Who killed the Honey Bee - BBC4

[Der Alte Fritz]

Another chance to see this great documentary
http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/jzjys/

 

[Peter Cox]

Sad, not available in my area.

 

[buzz lightyear]

I remember seeing this a while ago. I thought then, as I do now, that while the loss of anyones livelyhood is tragic, as human beings should we not be surprised if we treat our bees with this contempt, nature will bite us back, I was too impressed with the handling, transporting and general consideration given to these colonys. I think it speaks volumes that at one point they were referred to as "pallets". Says it all really.

Our association is about to consider contributing to sponcership of a PhD project into bee disease, I know there will be individuals that will not wish to contribute. The same people will moan about paying for hive insurance.

 

[freethorpe bees]

I agree Buzz. The way those bees were treated was horrible. Hate to think how many must has been squashed.

 

[Poly Hive]

It's not a new thing.

I can remember on the back page of the American Bee Journal in the classified adds, line after line like this:

"Wanted for the almonds 10,000 hives"

"Wanted for the almonds 25,000 hives"

and it went on and on and this was early 80's.

Plus there was a guy who claimed he was able with in 48 hours to have as many hives as you wanted on your farm provided you were on the continental states.

Large scale beekeeping is a pretty rough business.

PH

 

[Ely]

The amount of stress those bees must have been under when transferred around must have been considerable with the vibrations.

Any organism under stress is much more susceptible to disease. Even humans. During exam times many students get colds. Colony collapse disorder doesn't seem like a huge mystery to me if that is how they all treat the bees.

 

[blackbrood]

Another chance to see this great documentary
http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/jzjys/

Thanks DAF. I had meant to go and watch it and forgot all about it

Cheers

BB

 

[shane]

this is really typical of the Americans. Their arrogance really annoys me. They seem to think that the way they handle the bees is normal and good for the colonys. And then they ask why the bees are dying out. I did notice that when they made a big thing of the food they fed to the bees, they didn't talk about any sort of disease treatments to keep the bees in tip top condition.
What about verroa treatment and open mesh floors? What about doing a varroa count to check on the numbers?
Bloody Americans, all the gear and no idea!!!!!!
End of rant.

 

[itchyhives]

Dont worry bb you can watch again if you missed it on bbc i player for 2 more days.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00jzjys/Who_Killed_the_Honey_Bee/

 

[Hivemaker.]

Bloody Americans, all the gear and no idea!!!!!!

Not all Americans,they also have some very good beekeepers as well,and we in this country, also have some bad one's.

 

[blackbrood]

Dont worry bb you can watch again if you missed it on bbc i player for 2 more days.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00jzjys/Who_Killed_the_Honey_Bee/

Cheers Itchyhives, just watching it now.

BB

 

[cak29]

I recorded this and watched it last night, felt very sorry for the American bees, think I'd go AWOL as well. Was interesting about the the Urban hives and I think says it all, low stress and variety of pollen and necter means happy bees. (I hope mine agree with this when they arrive and don't go AWOL!)

 

[johnandyrob]

Their was some very blond looking bees on there can any body tell me what strain they are please Regards Andrew

 

[Somerford]

It would be good if one of the UK filmmakers could commission a year in the life of a beefarmer/manufacturer.....

It would be a box office hit....for beeks !

S

 

[margob99]

Thanks to Der Alte Fritz for posting the original link in this thread.

Having watched it, I was eerily reminded of Douglas Adams' "So long and thanks for all the fish".

 

[roymichaeldean]

Orlando

Hi

The guy who talked the most sense was Orland watnot...living in London with a few hives around London...he was having no problems with his bees....at all.....after all........ the bees are surrounded by their natural environment....flowers.....

roy

 

[Anduril]

Another chance to see this great documentary
http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/jzjys/

This is also available on You Tube

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes but this sort of thing happens a lot more over the pond - look at the way they treat pigs in their massive factory farms, and those horrendous dairy farms they have (now cropping up over here unfortunately) i agree you will find loads of decent individual or small scale beekeepers. But once the Americans inject commerciality into anything the poor critters just become another commodity.
I watched the documentary two months ago with my crew - none of whom have any idea of beekeeping but they all commented on the slapdash unfeeling treatment they were meting out, to quote one - no wonder the bloody bees are dying out!
I saw a clip once (may have been on here) on how one of the big bee firms (I cannot call them apiarists) fed their bees - they just dumped 50 gallon drums of syrup near the hives, popped the lids and let the bees help themselves, can you imagine the amount of casualties there then? and we get twitchy at losing the odd bee in a rapid feeder!