Hive Alive BBC2 On Now!

[kazmcc]

Ely, my son who's 8 watched it and enjoyed it too. Some of what I babble about to him must have sunk in because he kept saying ' I knew that ' lol

 

[Edwardking]

What are you bleating about? What clue do you have about who watched and liked the programme? My grandad watched it. Loved it, he's 84. My aunt watched it and was fascinated , 56. I really liked the programme. I'm 32. My nephew was also fascinated at the age of 4. And what have clothes got to do with anything?!? Get over yourself and learn to appreciate a good thing. Bloody hell...

A couple of points:
1. Presentation matters
2. Swearing doesn't help your case. Perhaps you should care a little more about how you are presenting yourself.

 

[King Scavenger]

Me too

 

[pargyle]

Well ... My Dad kept bees when I was young ... have to say that I wasn't that interested before I was old enough to do anything with them myself and by the time I was I was more interested in girls and motorbikes ... I came back to it nigh on 50 years later when I had time and inclination and those early memories of sitting amongst the bees watching my Dad were an influence. Money .. didn't have much to spare but there are ways round that.

So .. I've noted that the youngest 'average' hobby beek appears to be at the sort of post young family age and the more 'average' beekeepers are nearer retirement age from both sides !

But ... I agree with EdK in some respects but I think it will always be an older persons 'hobby' just because of the time it takes up and the nature of what it involves. There will always be exceptions of course we have a very young (Mellifera) beekeeper on here and I'm sure there are more.

However, what we should do is talk to the youngest children we can about bees and beekeeping .. I've always found a ready audience in the under 10's for beekeeping facts, figures and information - there is an absolute fascination amongst some and even the youngest are curious. It's my hope that influencing this generation (rather than trying to encourage teenagers and beyond) will ultimately leave some sort of latent stimulus that draws them back to bees and beekeeping and these beekeeping 'sleepers' ultimately become the replacement for us old fogies as we become too infirm to cope with the phyical demands of the hobby... but still have the knowledge and enthusiasm to pass on everything we have learned.

I think the need to educate and influence children at an early age before they hit the 'horrible' years is such an important one that can pay back 100 fold when they get to the age where they realise that 'uncool' things can actually be very rewarding and interesting - don't tell me that none of you went through the 'I'm not doing that' stage ... some may be worse than others but we, mostly, hit the wall at about 13 and in the case of boys - it sometimes lasts into their 30's !!

 

[eddyh]

What are you bleating about? What clue do you have about who watched and liked the programme? My grandad watched it. Loved it, he's 84. My aunt watched it and was fascinated , 56. I really liked the programme. I'm 32. My nephew was also fascinated at the age of 4. And what have clothes got to do with anything?!? Get over yourself and learn to appreciate a good thing. Bloody hell...

oh dear,you said a dirty word!

 

[kazmcc]

I agree pargyle, which is the aim of our little school beekeeping group. I get asked in to talk to the kids - just basic bee facts and the tools of a beekeeper- but I always ask beforehand how many like bees, and then ask again after I've spoken to them and allowed them to dress up as beekeepers, and always there are more hands up at the end of my talk. I hope this interest stays with them.

With regards to my own children, my teenager has taken part in beekeeping but isn't showing much interest other than that. My middle son has taken part too, but again, is more interested in whether the school playground is open to play football. My youngest, who is 8, is showing the most interest. He listens to me and asks detailed questions, and he can't wait for the project to start again. I may have a little side kick here.

 

[Ely]

A couple of points:
1. Presentation matters
2. Swearing doesn't help your case. Perhaps you should care a little more about how you are presenting yourself.

The presentation of the programme was absolutely fine for so many to enjoy it. To be honest, you are presenting yourself as a bit of a prat

 

[Ely]

Ely, my son who's 8 watched it and enjoyed it too. Some of what I babble about to him must have sunk in because he kept saying ' I knew that ' lol

It's great when they are interested. My nephew keeps saying 'I want to be a beekeeper when I grow up'. I don't have the heart to tell him about the financial implications

 

[Edwardking]

you are presenting yourself as a bit of a prat

Rather a prat than an uncouth individual.

 

[Blue Spinnaker]

As a massive generalisation, the younger generation live for the here and now, zipping from one thing to another to find out about themselves. Beekeeping takes thought, planning, patience and tenacity amongst many other things, qualities often associated with maturity.

 

[DanBee]

Seems I'm late to the party and the fighting has started already...

Caught some of the first episode yesterday on iPlayer. I have to say that I was impressed with the approach, pace and general standard. That said, I felt the comments of the beekeeper himself were underwhelming on a number of occasions - for instance the comment that "the queen is excluded from the super for hygiene reasons" gave an incorrect impression of (un)hygienic areas in the hive. Perhaps he was trying to simplify for a novice audience, but each such comment could have been phrased better (and, in the case of the queen excluder, more accurately). I wonder what was lost in the edit, though?

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Adam I hope those resting pulse and bp stats in episode 2 reflected nervousness about the sting...

 

[Dishmop]

Adam I hope those resting pulse and bp stats in episode 2 reflected nervousness about the sting...

Not as good as my stats when I had C dif...

with compliments of the hospital... all for free. Other infections are also available.. and you can even try them twice..

 

[itma]

Seems I'm late to the party and the fighting has started already...

Caught some of the first episode yesterday on iPlayer. I have to say that I was impressed with the approach, pace and general standard. That said, I felt the comments of the beekeeper himself were underwhelming on a number of occasions - for instance the comment that "the queen is excluded from the super for hygiene reasons" gave an incorrect impression of (un)hygienic areas in the hive. Perhaps he was trying to simplify for a novice audience, but each such comment could have been phrased better (and, in the case of the queen excluder, more accurately). I wonder what was lost in the edit, though?

Dan, in episode 2 you'll discover that Martha's extraction technique has barely improved since The Wonder of Bees. Could have done to use an ordinary double strainer between extractor and jarring bucket. Better that than to apologise on camera for "bits of bee" in the honey … And she MUST learn not to stick her fingers in the product and lick them.
"Unhygienic?" That is.

Although the programme-makers were able to come up with brand new WBC lifts, they could have done the same for the actual bee boxes! But there wasn't much they could do about the frames …

And what was the beekeeper doing when he inspected the hive (blip on the weight chart) just before it swarmed … ?

I would also question Adam's interpretation of the weight gain after swarming. What went out was fully-ripened honey. What came in was nectar, that with fewer bees was processed more slowly. The weight gain would have just been watery nectar. Not quite the same! And, having lost so much bee-power, the colony is going to be 'behind' its unswarmed potential. It will never "make up for the lost swarm".

Don't get me wrong, it was good to see such a programme getting prime-time airing.
It was pretty good.
But there was the potential for it to be even better, without significant extra budget, just by being a little more careful. I'm sure Adam wouldn't have charged much to review the programme while it was still possible to correct (or add) graphics, and sort out some of the voiceover gaffes…

 

[BeeJayBee]

Although the programme-makers were able to come up with brand new WBC lifts, they could have done the same for the actual bee boxes! But there wasn't much they could do about the frames …

I think that's possibly because they made the programme almost in a hurry, maybe to capitalise on the apparent 'success' of Martha's series.

I'm sure that if they'd taken a year, or more, to film then there would have at least been a comb change. They might even have been able to show how it progressed, and explain how it might benefit the bees to be on newly drawn comb.

 

[itma]

I think that's possibly because they made the programme almost in a hurry, maybe to capitalise on the apparent 'success' of Martha's series.

I'm sure that if they'd taken a year, or more, to film then there would have at least been a comb change. They might even have been able to show how it progressed, and explain how it might benefit the bees to be on newly drawn comb.

It shouldn't take a year to find a colony on decent frames, and even with decent comb.

 

[REDWOOD]

Did anyone watch it or just analysed it

 

[REDWOOD]

As a massive generalisation, the younger generation live for the here and now, zipping from one thing to another to find out about themselves. Beekeeping takes thought, planning, patience and tenacity amongst many other things, qualities often associated with maturity.

Rubbish
I know a few young people on their way to making a couple of million and I don't think they would have done it without thought, planning, patience and tenacity amongst many other things, qualities often associated with maturity. And I have met many old beekeepers who have the occasional senior moments that nearly killed their bees

 

[BeeJayBee]

Did anyone watch it or just analysed it

Yes, I watched it but it's impossible to just watch and not make comment. But then I do tend to shout at the television quite a lot, too many programmes are pitched far too low and seemed to be aimed at a children's audience rather than adults.

I still think the honey with bee bits was a serious mistake.

Rubbish
I know a few young people on their way to making a couple of million and I don't think they would have done it without thought, planning, patience and tenacity amongst many other things, qualities often associated with maturity. And I have met many old beekeepers who have the occasional senior moments that nearly killed their bees

Too many are happy to criticise the young, but maybe it's based on their own youthful experiences!

One thing beekeepers need is to be in the right place at the right time for several months of the year. With a busy work schedule and/or family commitments it isn't always easy, and can lead to bees being ignored when they shouldn't be, which can lead to dead or sick colonies. I think that may be one of the reasons some people wait until their families are grown-up or they, themselves, are close to retirement before starting.

 

[Dishmop]

Too many are happy to criticise the young, but maybe it's based on their own youthful experiences

Understandable when you consider the way some of them behave.