Evening star., 1932-08-07

fight round after round until the stronger
emerges triumphant.
The scene of the queens fighting was the
most difficult to secure in the whole film, ac-
cording to Carl F. Turvey, Government cinema
tographer, whose camera work in The Realm
of the Honeybec," is outstanding.
Recording the life history of the honeybee
in motion pictures has proved long, difficult
and tedious procedure extending over a period
of two years because all of the seasonal ac-
tivities could not be secured during single
season. Though the cameraman was on the 1op
day after day during the bees busy season,
some days he secured nothing at all, for bees
are temperamental actresses.
To make the bees act before the camera and
do what the scenario calls for has required the
patience of Job and the combined wisdom Of
scientists and -cnematographer. To get one
series of cloSe-upS seen IN the MIN meant Sc
lecting single blossom where light conditions
best focusing the camera on it and then
waiting until the worker bee decided to visit
that particular flower. AS light conditions
changed a new flower was selected and the
watchful waiting continued until the desired
scene was at last secured. Weeks were required
to get scenes which we witness IN few SECONDS
The scenario called for close-ups OF bees
swarmlng and one day hurry call came from
the Governments apiary at Somerset, Nd.
where most of the scenes were filmed. The
bees showing every symptom of swarming, so
the Gamer aman rushed to the apiary with two
cameras One was focused on the hive, one ON
the branch of the tree where the swarm was
to be induced to alight by means known to
the bee specialists, and then the cameraman
waited for those bees to swarm, waited for hours
during the hottest part of hot Summer days,
not daring even to go to lunch. When the
action did start it was so swift that the camera
man had to dash from one camera to the otner
to get the action desired
IA /HILE filming The Realm of the Honey
w bee" the cinematographer received fewer
stings than might be expected considering that
he was persistant intruder poking his camera
into the private affairs of the hive and OF the
individual bee, and that numerous close views
were called for. He learned that bees do not
sting just to be mean, but only when they fear
that the hive is in danger, literally laying
down their lives to protect the colony.
The film shows hand disturbing the bees,
and bee stingng the intruder. When we
see closeup of the sting pulsating and Watcn
the poison being pumped into the wound as
the sting bures Itself, we understand why we
are told to scrape the sting out at once instead
of running for help or trying to pull 1t out.
This was another difficult closeup to secure,
thorgh not for want of human actors as might
be s.r osed but because the worker bees were
SO ;bcc, bed in the delightful task Of gathering
nec,ar from fragrant flowers that they did not
choose to commit suicide. 1t necessary to
make the leading lady very angry before she
would act as the scenario required.
If the bees had not been docile, Sweet-tem-
pered and completely absorbed in their daily
task other scenes could not have been secured
Where do bees obtain their wax?" ques-
ton asked by many, is thus answered in the
film: THE secretion of wax by bees is similar
to that Of milk by cows" How this is ac-
complished is explained by MI Hambletop- II
If We look into an observation hive when the
wax-makers are absorbed in their mysterious
alchemy, we may see living curtain OF bees
suspended from the top of the hive, where they
will hang motionless- from 10 to IL hours.
During this time the honey, with little poll
len, is transformed in the bees body and gwen
off in clear. transparent fakes These small