Another Interesting TV Program

I didn’t watch it, but it sounds clear to me that the producers should’ve taken a look at this forum when doing the casting & they’d have had plenty of solid beekeeping experience plus plenty of entertainment factor! :smiling_face::+1:

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Eva, I think the whole idea was to cast totally inexperienced people, maybe to show that ‘anybody’ could take up beekeeping, and thereby encourage more people to take it on.

Hi Ian, I discovered that unpainted galvanized lids get extremely hot in the sun. While lids that are painted white only get warm. Unpainted galvanized lids are fine in the shade, but I don’t like them in full sun during hot weather.

I get a lot of stuff given to me over a long period of time. I was given some old lids among other things that were unpainted gal with masonite beneath it. The masonite had buckled so bad that it was almost touching the hive mat. I assumed that the buckling was after many years of extreme heat.

I went through a period when I had a lot of lids, including these that were basically unpainted, a lot of paint came off over the years. I got my act together & systematically cleaned them up & painted them (practicing what I preach). During this process I observed that the lids that weren’t painted had no comb built beneath them while the lids that were painted had comb built beneath them.

For me, that was proof enough that the lids needed to be painted white.

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As a new Bee Keeper I found it interesting and informative, (i have gained most of my knowledge however pouring over this forum). It would have been nice for them to maybe try a few different types of hives maybe to make things interesting? Anyway I am enjoying Paul West back presenting, would be nice to have river cottage back though.

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What I liked from the show was the segment on the collection of drones and analysing their genetics to determine the number of hives in the general area. I think we generaly under estimate how many feral hives are out there.
Alan

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Yes that was interesting. And the DNA stuff which followed.
I think the poor old drones would be off to counselling after having a promise turn into a hoax.:slightly_smiling_face::slightly_smiling_face:

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seeing the drone congregation area was also very interesting. So weird to think it is in the same place for years and years. How do the drones remember or determine that that’s the place? The ones from last year are all long dead. Is there any understanding of how drones choose these places?

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Jack, I think pheromones linger a long time. And I’m sure I read on Dave Cushman’s site that they are usually at the intersection of ley lines (some kind of energy lines), as are popular swarm sites - you know, those locations where swarms show up year after year. I don’t know much about that stuff and I’m sure others would debunk it. Still, somehow fascinating to me! :slight_smile:

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I can’t see how it could be pheromones- because as far as I understand it- is just a space up in the air: there’s no way the pheromones could stay in one place for that long? Are Ley lines even real? :wink: it seems like it must be something like that- magnetic?

Ha, was just editing! No clue if they are real. Yes, i think it’s a magnetic thing. Mysteries abound.

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As @cathiemac says, it is pheromones. Thomas Seeley did some research on a remote island, blending various compounds until he came up with the right mix to create a DCA on the top of a sailing boat mast. Although he never reapplied the mixture, drones kept coming back to the same mast for many years! :blush:

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I still have questions… who puts that pheromone there? Queens? When? On mating flights? Is it deposited on the ground or a tree somewhere below a congregation area? I just can’t see a pheromone staying in place up in the air- no matter how persistent it is…

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In the wild, the research that I have come across seems to indicate that the particular enticing pheromone mix comes from virgin queens. Truly, there is research into this. Some of it is pretty old, but it has been done.

Mated queens just don’t smell the same. Besides which, they don’t fly so well to DCAs either with their big tummies! :smile: :wink:

Also, why does it have to be “in the air”? Why can’t it be on tree branch, a telegraph pole or a sailing ship mast? Even virgin queens land for a rest sometimes, and perhaps decide to send out a “come hither” signal… :blush:

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One more somewhat unrelated thought. Anyone who has a dog will tell you that dogs mark spots and the scent persists for ages (to another dog). Cats do the same thing, apparently. Humans leave a very particular scent in underpasses (underground walkways) in the UK (ewwww!) and even pine cleaner doesn’t remove it.

Anyhow, here is one of the signs that dogs like visual, tactile and scent cues:

:smile:

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Ain’t that the truth. Especially those close to hotel bars for some reason.

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Yes I think I can vaguely remember those… not real sure.

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The program was repeated last night before the news. I noticed one of the boxes used had a cutout on one end. It looked like it was cut out to accommodate flow frames with the cutout piece glued back in again. I initially assumed that everything was brand new.

It was interesting to see the presenter & a couple of participants shopping for plants that flower to help their bees along.

that was interesting- and good that he chose perennial basil- as I think it’s the very best thing for bees. And good to have: mine are covered in bees all day every day and I eat a lot of the leaves too. I’ll be making pesto later with sweet basil and greek perennial basil.

I’ve often wondered how much nectar bees can really get from the garden they in alone- I have planted mine with many bee friendly things- but I assume that what’s there only provides a tiny fraction of their requirements. Though it must be nice having something close by and reliable.

It is great to have something growing that the bees love. I have something I want to get a photo of maybe tomorrow.

I’ve been looking at the beautiful displays of Buckinghamias in my area, thinking I’ll get a photo of bees in them to share here. The bees don’t seem interested in them, at the moment, that is. I’ve seen bees in them previous years. There must be something else more appealing to them. There is a tiny bit of jellybush left behind in some frames. I scrape that out into a bucket. I finished up making a press. I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes on the jellybush.

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My considered belief is that it has nothing to do with pheromone, but that it is memory passed on through generations.

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