Dr Jonathan Pattrick appears on BBC One’s Inside the Factory
Reuben College Schmidt Fellow shows off the processes behind turning nectar into honey
Behind the scenes of Dr Pattrick's live demonstration with BBC One
Associate Research Fellow (Schmidt AI in Science), Dr Jonathan Pattrick, appeared on BBC One’s Inside the Factory: Throat Lozenges on 20 January, where he led a short segment exploring how bees begin the process of turning nectar into honey. Filmed at Oxford Bee Lab, the segment followed Dr Pattrick as he guided the presenter through the early stages of honey production, offering a close-up look at the biology and behaviour of honeybees.
Dr Pattrick’s research focuses on translating lab-based experimental techniques to real-world settings, helping improve understanding of the role bees play in natural and agricultural systems.
During the show, Dr Pattrick sets up a live demonstration of how honeybees consume nectar, store it in their ‘honey stomach’, then pass it between themselves using a tongue-like organ. This repeated exchange slowly increases the nectar’s concentration, kicking off the process of honey production.
On welcoming the BBC to Oxford Bee Lab, Dr Pattrick told Reuben College:
The production team were enthused by the science and keen to convey this accurately. It made this a valuable and enjoyable opportunity to share a little of our work and the biology and behaviour behind how bees make honey to a wider audience.
