Urban Bees Research - can you help?

[RHULUrbanBeeResearch]

I am a researcher at Royal Holloway, University of London investigating the effect of urbanisation on honeybees and am planning a large-scale experiment this summer using the honeybee waggle dance to compare foraging behaviour of urban and rural bees. To do this, we film bees in observation hives performing the waggle dance, which informs their nestmates about the locations of profitable flower patches. We later analyse the videos, decoding the dances to plot foraging locations of the bees on a map. The aims of the experiment are to identify important foraging hotspots in the urban environment, and to compare foraging in urban and rural locations.

We are looking for existing observation hives in London and the surrounding countryside (i.e. the counties around London) which we might be able to visit to film waggle dances. I wondered if anyone knows of any that are set up? This is likely to be museums, schools, attractions etc. I’d be grateful for any leads so that we can start contacting sites to see if they are interested in being involved in the experiment.

Thanks!

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Hasn't it already been established there isn't enough forage for London bees.....How about the effect of all that pollution on hive and honey

 

[B+.]

We are looking for existing observation hives in London and the surrounding countryside (i.e. the counties around London) which we might be able to visit to film waggle dances. I wondered if anyone knows of any that are set up?

Observation hives are unlikely to survive the winter.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I am a researcher at Royal Holloway, University of London investigating the effect of urbanisation on honeybees and am planning a large-scale experiment this summer using the honeybee waggle dance to compare foraging behaviour of urban and rural bees. To do this, we film bees in observation hives performing the waggle dance, which informs their nestmates about the locations of profitable flower patches. We later analyse the videos, decoding the dances to plot foraging locations of the bees on a map. The aims of the experiment are to identify important foraging hotspots in the urban environment, and to compare foraging in urban and rural locations.

We are looking for existing observation hives in London and the surrounding countryside (i.e. the counties around London) which we might be able to visit to film waggle dances. I wondered if anyone knows of any that are set up? This is likely to be museums, schools, attractions etc. I’d be grateful for any leads so that we can start contacting sites to see if they are interested in being involved in the experiment.

Thanks!

Maybe you should start by asking if any forum members already have data they are willing to share with you? There's a helluva lot of expertise and knowledge among the more scientific members.

 

[masterBK]

I suggest you contact Surrey BKA particularly Epsom BKA as the wife of one of their members (Dr Phil Shepherd) did Zoology at RHC and might be willing to help put you in contact with people. I have a rural out-apiary and an urban one . Generally you see a greater variety but less vigorous dancing in the urban hives (although great activity when the lime tree flow is on) compared to the rural one where you get large acreages of of Oil seed rape, beans etc with most of the bees recruited to go to a major crop .

 

[Little John]

The aims of the experiment are to identify important foraging hotspots in the urban environment, and to compare foraging in urban and rural locations.

So - a London-centric experiment being conducted for the benefit of London-based beekeepers ? A tad incestuous don't you think ?

If you really want to compare foraging in urban and rural locations, suggest you pick half-a-dozen towns or cities of similar size up and down the country to investigate - then you could compare their results to see if there's a common denominator between them. London, with it's surrounding counties, is a unique setting, and there's nothing you can compare that with - unless you plan on including New York, Berlin etc.
LJ

 

[beebopper]

Will there really be enough observation hive around ready to be filmed?
I would be interested but not sure about buying and setting up an observation hive to do it.
Not surprising they starting with London seeing they are based in London.

 

[Little John]

Not surprising they starting with London seeing they are based in London.

Certainly isn't surprising. But how useful is any data going to be ?

Say (for example) they observe an urban foraging spike in August, which isn't seen in more rural areas. You can't then say with any certainly that this is a function of urban nectar availability - unless you have acquired similar data from equivalent sources.

However, if you were examining foraging behaviour in half-a-dozen broadly similar urban locations spread over a much wider area (and with different micro-climates, perhaps), and saw the same spike in all of them - then you'd be on to something of importance - precisely because you can make comparisons between those different data sets.

There's also an unfortunate hint of a suggestion here that if important foraging hotspots within the capital can be identified, then this might encourage even more 'concerned members of the public' to keep hives of honey-bees within their handkerchief-sized back gardens.
LJ

 

[Tom Bick]

I have helped to manage a public observation hive at Walpole Park Ealing for a couple of years now. No bees in it the moment but will be back sometime in April. I have been asked to build and manage another but thats in the early stages at the moment.

 

[MartinL]

I am a researcher at Royal Holloway, University of London investigating the effect of urbanisation on honeybees Thanks!

Surely if you're investigating "Urbanisation" you should be studying Rural colonies where there is extensive building planned in the local area?

Incidentally, is Royal Holloway University of London a "Proper University"?

 

[MuswellMetro]

Hasn't it already been established there isn't enough forage for London bees.....How about the effect of all that pollution on hive and honey

what do you mean by london?....central london, yes too many hives , outer london within M25 has lot of hives but many of us average 120lbs plus per production hive and it is a relatively neonicotinoid free area

 

[MuswellMetro]

Certainly isn't surprising. But how useful is any data going to be ?

Say (for example) they observe an urban foraging spike in August, which isn't seen in more rural areas. You can't then say with any certainly that this is a function of urban nectar availability - unless you have acquired similar data from equivalent sources.

However, if you were examining foraging behaviour in half-a-dozen broadly similar urban locations spread over a much wider area (and with different micro-climates, perhaps), and saw the same spike in all of them - then you'd be on to something of importance - precisely because you can make comparisons between those different data sets.

There's also an unfortunate hint of a suggestion here that if important foraging hotspots within the capital can be identified, then this might encourage even more 'concerned members of the public' to keep hives of honey-bees within their handkerchief-sized back gardens.
LJ

already mapped 2014, seen screen shot

 

[newbeeinbromley]

Hornimans museum in Forest Hill has an ob hive set up, or did last year.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[masterBK]

Incidentally, is Royal Holloway University of London a "Proper University"?

The University of London is a federation of colleges (similar but not quite the same system as in Oxford or Cambridge ). RHC has been part of this federation since it was was founded in 1886 and opened by Queen Victoria. It has a very good UK and international reputation for its research with students needing high grades at A level to get in.

I am biased, of course, getting my BSc. Zoology there back in the 60's

 

[isc26]

Maybe try posting a message on the London Beekeepers website and catch Geordy Mark's attention.

 

[busybee53]

Usually an observation hive in London Zoo, Regent's Park, insect house. Also one upstairs in Southend Museum.

 

[ellypatt]

Oxford's NHM has an observation hive, and you can get an advance return on the Oxford Tube for £2.50

 

[Roola]

I went to RHUL I also keep bees in North London and into Essex. Get in touch via pm if you want to arrange anything, i'm happy to help out.