Thursday, August 15, 2024

Google Alerts

beekeeping,bee,swarm,google alerts,news media,

After a few missteps, I shaped my internet news query about swarms - my favorite aspect of beekeeping.  For the past few months I received daily emails from Google Alerts and I'm ready to share how the news media covers the topic of swarms.  I was not surprised to see the media crafted eyeball attracting internet headlines (clickbait). 

Here are 7 different internet headlines about the same bee event.  The beekeeper never appears in the headline so it's hard to describe the story as balanced.

3 workers stung by swarm of bees while trimming trees in New Jersey - FOX 5 New York

Police: 3 people hospitalized as bee swarm takes over Paramus neighborhood News 12 - New Jersey

Neighbors told to stay home after swarm of angry bees injures 3 tree trimmers, cops say
- NJ.com

Bee swarm injures workers in Paramus as police urge residents to stay inside -
northjersey.com

Cops in NJ warn of 'large swarm' after bees attack 3 workers - Audacy

Angry Bees Attack Three Tree Trimmers In Paramus: 'Cover Your Face!' (Update)
- Daily Voice

Bees Sting Employees In Bergen County Town, Sending 1 To Hospital | Wyckoff, NJ Patch
Paramus police closed Howland Avenue for a time and dispatched a beekeeper to the scene, Chief Robert Giudetti said. "The Bee Keeper arrived and accessed the situation determining if the bees are left alone they will return to the nest in the trunk of the tree ... The bees returned to the hive and the scene was cleared."

Some of the news was sad

75-year-old grandfather killed by swarm of bees while working on Texas ranch - New York Post
75-year-old Bryce Smith was clearing some trees on his property in Bedias. He was using the bulldozer and incidentally took down a bee hive while clearing the trees.

Where is the line between exploitation of the public's fear versus suggesting caution about bees?  Do semantics matter to our neighbors, or is it just me?  I cringe when people write hive when they mean nest, or write swarm when they mean guard bees.  I'm shocked by these dramatic internet news headlines, but still interested in exploring Google Alerts.

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