Plane grounded by swarm of bees

Topper

Amo Amas Amant Admin
Staff member
Joined
Nov 18, 2004
Messages
23,991
Reaction score
4,014
Points
113
Age
69
My Satellite Setup
Has gone to a good home elsewhere
My Location
Blackburn, Lancashire
London (Reuters) - 14.00hrs BST 25th May 2007

A passenger plane was forced to land after flying into a swarm of bees, leaving hundreds of holidaymakers stranded.

The Palmair Boeing 737 had to return to Bournemouth Airport, Dorset, shortly after take-off at 8:10 a.m. on Thursday following an engine surge.

The pilot decided to abort the flight to Faro in Portugal and returned for safety checks.

The plane's engine was thought to have become clogged with bees, which may have caused possible damage to a fan, the company said on Friday.

Huge clouds of bees have been seen around Bournemouth during the past few days, a spokeswoman added.

About 90 passengers were on board, with a further 106 waiting in the Algarve for the return flight.

A replacement plane finally left at 7:15 p.m. -- about 11 hours later.
 

BadWithComputer

The Local Drunkard
Joined
Aug 19, 2005
Messages
646
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Age
33
My Satellite Setup
30MB ADSL ONO, Spain
32" Internet connected TV
Many Satellite Dishes.
Humax HD Freesat Box
My Location
Spain
Cool, normally its birds, but i suppose if you have enough bees...

"Ladies and Gentleman, we have decided to cancel your flight...Beecause terrorist bee´s have caused damage to the engine"
 

2cvbloke

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2006
Messages
9,768
Reaction score
1,808
Points
113
Age
38
My Satellite Setup
No satellite stuff for the moment (aside from a 43cm minidish that was on the house already), Samsung SyncMaster T27B550 Smart TV & Monitor, and a few computers...
My Location
Near Pontop Pike, Co. Durham
I suppose the plane was a sweet ride after those bees gunked up the engine if they had enough honey in 'em... :-rofl2
 

RedDevil_UK

Retired Mod
Joined
Sep 24, 2004
Messages
1,761
Reaction score
34
Points
48
Age
54
My Satellite Setup
Dreambox 7000S, VU+ Solo2, 1.1m Dish, Moteck SG-2100A DISEQC Motor
My Location
Rochdale
was it a BEE A flight ....

sorry, im just leaving :(
 

Topper

Amo Amas Amant Admin
Staff member
Joined
Nov 18, 2004
Messages
23,991
Reaction score
4,014
Points
113
Age
69
My Satellite Setup
Has gone to a good home elsewhere
My Location
Blackburn, Lancashire
2cvbloke said:
I suppose the plane was a sweet ride after those bees gunked up the engine if they had enough honey in 'em... :-rofl2

Yes I was always taught the honey was in the comb which was inside the beehive and the bees carried the pollen but well..... different realities I suppose..... now where's that Kirby:p

RedDevil_UK said:
was it a BEE A flight ....

sorry, im just leaving

I think that was BEA (British European Airways) but I really do not remember I am not old enough
 

PaulR

Dazed and Confused Admin
Staff member
Joined
Jun 28, 2003
Messages
18,023
Reaction score
4,046
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
-----------See sig-----------
My Location
Wirral, NW UK and Vaucluse, France.
Topper said:
Yes I was always taught the honey was in the comb which was inside the beehive and the bees carried the pollen but well...
Mmmm, sort of.

Bees travel to flowers for pollen (which is protein) and nectar(which is carbohydrate). Both are stored in the comb for consumption later on. The nectar is converted into watery honey by enzymes in the bee's stomach and then excess water is avaporated off in the conb until it is concentrated enough to not allow spoillage if bacteria get in - the honey kills the bacteria by sucking the the water through the bacteria's cell wall by osmosis.

Anyway, when bees swarm half stay at the old colony wth a new queen and the other half fly off to find a new home with the old queen. Before they leave they each take a stomach full of honey with then to give thenselves a head start in their new home wherever that might be.

So, the swarm would have had a fair amount of honey spread throughout its members.
 

Topper

Amo Amas Amant Admin
Staff member
Joined
Nov 18, 2004
Messages
23,991
Reaction score
4,014
Points
113
Age
69
My Satellite Setup
Has gone to a good home elsewhere
My Location
Blackburn, Lancashire
King of the bees!!!!!:-worship

Very useful to know that Paul, did you used to keep them at all or was that schoolboy knowledge gushing forth?.......:-worship:-worship

My grandad used to swear by his cureall of a square inch of honeycomb to be chewed and swallowed daily :eek: wax and all.......I suppose it saved on the liquid paraffin :)
 

PaulR

Dazed and Confused Admin
Staff member
Joined
Jun 28, 2003
Messages
18,023
Reaction score
4,046
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
-----------See sig-----------
My Location
Wirral, NW UK and Vaucluse, France.
As you nearly guessed my wife and I keep bees - apiculturists we are. Last week seemed to bring out loads of swarms.

There were even two in the school where I work but unfortunately I couldn't grab them. They had found their way into the cavity walls through some holes left by the shoddy work that the council had done putting pipes through and had to be destroyed.
 
Top