DID YOU KNOW?

June is Italian Heritage Month in Canada! It is an opportunity to honour the culture and history of Italian Canadians, and the contributions they have made to Canada and Canadian society.

Italian red coral has been harvested and used for ornamentation since ancient times, and it continues to be an important industry in coastal regions of Italy—especially in Torre del Greco, a port town renowned for its coral workshops and artisans. As a sought-after jewellery material, red coral is traditionally believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck, and it is often used to craft amulets, such as the horn-shaped cornicello that protects against the “evil eye.” Some also believe it to have healing and high-energy qualities. 

Each hexagonal honeycomb cell serves as both a storehouse and a nest for larvae, and it isn’t just the honey bee that builds nests with hexagonal cells—wasps do it, too. The shape, which has inspired architects and engineers, provides several advantages, such as excellent strength-to-weight ratio, thermal insulation, space efficiency and structural stability, while minimizing the amount of building material (beeswax) required.