Why does a swarm change its mind?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You can hug trees and stones

nothing wrong with hugging your stones - as long as you don't squeeze too hard

 

[rolande]

you need to pay more attention, even Manley thought it was worth mentioning in his book

Manley appears to have been writing about mating nucs absconding despite using the term 'mating swarm' going so far as to give advice on stopping such mating swarms.


Manley, Honey Farming:

Another trouble met with by the queen-rearer is the loss of
virgins with mating swarms. These swarms are rather difficult to
prevent in very hot weather when the nuclei have become too strong,
for they are prone to hang out in bunches from their entrances. Now
if a virgin should fly while such a cluster is hanging, the whole lot
will sometimes join her and form a cluster on some bush nearby, in
which case the bees never return to their hive, and if not found
quickly, will eventually fly away as a small swarm. The way to sto,p
this little game is to see that the nuclei do not become too strong.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Manley appears to have been writing about mating nucs absconding

Not in his other books

 

[jarmo henttu]

Manley appears to have been writing about mating nucs absconding despite using the term 'mating swarm' going so far as to give advice on stopping such mating swarms.


Manley, Honey Farming:

Another trouble met with by the queen-rearer is the loss of
virgins with mating swarms. These swarms are rather difficult to
prevent in very hot weather when the nuclei have become too strong,
for they are prone to hang out in bunches from their entrances. Now
if a virgin should fly while such a cluster is hanging, the whole lot
will sometimes join her and form a cluster on some bush nearby, in
which case the bees never return to their hive, and if not found
quickly, will eventually fly away as a small swarm. The way to sto,p
this little game is to see that the nuclei do not become too strong.

Nuclei become too strong and they swarm...

Nothing to do with queen mating...

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Have you no magic in your soul?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Music_(novel)

 

[Erichalfbee]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Music_(novel)

I might have missed a trick never reading any of these. Perhaps I should start?

 

[JamezF]

I might have missed a trick never reading any of these. Perhaps I should start?

Could take you a while I reread the entire series (around forty books I think) back-to-back a couple of years ago and it took a few months.

The first few (starting with "The Colour of Magic") are fairly light (Terry Pratchett himself said that it took him a few books to get the idea of "plot", as far as I recall) and mostly just intended to be humorous parodies of the fantasy genre, but later ones are often also a satirical commentary on what he perceived as the injustices of modern society. Reading the first two or three does help to provide a background for the world he was writing about, but after that it probably doesn't make much difference if they're read out-of-order. I've always enjoyed them having read the first in 1984. I think some people can be a bit sniffy about them because they're often labelled as "comic fantasy", which misses the point entirely.

Within the series there are groups of books based around common sets of characters, such as the witches, or the wizards, or the night guard, as well as ones more aimed at a particular theme, but the characters aren't restricted to the groups specifically relating to them.

If you do enjoy them then "Good Omens" (co-written with Neil Gaiman) might also be worth a read. It was made into a television series (by Amazon?) a few years ago starring Martin Sheen and David Tennant and is worth watching just for the chemistry between the two of them.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

Could take you a while I reread the entire series (around forty books I think) back-to-back a couple of years ago and it took a few months.

The first few (starting with "The Colour of Magic") are fairly light (Terry Pratchett himself said that it took him a few books to get the idea of "plot", as far as I recall) and mostly just intended to be humorous parodies of the fantasy genre, but later ones are often also a satirical commentary on what he perceived as the injustices of modern society. Reading the first two or three does help to provide a background for the world he was writing about, but after that it probably doesn't make much difference if they're read out-of-order. I've always enjoyed them having read the first in 1984. I think some people can be a bit sniffy about them because they're often labelled as "comic fantasy", which misses the point entirely.

Within the series there are groups of books based around common sets of characters, such as the witches, or the wizards, or the night guard, as well as ones more aimed at a particular theme, but the characters aren't restricted to the groups specifically relating to them.

If you do enjoy them then "Good Omens" (co-written with Neil Gaiman) might also be worth a read. It was made into a television series (by Amazon?) a few years ago starring Martin Sheen and David Tennant and is worth watching just for the chemistry between the two of them.

James

A project for winter, then
Thanks James.

 

[jarmo henttu]

Have you no magic in your soul?

If I had, I would ask help, how to became rich.
And if it could be true I would no be here.

And something to wish in my life, I want to see that mating swarm in the bush bransh

 

[Erichalfbee]

If I had, I would ask help, how to became rich.
And if it could be true I would no be here.

And something to wish in my life, I want to see that mating swarm in the bush bransh

No...you are pretending you don't. Finnish people are the happiest in the world, you know.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Could take you a while I reread the entire series (around forty books I think) back-to-back a couple of years ago and it took a few months.

The first few (starting with "The Colour of Magic") are fairly light (Terry Pratchett himself said that it took him a few books to get the idea of "plot", as far as I recall) and mostly just intended to be humorous parodies of the fantasy genre, but later ones are often also a satirical commentary on what he perceived as the injustices of modern society. Reading the first two or three does help to provide a background for the world he was writing about, but after that it probably doesn't make much difference if they're read out-of-order. I've always enjoyed them having read the first in 1984. I think some people can be a bit sniffy about them because they're often labelled as "comic fantasy", which misses the point entirely.

Within the series there are groups of books based around common sets of characters, such as the witches, or the wizards, or the night guard, as well as ones more aimed at a particular theme, but the characters aren't restricted to the groups specifically relating to them.

If you do enjoy them then "Good Omens" (co-written with Neil Gaiman) might also be worth a read. It was made into a television series (by Amazon?) a few years ago starring Martin Sheen and David Tennant and is worth watching just for the chemistry between the two of them.

James

I've regretted not having shared Terry Pratchet with my son who read all his books. When I shared your post with him just now he wrote straight back with this:
'Terry Pratchett mentions bees quite a lot in some books. A particular character keeps them. A few characters can “borrow” the minds of animals (inhabit their bodies). Bees are a unique challenge because they have a mind split between many bodies and she is the only one who can “borrow” the mind of a hive of bees. She also talks to the bees and gets news and gossip from them because, of course, they go everywhere and see everything.'

 

[JamezF]

A few characters can “borrow” the minds of animals (inhabit their bodies). Bees are a unique challenge because they have a mind split between many bodies and she is the only one who can “borrow” the mind of a hive of bees. She also talks to the bees and gets news and gossip from them because, of course, they go everywhere and see everything.'

Granny Weatherwax is considered the master of "borrowing" as far as I recall. She generally lies on her bed whilst doing so, with a note held in her hands saying "I aten't ded"

James

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I might have missed a trick never reading any of these. Perhaps I should start?

Absolutely! You've got to be able to accept alternative reality but it's something to experience.

 

[judy12]

Death was also a beekeeper.

 

[JamezF]

Death was also a beekeeper.

Black bees, too.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Black bees, too.

James

don't start that - or we'll have the usual suspects clutching their handbags

 

[JamezF]

don't start that - or we'll have the usual suspects clutching their handbags

Wait until they find out that Death is their local SBI

James

 

[pargyle]

No, I do not have soul.

Oh yes you do ... and a sense of humour ! We would all like to spend an evening over a bottle with you Finny !

 

[Erichalfbee]

Oh yes you do ... and a sense of humour ! We would all like to spend an evening over a bottle with you Finny !

God, yes! Count me in . I quite fancy a trip to Finland

 

[pargyle]

God, yes! Count me in . I quite fancy a trip to Finland

Probably cheaper to fly him over here for one of the conventions .. we could have a whip round for his air fare ... only £47 to London Stansted ...