Episode 3
Series following Martha Kearney through her beekeeping year. In spring, as the colonies become overcrowded the bees become likely to depart in a swarm with the queen.
Spring has well and truly sprung and the hives are going from strength to strength, but that brings with it a problem of its own - the swarm. As the colonies become overcrowded, the bees become likely to depart in a swarm with the queen, leaving just a few behind to rear a new queen. It's a natural process, but for the beekeeper it can be a disaster, leaving the hive all but empty with little prospect of a harvest of honey.
Martha discovers methods to control the swarms, including clipping the wings of the queen, but she also meets a natural beekeeper for whom wing clipping is horrifying. When one of her hives swarms, Martha's neighbours leap to the rescue and she harvests the first honey of the year.
Last on
Clip
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The oncoming swarm
Duration: 01:37
Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
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00:19Thomas Tallis
Spem in alium (Proms 2015)
Orchestra: The Cardinall鈥檚 Musick. Director: Andrew Carwood.
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Martha Kearney |
| Series Producer | Tom Sheahan |
| Executive Producer | Chris Shaw |
| Executive Producer | Emma Read |
| Executive Producer | Clare Paterson |
| Production Manager | Emma Wood |
| Sound Recordist | Tom Curry |