Text Ning Fan PhD candidates explain their most thought-provoking proposition. This time it’s Filippo Guerra, who received his PhD on 12 April. In his thesis, he explored the role of the transcription factor doublesex in shaping sex differentiation in Nasonia wasps.
‘Humans excel in the art of complaining. We complain about anything and everything all day long, with the weather being a favorite topic. But for me, bad weather isn’t worth complaining about: a rainy day may cause traffic jams, but you are still sheltered in your car. Cycling to work on a hot day may be uncomfortable, but you will soon be in an air-conditioned office.
Having studied insects for seven years and once owned my own apiaries in Italy and with the Wageningen Bee Team, I think the reasons why we complain about the weather pale in comparison to the challenges beekeepers face. If bees stay inside for too long because of bad weather, they may eat up all the honey stored in the hive instead of flying out to collect nectar and pollen. If bad conditions persist, instead of selling honey to make a profit, beekeepers have to buy sugar water to feed the bees. Interestingly, bees probably don’t complain about bad weather. If they have enough food, they can rest in their hives. It’s the beekeepers who suffer.
Complaining never solves problems, whether it’s about the weather or anything else, such as your studies or your research. Even if your experiment fails, you have learnt what doesn’t work. There is always something positive to be gained from failure. But what can a beekeeper gain from bad weather? Not much. So, the next time you feel like complaining, just think of the beekeepers who have to cope with bad weather.’
