... and an amazing new finding in the world of honeybee research
Wednesday 17 March 2010
Monday 15 March 2010
The African Bee Hive Pot
I went to Africa and what did I find? Bee stories, of course! :)
I stayed in a beautiful guest lodge in Northcliff. A few days before I arrived the manager discovered an old pot, left forgotten in a dark corner of a secluded courtyard. She tried opening the lid but it felt sealed; when she managed to ease a crack open she discovered a thriving colony of African bees had taken up residence.
The story came to me third-hand; that she had tried to find a swarm collector to take the colony away but couldn't, so the bees were all destroyed. The story disturbed me so much, that night I dreamed about bees. I came home to find that someone had drowned all my bees in boiling hot water and I was distraught. It was with relief that I woke up with a start to realise that it was only a dream. But I was still sad about the bees at the lodge, until I found the manager and she was only too happy to tell me that the bees had in fact been rescued by a swarm collector, who had successfully relocated them in his own apiary.
The story came to me third-hand; that she had tried to find a swarm collector to take the colony away but couldn't, so the bees were all destroyed. The story disturbed me so much, that night I dreamed about bees. I came home to find that someone had drowned all my bees in boiling hot water and I was distraught. It was with relief that I woke up with a start to realise that it was only a dream. But I was still sad about the bees at the lodge, until I found the manager and she was only too happy to tell me that the bees had in fact been rescued by a swarm collector, who had successfully relocated them in his own apiary.
You can see the pot in the bottom left hand corner of this picture. When I leaned into it I could still smell the lovely pungent scent of honey. The lid of the pot, which had obviously been sealed closed with "bee glue" - propolis - is still visible on the rickety little table. The complex lines and patterns of the wild comb are still visible on the inside surface of the lid, a beautifully poignant reminder of the legacy of bees ...
There was another story about bees that I heard at an African reunion party on Saturday but it was much more savage, and very funny. Best saved for when I see you again at the pub, over a beer or two.
When I got home to Finchley yesterday the temperature was 13 degrees. My bulbs have started to flower and I rushed down to the bottom of the garden to find hundreds of my bees flying, out and about and - best of all - already bringing back baskets full of pollen.
Spring has truly arrived!
There was another story about bees that I heard at an African reunion party on Saturday but it was much more savage, and very funny. Best saved for when I see you again at the pub, over a beer or two.
When I got home to Finchley yesterday the temperature was 13 degrees. My bulbs have started to flower and I rushed down to the bottom of the garden to find hundreds of my bees flying, out and about and - best of all - already bringing back baskets full of pollen.
Spring has truly arrived!
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