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Exceat Farm in Sussex is still a centre for beekeeping today. Back in 1909, J.C. Bee-Mason made this film, now sadly incomplete, of the eviction of two bee colonies into purpose-built hives where they could do less damage to the walls of the farm house and, of course, get on with the job of supplying honey for the humans. J.C.B. handles the honeycombs with evident expertise, dulling the bees senses with smoke (the smoke covers up the scent of the alarm hormone secreted by the worker bees if they think the hive is threatened). This period saw the flourishing of this kind of 'interest' film, describing events and processes with no other purpose than to be interesting.
Bryony Dixon
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Complete film (2:13)
