That’s fair. I admit I can’t get too worked up over the death of individual insects if the hive survives. I see them as hive animals and even then not capable of experiencing pain the way dogs do. To me, they’re a fascinating natural resource to be conserved, and I assume the hive can replace dead drones if properly cared for.
I get you’re more empathetic to the bees, and that’s understandable. I suppose I’d regard myself as a hypocrite if I worried about individual bee deaths when I’ve exterminated entire ant and termite colonies, which seem no more or less capable of feeling pain. But I do understand that there’s an objective need to maintain honey bee populations whereas termites (in houses, not forests) are just pests.
Thank you for the thoughtful reply.
