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‘The bees are taking back Manchester’ – Bees spotted swarming city centre again yesterday

"I know Manchester is known for bees, but this was a bit extreme."

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 11th July 2022

Shoppers were shocked to see thousands of bees swarming in Manchester city centre yet again this weekend.

And this time, it looks like they took a particular liking to traffic light.

As the scorching sun shone down, and temperatures soared up to 25°C over the weekend ahead of this week’s expected heatwave, plenty of summertime shoppers in Manchester city centre yesterday spotted swarms of thousands of bees sat on a traffic light on the corner of Cross Street and King Street.

Several people took to social media to share photos and video footage of the swarms in action yesterday, with one eyewitness declaring that “the bees are taking back Manchester”.

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“I know Manchester is known for bees, but this was a bit extreme,” another added.

People passing the swarm were seen covering their faces with their clothes, and ducking down in a bid to escape the buzzing bees.

While some people were understandably shocked at the sight of thousands of bees calmly covering a traffic light, others were not so fazed about it and remembered that it’s definitely not the first time parts of Greater Manchester have been brought to a halt by swarms of bees.

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Last summer, thousands of the buzzing insects took over the rear window of a parked-up and unattended BMW in the city centre.

They then moved on to engulf a poster for Manchester International Festival (MIF).

Read more: Why thousands of bees have been swarming cars and street signs in Manchester city centre

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Only last month, a woman dressed in full beekeeper attire was spotted by workers on their lunch break and captured on video scooping up bees with her bare hands in MediaCityUK in an effort to relocate a swarm.

Onlookers also eventually saw a beekeeper tend to the swarm on Cross Street yesterday too in a bid to move them to safety.

But why are so many bees swarming in Manchester city centre? What does it mean?

Well, according to the British Beekeepers Association, a honeybee colony may swarm for a number of reasons but can often be seen swarming on warm and sunny days between May and July, and usually after a spell of poor weather.

It’s a completely natural process, and they will most likely swarm to reproduce after the old queen leaves a colony with some of the other bees.

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A beekeeper relocating a swarm on Cross Street / Credit: The Manc Group

Once the queen has left, scout bees will then head off in search of suitable places to construct the swarm’s home, and the successful scouts will eventually report back on the location of suitable nesting sites to the other bees – but in the meantime, the other bees will leave the hive and find a spot to wait until the scout decides on the new home for the colony.

Read more: Beekeeper scoops up bees with BARE HANDS as swarm descends on Greater Manchester again

The latter is most likely to answer for the swarm we saw over the weekend.

With the warm weather set to continue, it remains to be seen whether this will be the last swarm we’ll see this week, but the city will no doubt be ready and waiting if it happens again.

Featured Image – Karis Viola Lambert (via Twitter)

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Crown Paints hit with more than 100 complaints over new ‘misogynistic’ and ‘offensive’ advert

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A Northern-based paint company has been hit with more than 100 complaints over its new TV advert, which has been branded “offensive”.

Crown Paints – which is based in Darwen in Lancashire – released the advert in question earlier this month, and through a cast of actors, singers, and spoken word performers, it tells the story of a young couple named Hannah and Dave.

The couple were said to have met at an illegal rave, and are now expecting their first child together.

Lyrics from the advert’s jingle include: “Now a baby’s coming and they don’t know what it is. Hannah’s hoping for a girl, Dave’s just hoping that it’s his.

“They’re happy that their spare room’s no longer grey because there’s a baby on the way.”

Since its release and airing on TV screens across the UK, an Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) spokesman said it had received 150 complaints about the advert – which it is “currently assessing to determine if there is a potential problem under our rules and, if so, whether there are grounds for further action”.

The ASA says the majority of complaints are mainly focused on whether the content in the advert is appropriate to be shown on television, as well as many taking to social media and calling it out for being “totally derogatory” towards women.

Read more: PrettyLittleThing advert banned for ‘sexualising’ teen TikTok star

Comedian Jennie Eclair was one of the more prominent figures to complain to Crown Paints on social media earlier this week, tweeting: “Hey Crown Paints, get that offensive baby ad off air – what were you thinking!!!? What on earth possessed you?”

Author and podcast host, Daisy Buchanan, was one of the many people to welcome Eclair’s tweet and say in response: “I honestly thought it was me being mad”.

One viewer took to Twitter and said: “Totally derogatory of women, questioning her fidelity. Take it off because it won’t sell much paint.”

Others said it was “offensive”, “misogynistic”, and a “serious error of judgement”.

Crown Paints then responded to Eclair’s tweet saying: “Our ads are intended to give a humorous account of our characters’ stories. We appreciate that people have differing tastes when it comes to humour and whilst the ad has been broadly well received, we apologise if the remark has caused offence to anyone.”

But Eclair still said she felt that the advert “set up a scenario that implies a woman has possibly conned a man into fatherhood”.

Following both the growing online backlash, and the 150 official complaints about the advert, Crown Paints has issued a formal statement addressing the claims.

A spokesperson said: “This ad is one in a series that is intended to celebrate special moments in life in a humorous way.

“The characters of Hannah and Dave are shown to be in a happy relationship and preparing for their new arrival. There are no negative connotations intended from any of the lyrics and whilst the ad has been broadly well received, we recognise that people have differing tastes in humour.

“We apologise if any of the lines have caused offence.”

Featured Image – Crown Paints

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Experts warn that Flying Ant Day is imminent and it could be ‘any day’ now – but what is it?

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Gardening experts are warning that the annual phenomenon known as Flying Ant Day is right around the corner, and it could be “any day” now.

With temperatures having been soaring in Greater Manchester over the past couple of days, as the UK experienced the second heatwave of the summer, pest controllers were warning that an influx of “sugar-crazed” wasps was likely to come with the warm weather – but now, it turns out the wasps aren’t the online insects we need to brace for.

Flying Ant Day is apparently on its way too, and it could be here before we know it.

As a thunderstorm warning now in place for much of the country, with heavy rain, wind, and general stormy conditions forecast set to bring potential flooding, damage to buildings, and disruption, the change in weather could also bring flying ants.

Post-heatwave is usually considered to be the ideal time of year for the creatures fill the air in swarms, according to experts, but while the annual occurrence is called Flying Ant Day, most of the time, it isn’t just a one-day thing.

Read more: UK told to brace for ‘worst’ wasp invasion in years as heatwave arrives

But what actually is Flying Ant Day? What should we be expecting? And is there any way to make sure flying ants don’t get inside our homes?

What is Flying Ant Day?

To sum it up simply, Flying Ant Day – which is scientifically referred to as nuptial flight – is a natural annual event that sees countless of the flying insects take to the skies in a bid to avoid the heat.

It marks the day or time of year where virgin queens mate with males to start new colonies.

While it’s impossible to predict an exact day for the annual occurrence, there have been warnings that 2022’s Flying Ant Day could take place any time from 15 August, so we’re already a day overdue and it’s worth keeping an eye out.

Flying Ant Day – which is scientifically referred to as nuptial flight / Credit: Flickr

What are the experts saying?

“Most of us have been enjoying the heatwave, but while we’ve been making the most of the sun, a storm has been brewing,” explained Chris Bonnett – founder of Gardening Express.

“There is no specific day for Flying Ant Day, it’s usually just around mid to late August and it typically happens after a heatwave [and] the reason for this being that ants prefer humid weather and they use this time to get on the lookout for a new home and whilst that’s all well and good, it becomes a real nuisance for those of us who enjoy spending time in our gardens and outdoors.

“Ants in the UK aren’t dangerous, but they can be extremely irritating.”

How can I stop flying ants getting into my home?

Gardening Express has also given a handful of top tips to keep flying ants outside and stop them from entering into our homes.

  • Clean kitchen surfaces
  • Seal bins
  • Keep food out of sight
  • Mop floors
  • Deter them with peppermint oil

Featured Image – Flickr

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