Published May 25th, 2026

 

The Vegan Abandonment of the Honey Bees: A Case of Benign Neglect

By Donald “Spider-Man” Thomas

Founder, PDN New Jump Swing Longevity Institute

 

The Vegan Abandonment of the Honey Bees

The modern plant-based movement depends—whether acknowledged or not—on one of the most essential species on Earth: the honey bee.

Yet within segments of the vegan community, there exists a growing contradiction: the rejection of bee products alongside minimal advocacy for the survival of bees themselves.

This is not simply a philosophical inconsistency.
It is what I would call benign neglect.

 

A Personal Perspective from Performance and History

As a three-time world record holder recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records for:

• “The History of Herbs in Maintaining Physical Fitness” (1986, 1987)
• “Vegetarian Athletic Nutrition” (1989)

My work has always centered on plant-based performance long before it became mainstream.

Those records were built on research, practice, and a system developed in 1977:
The Philosophy of Divine Nutrition (PDN)

What PDN Vegetarianism Represents

PDN Vegetarianism is based on two core principles:

1. Historical and Spiritual Consistency

Every major religious tradition—including the Bible, Quran, Torah, and Vedas—acknowledges:

• Diet and longevity
• The value of the natural world
• The importance of bees and their products

2. Performance-Based Nutrition

Influenced by Bruce Lee’s Tao of Jeet Kune Do, which emphasized:

• Mental cultivation (Krishnamurti, Zen, Taoism)
• Build-up/breakdown, muscular efficiency)Functional nutrition

The conclusion is straightforward:
A mind rooted in awareness and balance is unlikely to produce a destructive dietary system.

The Ecological Reality Vegans Cannot Avoid

Whether one consumes honey or not, the fact remains:

Roughly one-third of all food consumed by humans depends on pollination.

Honey bees are responsible for pollinating:

• Apples
• Avocados
• Almonds
• Berries
• Melons
• Coffee
• And dozens of staple plant foods

Without bees, plant-based diets as we know them would collapse.

Mutualism, Not Exploitation

Pollination is not exploitation—it is mutualism.

• Bees receive nectar and pollen
• Plants reproduce
• Humans benefit

This relationship has existed for millions of years and is foundational to biodiversity.

Even historically:

• Indigenous cultures cultivated bees
• Ancient civilizations harvested honey and wax
• Early agriculture depended on pollinators

The Ethical Contradiction

If one argues that:

• Bee products = exploitation

Then logically:

• Consuming bee-pollinated crops must also be questioned

Otherwise, the system benefits from the labor of bees while refusing responsibility for their survival.

That is not ethical consistency—it is selective ethics.

The Real Problem—Industrial Beekeeping

There are legitimate concerns:

• Transporting hives across the country
• Feeding bees artificial sugars
• Exposure to pesticides
• Poor hive environments

These are industrial problems, not inherent to beekeeping itself.

Sustainable apiculture exists—and must be expanded.

A Better Path Forward

Instead of disengagement, the plant-based community should lead in:

✔ Supporting Pollinator Health

• Eliminate harmful pesticides (especially neonicotinoids)
• Promote organic agriculture

✔ Encouraging Small-Scale Beekeeping

• Local, sustainable practices
• Biodiversity support

✔ Creating Pollinator-Friendly Environments

• Gardens
• Farms
• Natural habitats

✔ Advocacy

• Bees should be central to any serious animal welfare conversation

Why Bees Matter More Than Any Other Animal

This is not hyperbole:

No animal has a greater direct impact on human food systems than the honey bee.

If bees disappear:

• Crop yields collapse
• Food diversity shrinks dramatically
• Ecosystems destabilize

Bees are not optional—they are foundational.

Historical and Cultural Reverence for Bees

Across civilizations, bees have always held significance:

• Ancient Egypt: Symbol of divine order and kingship
• Quran (Surah An-Nahl): Entire chapter dedicated to the bee
• Hindu tradition: Goddess Bhramari
• Buddhist texts: Honey as sacred nourishment
• European traditions: Mead as a sacred drink

Humanity has always understood what modern discourse risks forgetting.

Benign Neglect in Modern Context

The term “benign neglect” implies ignoring something vital under the assumption it does not matter.

When vegans:

• Reject bee products
• Avoid beekeeping
• Fail to advocate for pollinators

…while continuing to consume pollinated foods—

That is benign neglect.

A Call for Alignment

You can:

• Avoid bee products
• Maintain vegan principles

But you cannot:

• Ignore the role of bees
• Avoid responsibility for their survival

Final Position

PDN Vegetarianism allows for flexibility:

• It recognizes plant-based nutrition
• It acknowledges historical dietary systems
• It includes—but does not require—apiarian nutrition

It is both:

• Whole food Vegetarian
• Vegan-compatible

But above all, it is reality-based.

In both The Way of PDN as well as the first edition of New Jump Swing Healthy Aging and Athletic Nutrition program, I have included a copy of my blood work.

I have been on this diet for half a century

Final Call to Action

If you are committed to:

• Animal welfare
• Environmental sustainability
• Plant-based living

Then bees must be at the center of that commitment.

Because without bees—there is no plant-based future.