Known for building wax nests, large colonies, and producing surplus honey, they are prized by both humans and animals. Of the eight recognized species, the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) is most familiar due to its role in honey production and pollination, while the eastern honey bee (Apis cerana) is domesticated in Asia.

Though only Apis bees are true honey bees, other bees, like stingless bees, also produce honey. Beeswax is widely used in products like candles, soaps, and cosmetics.

Honey bees (also spelled honeybee) are smaller, have slim bodies, and live in large, perennial colonies, producing significant amounts of honey. Bumble bees are larger, have round, fuzzy bodies, live in smaller, annual colonies, and produce only small amounts of honey.

Honey bees make honey by collecting nectar from flowers using their proboscis and storing it in their honey stomach. Enzymes in the stomach break down the nectar's sugars. Back at the hive, they regurgitate the nectar into honeycomb cells, where worker bees fan it with their wings to evaporate moisture, turning it into thick, concentrated honey. The cells are then sealed with wax for storage.

They make honey to store food for their colony, ensuring they have enough energy-rich sustenance to survive through periods when flowers are not blooming, especially during winter. Honey provides a long-lasting, concentrated source of energy for the bees.

A European Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera) Extracting Nectar From An Aster Flower Using Its Proboscis

Back to the top of this Scottish Country Dancing Instructions 'The Lonely Honeybee' page