Bees reacting to a camera flash

[barratt_sab]

Does anyone have experience of bees reacting badly to a camera flash?

We had guests watching a normal, scheduled inspection. One had a camera and took pictures with a flash. The bees seemed much more defensive than usual. Could it be the flash?

I suspect it was probably just a combination of clumsy beek, overcast weather, too little flow and too many wasps, but thought I'd see if anyone has noticed anything.

I have searched the forum, and cannot find anything on this (other than HP asking if he can adapt a flash gun to kill rats).

 

[Rosti]

I have photographed at my hives fairly extensively, both with a trad but powerful (top mount) flash gun and close up using a lens end macro ring flash. Never experienced any problems with bees changing temperament as a result of flash photography (either at the entrance or when on exposed frames).

If your photography during an inspection starts to noticeably extend the time the hive is open then that will have an effect of course. Could the latter account for your observations?

That said your description of "overcast weather, too little flow and too many wasps" is enough to (understandably) make them feisty on it's own. R

 

[barratt_sab]

We tried to keep things going at the normal pace, so I don't think the hive was open much longer than usual.

I think you're right and it's probably just down to the four factors in the original post... only one of which I can really do much about!

 

[rook66]

Does anyone have experience of bees reacting badly to a camera flash?

We had guests watching a normal, scheduled inspection. One had a camera and took pictures with a flash. The bees seemed much more defensive than usual. Could it be the flash?

I suspect it was probably just a combination of clumsy beek, overcast weather, too little flow and too many wasps, but thought I'd see if anyone has noticed anything.

I have searched the forum, and cannot find anything on this (other than HP asking if he can adapt a flash gun to kill rats).

Has it anything to do with lightning? I remember years ago an old beekeeper told me to flash a mirror at a swarm to get them to settle, He said it had something to do with lightning.

 

[barratt_sab]

The light would seem similar (at least to the human eye!)

 

[Adam]

I've also never had any troubles with various flash guns, on any number of colonies, over many years, and at quite a number of apiaries, under different (and sometimes non ideal) conditions including teaching apiaries where lots of long manipulations, with people drifting about, and lots of bees around.

My personal view, based on my exeprience is that flash guns have no effect whatsoever.

Adam

 

[barratt_sab]

Thanks Adam

Sounds like another vote for clumsy beek, overcast weather, too little flow and too many wasps!