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Bill Summers causes a buzz in Science Society talk

Last week, the Science Society welcomed Bill Summers to talk about the evolution of beekeeping and how he is bringing beehive design into the 21st century.  

With a wealth of experience in beekeeping, Bill spoke about the importance of honeybees and the evolution of his beehive designs. He explained how the traditional designs, used since medieval times, feature wicker baskets and divider screens which can suffer from cold and damp. Bill has used his background in architecture to design a new beehive which he believes could replace the traditional design. Using a plastic frame with a wire mesh in between and polystyrene walls, the hive benefits from better insulation and limits the extent of human intervention. Furthermore, the beehive benefits from the suppression of varroa, a pest otherwise treated chemically which is treated naturally in the beehive.

Bill offered the pupils plenty of food for thought, demonstrating how creativity can be used to challenge conventional thinking. It was a great way to start the Science Society lecture programme for 2020 and we look forward to hearing many more inspiring speakers in the year ahead.