Bees

 

Exhibition Review

Hive Mind

You are probably not familiar with the word melittology: it is the scientific study of bees (from the Ancient Greek word for ‘bee’). ‘Bees: a Story of Survival’ is an exhibition at the World Museum in LIverpool, on until early May, designed by the artist Wolfgang Buttress. It uses sound and visual effects in a variety of ways, often very striking and sometimes based on reactions by visitors, to put across informative points about bees.

Bees play a crucial role in propagating life, as they pollinate trees and plants, including wildflowers, fruits and vegetables. They have 170 smell receptors, and use scent, as well as vibrations, to communicate with each other.

Altogether there are twenty thousand bee species, and in the UK alone there are over 250 (including two dozen bumblebees but just one species of honeybee). Bees have lived on Earth for 120 million years, since the time of the dinosaurs. Their existence is now under threat, however, because of climate change, loss of natural habitat, use of pesticides and increased air pollution. The UK, for instance , has lost 97 percent of its wildflower meadows since the 1930s. According to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust (www.bumblebeeconservation.org), bumblebee numbers in Britain declined by almost a quarter in 2024, compared to the 2010–23 average.

So bees are far more than annoying insects that may sting you. They play a vital role in life on this planet, besides being fascinating creatures in their own right. This exhibition is an intriguing reminder of their characteristics and benefits.

PB