All posts tagged: bee

Bumble Bee Queens can survive underwater for a week – here’s why

Bumble Bee Queens can survive underwater for a week – here’s why

Published by Jenni Sidey

Spring flooding was supposed to be a death sentence for them. Buried underground, dormant, with no way to surface, bumble bee queens caught in rising water seemed like straightforward casualties of a seasonal hazard. The assumption made sense. They are large, terrestrial insects with no obvious business being submerged for days at a time. That assumption was wrong. New research from the University of Ottawa shows that bumble bee queens can survive being completely underwater for more than a week. Afterward, they emerge and recover as though nothing particularly unusual had happened. The findings, led by Professor Charles-Antoine Darveau of the Department of Biology, reveal a layered physiological strategy that no one had previously documented in this species. It is one that may matter more as climate patterns continue to shift. Bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) queen foraging to build energy reserves in preparation for overwintering diapause. (CREDIT: Lucas Borg-Darveau) Underground, and Then Underwater Every autumn, mated bumble bee queens burrow into shallow soil to wait out winter. This state, called diapause, is something like hibernation. …

Sewing Bee winner Annie Phillips’ guide to upcycling clothes: from patching to quilting

Sewing Bee winner Annie Phillips’ guide to upcycling clothes: from patching to quilting

Published by Sam Flores

If you’re a Great British Sewing Bee fan, you might remember my face. I’m Annie Phillips. I won the 2022 series of the show and now I sew for a living. I divide my time between running my own fashion house (Made by Annie) and leading upcycling workshops to breathe new life back into your wardrobe. I’ve even written a book on the subject called Upcycle: A Modern Maker’s Guide to Sewing and Mending a Preloved Wardrobe. Some of the people who sign up for my classes have never used a sewing machine before, while others are more experienced, but most are coming for the same reason. They’ve fallen out of love with their wardrobe, but they can’t bring themselves to buy new clothes when their old ones still have so much wear. If that sounds like you, then you should try your hand at upcycling. It’s just another word for the “make do and mend” ethos that has inspired generations of sewers. Here are my top tips for first-timers. You can see all the …

How bee brains are shaping next-generation computer chips

How bee brains are shaping next-generation computer chips

Published by skeptic

Tom Cassauwers discusses how researchers are creating computer chips inspired by bee brains and their impacts for the field of robotics. Bees navigate their surroundings with astonishing precision. Their brains are now inspiring the design of tiny, low-power chips that could one day guide miniature robots and sensors. When a bee leaves the nest, it already has its own version of a GPS in its head. By analysing patterns in the sky and its flying speed, a bee can keep track of its location and safely return home. Researchers are now taking their cue from this, hoping to transform how computers navigate. “A bee finds its way back without a smartphone or satellite navigation,” said Anders Mikkelsen, professor at Lund University in Sweden. “They do this by looking at the polarisation of the sky, and their speed. Based on that, they don’t get lost.” Mikkelsen is part of a group of scientists in an EU-funded initiative named InsectNeuroNano who want to replicate the bee’s internal navigation system on a computer chip. Today’s chips can already …

How to set up your sewing machine, according to a Sewing Bee winner

How to set up your sewing machine, according to a Sewing Bee winner

Published by Sam Flores

Now, there are just a few key things to check before you get start sewing. Firstly, look at your sewing pattern and make sure that you have selected the right stitch, length and width. Stitches tend to be illustrated in some way on the machine, and your instructions will explain the function of each one. Make sure you have the right needle type and sewing foot on your machine, too. Then, check your tension. This is important as it is the difference between loose and secure stitching. Often, the average tension is indicated on the dedicated dial. It tends to sit between three and five and denotes the best setting for a normal piece of cotton. A lower number gives less tension, and higher provides more tension. Your sewing pattern instructions will explain if this needs to be set in a specific way for your project, otherwise it’s a case of playing around to see what settings your chosen fabric needs (more on this below). Just before I start sewing, I also like to check …

Sewing Bee winner Annie Phillips answers Telegraph Recommended reader questions

Sewing Bee winner Annie Phillips answers Telegraph Recommended reader questions

Published by Sam Flores

How did your sewing journey start? Lorna, South East My sewing journey started when I was around eight. My grandmother is Ghanaian and it’s a part of her culture to make her own clothes. So she, without question, said: “You’re learning! You’re learning how to sew!” to me and all my cousins. But I was the only one that pursued it. I’m really glad I did as it gave me a different outlook on dressing, clothing, altering and vintage that I continued into my adult life. What inspired you to innovate with sustainable dressing? Charnjit, West Midlands For me, reworking from home is something that’s always been in my family. My dad has upcycled furniture for a long time. I can’t remember anything that we had from new, so it wasn’t a conscious choice. As a student it was out of necessity but also being experimental. Then, working in the fashion industry, I saw how much waste there was and I thought this is something I can practically do as a conscious choice to try …

Asian hornets UK invasion MAPPED as bee killers spread across country | UK | News

Asian hornets UK invasion MAPPED as bee killers spread across country | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

2025 was a record-breaking year for Asian hornets (Image: Getty) Record numbers of invasive Asian hornets were spotted last year – as new evidence found in 2026 shows this bee-killing pest has spread further across the UK than previously thought.  The insect, also known as a yellow-legged hornet, is a harmful invasive species originating from east Asia and was first recorded in Europe in 2004. Earlier this month, a dead nest was found near Wrexham, prompting calls from the Welsh Government for people to be “vigilant” in the coming months and to report any suspected sightings. It is the first confirmed discovery of the insect in Wales. It follows a record year for Asian hornet sightings in the UK. In 2025, 161 nests were found and destroyed. A record 176 sightings of the insect have so far been confirmed by lab tests, but Defra (the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) says there were 544 credible sightings last year.   This widget requires javascript to work. The previous record was in 2023, when there …

Travelling Auctioneers star Bee Harford’s big life overhaul for career

Travelling Auctioneers star Bee Harford’s big life overhaul for career

Published by Daniella Wilson

Briony Harford, aka Bee Harford, is a new face on Antiques Road Trip and The Travelling Auctioneers and her day job is working for international auction house, Bonhams. She is the Regional Manager covering Yorkshire, Derbyshire and the North East of England, but that’s miles away from her roots.  In a brand interview on the Bonhams website, Bee explains that she was “born and raised in the Malvern Hills,” which is a three-hour drive from where she works now as she is based at Bowcliffe Hall, near leads. “My parents ran a graphic design agency from the ground floor of our family home, so art and design were a huge part of my life and upbringing,” she added. © BBC/STVThe Travelling Auctioneers: Briony Harford As well as her move up north, Bee’s job also takes her to the UK capital, London for auctions as well as overseas to the USA. Well versed in travel, she then joined the Travelling Auctioneers in 2025, and we’ve since seen her star appear alongside other experts like Raj Bisram …

Why Amazon bought Bee, an AI wearable

Why Amazon bought Bee, an AI wearable

Published by skeptic

Smart rings, smart screens, smart TVs, smart pins, smart … ice cube makers? Sure, why not! AI was everywhere at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, where companies large and small were showing off how they’re bringing AI to more devices. For Amazon, CES was a time to show off its newest acquisition in the space: Bee, an AI device that can be worn as a clip-on pin or a bracelet. Amazon already has an entry in the AI consumer devices space with Alexa, whose upgraded AI-powered version, Alexa+, can run on 97% of the hardware devices Amazon has shipped. However, with Bee, the company is gaining access to a wearable that could extend its reach outside the home. Largely designed for recording conversations like interviews, meetings, or classes, Bee also works as an AI companion. The AI has access to world knowledge, and it learns more about you from a combination of your recordings and the services you permit it to access like Gmail, Google Calendar, your phone’s contacts, and Apple Health. …

Why shiny flowers are rare: bee vision reveals a hidden visual trade-off

Why shiny flowers are rare: bee vision reveals a hidden visual trade-off

Published by Jenni Sidey

Nature’s most dazzling colors can be strangely rare. Walk through a park or forest and you see greens, yellows and reds that feel soft to the eye. Most of those tones are matte. Only now and then do you spot a buttercup petal or beetle shell that flashes like polished metal. That contrast caught the attention of evolutionary biologist Casper van der Kooi. He wanted to know why glossy colors are uncommon, and what that means for the animals that rely on color to survive. So he turned to bees, artificial flowers and a simple question that leads to a surprisingly deep answer. Matte Signals and a Stable World In your mind, picture a daisy, a great tit’s feathers or a small tree frog. Their colors stay steady as you move around them. Matte surfaces scatter light in many directions, so the shade looks almost the same from every angle and in most lighting. The researchers tested the impact of shininess on visibility for bumblebees in an experimental cage. Full cage left, on the right, …

The 9 best sewing machines for beginner and intermediate sewers, tested by a Sewing Bee winner

The 9 best sewing machines for beginner and intermediate sewers, tested by a Sewing Bee winner

Published by Sam Flores

We’re living through a golden age of making. Crafts are booming as people turn to creative, mindful hobbies for stress relief, skill building and extra income. Creating things is popular again, and sewing sits at the centre of the movement. I’m Annie Phillips, winner of Great British Sewing Bee in 2022, and I sew for a living, designing, teaching and helping new stitchers learn the craft. I’ve worked with everything from budget-friendly beginner machines to industry-led workhorses, and I know exactly what makes a machine frustration-proof, fun to use and great for those just starting out. In this guide, I have shortlisted nine sewing machines which suit all types of sewers, from novice to skilled. I’ve included trusted brands like Brother and Janome, as well as more industrial favourites such as Juki. Prices range from £90 to over £1,500. They are separated by their features, from automatic needle threaders and speed controls to specialised embroidery stitches and computerised systems. I explain all of this and share my expert reviews below, followed by answers to the …