The bees arrived at Brookside last year and their progress was followed in a research blog exploring various aspects of bee culture for a future film.
The Arrival of the Bees
by Sharon Brooks
My heart swelled with happiness
As they arrived
25000 of them
In a small wooden hive
Carried carefully by two men
Down the grassy path
Past all the fruit and nut trees
Which would offer them such delights
They were settled in their new space
We stood around at a distance
In the early evening sun
Warming our backs
Surrounded by bird song
Treacle ran rings around our legs
A streak of red
As his excitement spread at the new arrival
The bees tentatively came out
One landed on a coat
As if to say hello
Then we all left them to explore their new home
An hour later as the day was cooling
The sun setting
There was a calm
Just me and the bees
Standing together
Dreaming
I whispered in my heart a welcome
A friend asked later
As I excitedly recounted the day
'Did you tell them they will be Film Stars?'
A honeybee hive usually has between 20 000 and 80 000 bees living together in a colony. A colony is made up of one queen bee and several hundred drones (males), with female worker bees making up the balance. All the bees share one goal: survival of the colony.
The bees arrived at Brookside last year and their progress was followed in a research blog exploring various aspects of bee culture for a future film. They are being looked after by the Men's Shed which meets each Wednesday and Friday evening, pictured here with the hives which they built.
The bees have a wonderful space to forage with the ancient meadow to explore. Apple blossom, hawthorn, willow and all the herbs coming into flower captured here in this little film:
