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Dear friends
Milan is hosting World Expo 2015 with the theme Feeding the Planet. Visitors to the UK Pavilion walk through an apple orchard and then - raised to their eye level – a wildflower meadow, to perceive the world from the perspective of insect pollinators. Next is a 14 metre high aluminium ‘hive’, connected to a real hive in the UK where, as the bees in the real hive go about their work, they power the 1,000 lights and sounds within the hive in Milan. Using clever technology, visitors can even feel the vibrations within the real hive.
The Expo hive is intended as a metaphor for Britain as a hive of innovation and creativity helping to feed the planet. However for bee admirers and indeed all visitors to the Pavilion, the hive provides an inspirational, sensory appreciation of life inside the colony. Indeed it is marvellous to see this monumental appreciation of the vital role of bees within the global food chain.
Expo is open until the end of October, and you can see and hear it here too: www.ukpavilion2015.com
On the other side of the planet, September brings the 44th Apimondia Congress, the main world bee event that takes place every two years, in Daejeon, South Korea. The Korean hosts are planning a smooth, hightech and fun Congress - and as we go to press there are travel awards still available for beekeepers and scientists from developing countries: do apply if you are interested to attend www.apimondia2015.com
