Rediscover the beauty of pollination
November 2011
While the BBC's Frozen Planet explores
the breathtaking spectacles of our world, an amazing new video on
YouTube reveals the beauty of nature on a smaller scale.
Inspiring footage of nature: The beauty of pollination
Fate of bees worries Europe's parliament
November 2011
Europe's parliamentarians have voted overwhelmingly to urge the EU to pour more funding into the beekeeping sector.
20 million bees shut down highway
October 2011
A Utah highway was closed after 20 million bees escaped from an overturned lorry.The bees were being transported to California to pollinate next year's almond crops.
Local beekeepers worked throughout the night to recapture the bees, but by morning most of the bees were gone or dead. The road re-opened the next morning but authorities warned drivers to keep windows closed.
Read the full story on the BBC: Utah highway shut after 20m bees escape from lorry
New haven for disappearing bumblebee
October 2011
Wild flowers are being planted on south Kent coast to prepare for the return of the short-haired bumblebee. The bumblebee disappeared from Britain more than 20 years ago and previous attempts to reintroduce the bees from New Zealand proved unsuccessful.
Farmers have been working with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Natural England to create a new haven for the short-haired bumblebee to flourish. Conservationists are planning to introduce healthy queen bees to the UK next year.Read the full story on the BBC: Dungeness prepares for return of short-haired bumblebee
Long-lost British bee found on South Downs
October 2011
A solitary bee species believed to be extinct in Britain has been spotted for the first time in 65 years in East Sussex.
The Halictus eurygnathus bee, not seen in Britain since 1946, was found in a study by entomologist Steven Falk, who recorded 227 bee and wasp species on chalky grasslands and heaths.
'I discovered that the main requirement of the bee is an abundance of greater knapweed, which is one of the special flowers of chalk grassland,' said Mr Falk. 'This knowledge should be helpful for the conservation of this species.'
Read the full story on the BBC: Sussex South Downs is home to 'extinct' bee species
Nectar scheme for bumblebees' breakfast
October 2011
Hungry bumblebees love early spring flowers so plant some now, says Kate Bradbury who writes about wildlife for Gardeners' World Magazine.
Unlike honeybees who are fed by beekeepers in early spring, bumblebee queens emerge starving from hibernation and desperate for the first sip of nectar. By planting flowers such as crocus and snake's head fritillary, you can help to feed next year's bumblebees, solitary bees and the odd hoverfly.
'Crocus flowers close at night, only fully opening in sunshine,' explains Kate. 'So bumblebee queens may spend the night in these floral cocoons, before breakfasting on nectar in the morning.' Other bee-friendly flowers to plant for spring bees include grape hyacinths, winter aconites and snowdrops.
Read the full story on The Guardian: Nectar scheme: the best spring bulbs for bees
20 million bees shut down highway
October 2011
A Utah highway was closed after 20 million bees escaped from an overturned lorry.The bees were being transported to California to pollinate next year's almond crops.
Local beekeepers worked throughout the night to recapture the bees, but by morning most of the bees were gone or dead. The road re-opened the next morning but authorities warned drivers to keep windows closed.
Read the full story on the BBC: Utah highway shut after 20m bees escape from lorry
Bees collect the sweetest nectar
October 2011
Mathematicians in the US have discovered why the flowers pollinated by bees have sweeter nectar than those visited by butterflies.
Researchers have found that the flowers that bees visit have sweeter nectar than those visited by butterflies. The sweeter the nectar, the thicker it is. While butterflies and moths drink nectar by sucking through a narrow proboscis (tongue), bees use a dipping tongue method that allows them to collect more viscous nectar with a higher sugar concentration.
BBC news:Dipping tongues allow bees to drink the sweetest nectar
Bees join Facebook
October 2011
A resource for new and old beekeepers alike, theFacebook Beginner Beekeeperpage provides a place for beekeepers to share news and stories about bees.
'Hopefully this will be a great resource for new and old beekeepers alike,' says James, theSurrey Beekeeper, who started the Facebook group. 'A page for all beekeepers old and new to help all of us beginner beekeepers! Beekeeping is an ever-changing hobby which we all enjoy, so here is your own little bit of the world wide web that we can all discuss it!'
Beekeepers can share stories and experiences on the Beginner Beekeeper wall or post links, photos and videos. Top wall posts this week include:
Two million flowers for a pound of honey, via James the Surrey Beekeeper
Why beekeepers should register with Bee Base, by Daniel Marsh
A wasp trap gone wrong, by Chris Stevens
Join the Beginner Beekeeper page at:http://www.facebook.com/#!/beginnerbeekeepers?sk=wall
Deciphering the code of the bees
August 2011
The secret of why bees build honeycomb in hexagons was revealed in the BBC'sThe Code. Marcus du Sautoy explains why bees choose a hexagon rather than any other shape to build honeycomb. 'The bees' primary need is to store as much honey as they can, while using as little precious wax as possible,' says Marcus. He describes honeycomb as an amazing piece of engineering, but asks why bees have evolved to produce this hexagonal pattern? 'Actually they don't have too many choices,' explains Marcus.
To produce a regular-shaped interlocking network, bees can only choose three shapes: triangles, squares or hexagons. A hexagon requires the least amount of wax to build, which makes it the most economically efficient shape. 'It is a solution that was only mathematically proven a few years ago. The hexagonal array is the most efficient storage solution the bees could have chosen,' says Marcus. 'Yet with a little help from evolution they worked it out for themselves millions of years ago.'
You can watch Marcus explore the mathematics of honeycomb in Behind the beehive on the BBC's The Code.
Neal's Yard Remedies Bee Lovely campaign
July 2011
Organic-living pioneers, Neal's Yard Remedies has teamed up with campaigner Sam Roddick to launch Bee Lovely and Help Save the Bees. The campaign aims to highlight the decline of UK honeybees and inform and inspire people to help save them.
Neal's Yard has also launched a petition to ban the use of powerful pesticides, neonicotinoids, in the UK, which attacks the nervous system of insect pollinators like honeybees. The petition will be taken to Downing Street in October. To sign the petition click here.
Beard of bees
July 2011
Nothing beats a good beard of bees according to the beebearders at the Clovermead Bees and Honey, Bee Beard Competition in Aylmer, Ontario, Canada.
Bee bearding is an annual competition in Ontario in aid of charity. This year's beebearders were helping to raise money for World Vision Canada.
The Daily Telegraph interviewed Melanie Kempers, a beekeeper and beebearder. Melanie described how it felt to wear a bee beard: 'It's kind of like monkeys in a barrel. The original bee holds onto the face and they hold on to each other. It's kind of like little claws, holding on to the skin. If I try to move my face, they hold on with all their might, it feels like a sunburn. The skin is tight'.
Read more on this story: Bee beard competition in Ontario for World Vision Canada
Read also: BBC: Bee beard competitors fight it out
Honeybees hijack chocolate shop
July 2011
Staff at Thorntons, Leominster, Herefordshire, were trapped for three hours after a swarm of bees seiged the chocolate shop. The swarm was eventually collected by a beekeeper after the town's tourist information centre raised the alarm.
'I thought they had been attracted to the shop by the sweet smell of the chocolate', said shop assistant Kim Kinsey, 'But the beekeeper explained they follow the queen.'
Read more on this story: Thorntons shop staff trapped for three hours by bees, Daily Mail
Beekeeping information resource for beekeepers
May 2011
BeeBase is the National Bee Unit website designed for beekeepers. The website provides a wide range of free information for beekeepers to help keep their honeybees healthy. 'Knowing the distribution of beekeepers and their apiaries across the country helps us to effectively monitor and control the spread of serious honey bee pests and diseases, as well as provide up-to-date information in keeping bees healthy and productive,' BeeBase says. 'By telling us who you are you'll be playing a very important part in helping to maintain and sustain honey bees for the future.'
Register here for BeeBase online.
BBKA launches bee health research programme
May 2011
The British Beekeepers' Association (BBKA) has launched a
new honeybee health research programme to help deal with bee health
challenges and threats. Visit the BBKA website to find out more.
To help fund the research the BBKA is running an Adopt a Beehive scheme. If you would like to help support the honeybee visit: www.adoptabeehive.co.uk