Communication in Bees

**gavin** · 14-03-2012, 07:48 PM

Hi Ems

Lovely to see you, to meet Beejud, and see all the other fine people of the Kilbarchan area. Look! I even got a smile from Ian for the photograph. Keep looking out for funny bee behaviours.

There were so many questions raised on things like the switching of scout and forager roles, and whether nest scouts are faithful to their choices prior to swarming, that I'm expecting local sales of little pots of coloured paint to rocket and the pages of the Scottish Beekeeper (and the pages of SBAi!) to be full of amateur sleuthing by Kilbarchan investigators.

Gavin

**Beejud** · 15-03-2012, 12:16 AM

Hi Gavin,
Well I guess you were serious about posting the photos of our motley crew! We do all look very smiley! Thanks for a very thought provoking talk. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the questions and chat that followed. I hadn't realised that you had posted the videos earlier but will have a look at some of them again and will take time to study my own bees too.
I have to say that when trying to hastily reassemble my two hives that blew over in the January storms, I may not have had the benefit of your talk on communication of bees at that point, but was left in no doubt whatsoever about their thoughts on the matter!!
Appreciate you making the long round trip to talk to us.
Judith

**gavin** · 26-10-2012, 12:29 PM

The roadshow trundled across to Helensburgh last night and what a grand evening it was to admire the wonderful scenery on the way over. It was a great night and the audience were most attentive, even lively. Great to see you all, and thanks for the hospitality.

It is becoming a habit of mine (all the best rock stars do this!) to turn a camera on the audience and show the world what they look like, in this case to help encourage them onto SBAi. One prominent poster can be seen in the corner, and apologies to the guy on the right with only arms on show. I think that was Ben, and as Ben is one of the most well-known beekeepers in Scotland maybe you don't need to see him.

Odd how folk respond to the camera by both smiling and folding their arms!

Next stop Haddington.

G.

**onj** · 26-10-2012, 06:00 PM

Looking forward to the Haddington leg of your tour!

**gavin** · 26-10-2012, 08:01 PM

You'll need to practice that smile for the camera without crossing your arms!

G.

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**gavin** · 09-11-2012, 12:43 AM

And the people of East Lothian ... lectured to tonight.

Should be a picture here but I'll sort it tomorrow.

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Here we are. Forgot the regular camera so this is from my crappy phone camera. The stalwarts of East Lothian, assembled in a hall in the middle of Haddington last night to see if this bee communication lark is all it is cracked up to be.

I seem to have eliminated a Colin from the picture. Sorry Colin. Clearly you knew that only those sitting at one of the front corners are likely to get missed out of these SBAi pictures. Six out of ten for the arm-folding. Clearly a more composed and self-assured bunch than the Helensburgh crew!

**gavin** · 09-11-2012, 11:17 AM

Just thought that I should post the waggle dance video I used last night, in case anyone comes here for revision. It is clearer than the earlier one.

**gavin** · 04-09-2013, 09:12 AM

The 2013-2014 lecture season is underway and the happy folk of Dunblane and Stirling witnessed the Communication talk last night. If only I'd remembered to turn a camera on the audience. You'll find links to the videos at the top of the thread - but unfortunately the SciFri site no longer host the Tom Seeley videos.

**kevboab** · 04-09-2013, 10:14 AM

Was definately a very interesting talk certainly giving me a clearer understanding of some of the going on's within the hive some of which I have seen and some which I will be sure to look out for in the future. Many thanks for your time.