I thought you might be interested in some new research published in March, that uses video techniques to record honeybee behaviour inside the hive. Think honeybee behaviour is crucial in understanding what our bees are up to, why they are doing it & what they're planning to do next!
There are 18 videos in total, each 1-2 mins long covering a range of behaviours from oviposition, larval inspections and feeding, cocooning, comb repair and construction, nectar and pollen storage, thermoregulation, cannibalisation, hygienic behaviour, grooming and the rocking (or wash boarding) ‘dance' to clean surfaces.
They’re all worth looking at if you can put an hour aside. The research first summarises the behaviours and observations the researchers made over many hours, before introducing the videos. For anyone relatively new to beekeeping, as well as well seasoned beekeepers, I think you'll really enjoy watching them.
My favourites are:
S1 Oviposition of the egg by the queen
S6 Inspecting then feeding of larva
S9 Comb construction
S13 Pollen unloading & storage
S14 Thermoregulation by evaporation & water uptake by a nest mate
S15 Cannibalisation
If I had to choose just one to watch (& I can watch it over & over again!) it's S13 pollen unloading, very apt given the frenzy we've all probably observed,
over the last 2 days.
Enjoy!
Elaine
Honey bee behaviours within the hive: Insights from long-term video analysis
There are 18 videos in total, each 1-2 mins long covering a range of behaviours from oviposition, larval inspections and feeding, cocooning, comb repair and construction, nectar and pollen storage, thermoregulation, cannibalisation, hygienic behaviour, grooming and the rocking (or wash boarding) ‘dance' to clean surfaces.
They’re all worth looking at if you can put an hour aside. The research first summarises the behaviours and observations the researchers made over many hours, before introducing the videos. For anyone relatively new to beekeeping, as well as well seasoned beekeepers, I think you'll really enjoy watching them.
My favourites are:
S1 Oviposition of the egg by the queen
S6 Inspecting then feeding of larva
S9 Comb construction
S13 Pollen unloading & storage
S14 Thermoregulation by evaporation & water uptake by a nest mate
S15 Cannibalisation
If I had to choose just one to watch (& I can watch it over & over again!) it's S13 pollen unloading, very apt given the frenzy we've all probably observed,
over the last 2 days.
Enjoy!
Elaine
Honey bee behaviours within the hive: Insights from long-term video analysis
