September 14, 2021

Bee the Change


Bee the Change
"Conservation is Sweet!" The RussianLife files

Oh, the sting of the law! An agricultural enterprise in Chelyabinsk Oblast is facing legal consequences from the government for the mass killing of bees in what is a first in the country.

After citizens reported a massive extinction of the yellow pollinators last month, the Russian Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision (no, we're not exactly sure what they do, either) investigated the area. They found that a single agricultural facility had sprayed pesticide that had killed bees within a seven-kilometer (4.4-mile) radius.

Not only did the company kill bees; they also failed to warn locals about the application of potentially harmful chemicals.

After an audit, the farm was found to have been in violation of numerous agricultural regulations. While the punishment is not yet known, Russian media are noting that this is the first case of legal action against apiacide in the Russian Federation.

We find the whole thing surprising, given Russians' love of honey.

You Might Also Like

Birds and Bees
  • July 01, 2016

Birds and Bees

Coming to grips with Russian's language of love and sex.
A Taste of Honey
  • August 01, 1997

A Taste of Honey

Myedovukha is a fermented honey drink that is great for quenching your thirst in the heat of August.
The Russian Bees Will Save Us
  • July 01, 2013

The Russian Bees Will Save Us

American bees are dying from mysterious causes, putting our agriculture at risk for lack of pollinators. Russian bees might be part of a solution.
Putting the Buzz in Buzzed
  • July 14, 2021

Putting the Buzz in Buzzed

Bees and people aren't really that different after all: Apparently, both get a little disoriented when the weather gets too hot and they have had a little bit too much to drink. 
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.
How Russia Got That Way

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955