Hive Alive BBC2 On Now!

Edwardking said:

Great programme, really enjoyed it. Shame about Packham and Kierney - can the BBC not find more talented presenters than those two?

Click to expand...

Well, Kierney actually takes a personal interest in bees, but so does Bill Turnbull. I'm surprised the BBC haven't conscripted him into any of these documentaries yet.

What No Suits

I enjoyed last night's programme and learned some new things, particularly the ionisation relationship between bees and flowers.
I am, however, concerned about the impression that the not wearing of protective clothing gives to the general public. The program bees seemed very calm. We all know that there are days when even the best behaved bees can be irritable. It only takes one sting to kill!.
I have visions of the general public getting too close to hives. I know of several experienced beeks who have suffered anaphylactic shock after many years of handling bees.
Stand by for a rush of new members who think that an hive is a nice 'cuddly' lifestyle accessory.
PS I don't mind the smug CP getting stung!!!

Stand by for a rush of new members who think that an hive is a nice 'cuddly' lifestyle accessory.
PS I don't mind the smug CP getting stung!!!

Click to expand...

I dont suppose it has occured to them to mention that there is a lot of work in beekeeping and to advise people not to just rush out and buy bees and a hive, or that bee stings can be fatal so some people.
Would also be useful for them to explain to people that if they see a swarm in their garden that they arent about to be attacked and to just leave them alone.

Erichalfbee said:

Pity that smug Packam didn't get a hit on the nose though......maybe in the out-takes.

Click to expand...

Well I like Chris Packham, he oozes enthusiasm and clearly has an inquisitiveness (?) that draws you in.

victor meldrew said:

After watching so much tripe on television , I found this program fascinating .
well worth the licence fee, Oh! I forget! I don't pay for mine being an old Git.
VM

Click to expand...

Liked the programme, the photography was really good! please show more. Not worth complaining about any minor details I feel at this stage, a very "watchable" episode of a wonderful hobby.. pastime.. passion?

Please, make more than just the two planned programmes !!

product placement for Arnia?

A few changes to Packham's script to make sure the word "swarm" is only applied to swarms (colony movements) and not to bees attacking something wouldnt go a miss.

Blue Spinnaker said:

Well I like Chris Packham, he oozes enthusiasm and clearly has an inquisitiveness (?) that draws you in.

Click to expand...

So do I, he is a good ambassador, but he's still a smug git.
I trust his producer gave him a good talking to over his behaviour in the last two spring watch episodes.....watched by lots of children too.

Kiss me honey honey kiss me?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Erichalfbee said:

So do I, he is a good ambassador, but he's still a smug git.

I trust his producer gave him a good talking to over his behaviour in the last two spring watch episodes.....watched by lots of children too.

Click to expand...

Sorry Erica, my post was reference to the inappropriate/appropriate music quote thingy didn't work
VM


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

burren said:

what is a vpn?

Click to expand...

Virtual Private Network - see http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/V/VPN.html

CVB

victor meldrew said:

Sorry Erica, my post was reference to the inappropriate/appropriate music quote thingy didn't work
VM


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

It worked either way

Might be able to use a proxy for free

For those who missed it - it's repeated Saturday 16:25 bbc2. I'm a newbee this year and found it fascinating!

I too was somewhat concerned about the fast and loose attitude to protection clothing, even if the bees are calm. To have Chris standing behind the hives in a short sleeved shirt was a touch irresponsible on the part of the Beeb and may give rise to the wrong impression of our little friends.

AdamHart said:

May have double posted..apologies if so
Anyway, Chris took one on the nose but apparently I can't post a link because I've not posted enough... So google 'Packham stung on nose'
By the way he took it in a much more stoic fashion than most,
Annoyed about the N rather than sun on graphic...

Click to expand...

Adam, I think you came out with credit!

It seemed that the graphic was produced to interpret Martha's voice over referring to North. Overall more might have been made of 'stitching together' the navigating by the sun (uv through clouds and polarisation if there is any blue sky available) and the describing of direction relative to the sun. Perhaps Maggie Couvillon's foraging studies could have been trotted out again in support of "where do they go" rather than pretending to follow them with the hexacopter (nice toy though!)

Nice though the slo-mo was, I thought it could have been much better if much slower. Using the figures given, wings flapping at 240 Hz with a 40x slowdown still leaves 6 wingbeats a second - too fast to appreciate!

Someone needs to explain a bit about bee nutrition to Mr Packham … and the roles of protein and carbs.

Surprised that there wasn't any mention of the floral "nectar guides" changing/disappearing after that flower had been pollinated. Even more magical!

WBCs! Looked like the producers bought the local beekeeper some nice new lifts to go round his boxes! (People with old WBCs seem almost certain to have a mix of frame spacing systems in their brood boxes!) And taking the lifts off would seem like a sensible starting point for infra red photography ...



I'd like to know a whole lot more about the obs hive "swarm". I don't buy the "starvation swarm" explanation. Not with all that local forage. Perhaps absconding from an obs hive with the glass sides left open to the light for way too long?
I thought the best way of studying stuff in an obs hive was using RED light in a darkened room … giving another opportunity to mention the difference in bees' colour perception.


But overall, well done.

Hard to tell what mites they were but looking very similar to saprophytic kind I find a lot in fly cultures and vivariums. as they were not really on the bees, I presume they are not parasitic. Most likely the heat and plenty food in the hive stimulates their growth.

Would an absconding swarm (due to starvation/lack of forage) not need more careful handling? ie be a bit grumpy at least and wouldn't be the normal docile cluser shown being prodded by the beekeper?

Itma - couldn't agree more on all points...sadly I didn't get to dictate content to that extent. Otherwise I can assure you that there would have been a whole lot more science in there!

As for the obs hive - very simple. We arsed about with them after a very cold weekend back at the end of May. They had no stores at all and no reason to stay, so they absconded. Used to happen a fair bit with research obs hives when you have to open them a lot, as we did. Red light - yup, that woudl have been great but didn't fit with the "feel" of the programme dictated by the commissioner. So, goodbye lovely red lit "bee lab in shed" as proposed by me and hello clunky obs hive in a pergola outside...some fights you can win...and some you can't!

As for the protection issue - filming the whole thing with veils is really clunky and doesn't work for long conversations. We were both happy to be there and neither of us got stung but then we are both used to being around these insects (and far worse). I doubt anyone watching is stupid enough to approach a beehive without protection or experience/judgement but if so, then like many animals before them, they'll rapidly learn...it's not like "bee = sting" is an novel concept.

You could put the same argument to programmes set in Africa being on foot in the bush. Safe enough if you know what you are doing and makes for better TV than conducintg everything from the inside of a land cruiser. The difference is that you see people you know do not have a single clue about being in that environment stomping around and no one bats an eye. I'd rather be in front of a beehive without a veil than in front of rhino on foot - and I've had experience of both!

Great little programme and Chris was as always great. He does pull you into his world somewhat. I would have thought they may have shown the film to experienced beeks first before the obvious mistakes were put in so they could have been removed?

Looking forward to the next installment and not all hives look the same;-)

I have my doubts about the woman Martha? especially now.....