Honeybee Democracy

just in time for swarm season, here's an interesting lecture by Tom Seeley. he starts out throwing just about the best nerd shapes ever.

I think a lot of folks, even some beekeepers, assume that the queen runs the show. that is most certainly not the case.

That's a brilliant lecture - thanks for posting Tel!

I'm watching in stages and will comment more when I've watched the whole thing, but I love the way he tries to implement their decision making processes in his own communities.

We're off to collect two splits from a friend later so I have bees on the brain at the moment.

there's a segment toward the end of a bee head-butting another. it is so adorable that to watch it is to risk exploding.

I finally watched all of it. Not sure if 'adorable' is the right word. I was looking forward to seeing how they finally achieved full consensus, and then it turned out that right at the end they just rammed into the sides of any dancers who still thought it was a good idea to go somewhere else. I thought it was hilarious!

It was like 'Just shut up - we've already decided.'

Brilliant video though, and well worth watching.

Burra Maluca wrote:Not sure if 'adorable' is the right word.

not even with the beeping?

Maybe I still have too many vivid memories of getting rammed in the side on the dodgems/bumper cars as a kid...

A couple of years ago I treated myself to a copy of The Buzz About Bees - Biology of a Superorganism. I never really got chance to read it, but it's kind of calling me.