On this theme I refer to Allan Sherman's contribution to the argument.
Eric
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZI12WHWvAg
________________________________
From: oxnatbees-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <oxnatbees-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf
of Kerry Dawson <kerrydawson99@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: 12 September 2019 21:47
To: oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [oxnatbees] Re: How honeybees defend wild nests
Hi, on the subject of skin, these bees have decided to shed theirs..
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2SPVm6nde9/?igshid=5vbhorrac63u
Clearly, not a long term solution, but still interesting to see
________________________________
From: oxnatbees-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <oxnatbees-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf
of Gareth John <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2019 8:16:44 PM
To: oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [oxnatbees] Re: How honeybees defend wild nests
Paul
I have just spent the day talking bees with Matt Somerville. We concluded the
bees likely have a hierarchy of needs with two or three being of key importance
and others having a bearing but being less vital. From Torben’s work the
survival rate of untreated (ie untreated for varroa) bee colonies in Germany in
conventional hives is exceedingly low, but put those same bees into
bee-appropriate skins and the survival rate jumps to 60%.
If appropriateness of the skin is a key factor, what do we mean by this? In no
particular order, one might say cavity volume, cavity shape, degree of
insulation, entrance shape size and position…..
As you infer, if one can satisfy the key factors, it is quite possible that
many of the other things that we (as humans) worry about become less important,
possibly considerably so.
As to space below the combs, seeing log-type hives with loooong combs right
down to the floor makes me think that space below the combs is not so key
provided other factors such as I mentioned, are satisfied. If those other
factors are lacking, that may be a different story.
Gareth
On 10 Sep 2019, at 08:48, Oxnatbees
<oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
I am very excited by this finding. It is that rare thing, a true paradigm shift.
Imagine: it means that our bees are thriving and varroa resistant, not because
we are good beekeepers or we have special bees. The major factor may be because
we just happen to have well insulated hives with a void at the bottom where the
bees can do their own thing.
I wonder if National hives would benefit from an empty box at the bottom?
Paul
On Mon, 9 Sep 2019 at 12:25, Gareth John
<dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
I have a copy of the video itself (without commentary) if anyone is interested.
The idea that this behaviour, and presumably others, are dependent on hive
geometry I find of great significance. The hive is effectively the skin of the
bee organism and if one is in the wrong skin one cannot express one’s true
self. A big jump, but consider how humans feel if they are in a body which is
the wrong gender; they feel they do not fit in their skin. In my prison
teaching one of the prisoners I knew started to go through gender
re-assignment. When I first saw him/her in a dress he/she was transformed;
happy and glowing rather than sad and downcast. "For the first time in my life
I feel I am being who I really am". It left a strong impression on me.
Gareth
On 6 Sep 2019, at 11:54, Oxnatbees
<oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Stefan Grunert, a Norwegian, has posted this 2.5 minute video of Torben
Schiffer talking at the Learning from the Bees conference:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUya5YxcmS0<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUya5YxcmS0>
Luckily for us he has added English subtitles. It is VERY interesting. On it,
Torben shows video taken with a high resolution endoscope inside a hive
simulating a tree cavity* - a vertical tube with plenty of space below the
combs.
It is worth watching twice because the first time, you are trying to figure out
what you're seeing, as the view is from BELOW the combs.
Points of interest:
* Bees washboarding inside the hive, cleaning/drying the walls to prevent
mould, and probably preparatory to propolising it;
* A web of bees below the combs acts as a guard-mob, probably allowing them
to ball hornets. They certainly ball wasps;
* These are not special bees, they were from a framed hive. This behaviour
is enabled by the hive geometry but suppressed in normal hives.
Paul
