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Subtitles by www.DocumentaryArea.com
Simply the best Documentaries

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You hear them
before you see them.

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Buzzing around the garden.

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Hovering over the flowers.

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Bees.

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Wow!

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So much honey!

8
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But what if I told you bees
could be the most important

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animals on the planet?

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Oh, you are beautiful!

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I’m cinematographer and
N<i>ational Geographic </i>Explorer,

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Bertie Gregory.

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Hello everyone!

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For three years,

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our crews have used
special cameras to uncover

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the hidden world
behind the buzz.

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A world of impossible
architecture,

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extraordinary intelligence.

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Push, push, push.

20
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Oh my gosh, yes!

21
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And secret dances.

22
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That is a waggle.

23
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Now I wonder what
they're saying?

24
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Bees are more than
just honey-makers.

25
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More than stingers.

26
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More than we ever imagined.

27
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Poor bees, they're just getting
soaked, huddling together,

28
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desperately trying to keep warm.

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There are over 20,000
species of bees.

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And together, they pollinate
a third of the food we eat.

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So come closer.

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The bees will reveal
their secrets.

33
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In the grip of winter,
this hive seems abandoned.

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But deep inside, a secret
world few have ever seen.

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A family of honeybees
huddled for warmth.

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For months, they've lived on
honey made from the nectar of

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last summer's flowers.

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Producing it took the
sacrifice of thousands.

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And in just a few short weeks,

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they'll have to do
it all over again.

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When temperatures
outside reach 50 degrees,

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the hive comes alive.

43
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And the first new bee of
the year is ready to emerge.

44
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Let's call her Worker Bee 1.

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Like all worker bees,
she's female.

46
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Males are born
later in the season.

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What makes her a bee,

48
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and different from the millions
of other flying insects,

49
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are the thousands of
tiny feathered hairs

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covering her body.

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They're even on her eyes.

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These hairs are how
she'll collect pollen.

53
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But not for a few weeks.

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Right now, she's hungry,
and kind of clueless.

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At a day old, Worker Bee 1
is completely reliant on

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her older sisters.

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This isn't just
food she's sucking in.

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But a protein-rich liquid
infused with pheromones.

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A chemical instruction
to make her think and

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act like her sisters.

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Now, she knows how to be a bee,

62
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and what her role is in this
extraordinary superorganism.

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You know, I've spent a good
chunk of my life going to

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far-flung places to
film big animals.

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And if I'm honest,
I've overlooked the bees.

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But that was a mistake,
because, despite their size,

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they might just be the most
important animals on the planet.

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One in every three bites
of food we eat is pollinated

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by a bee.

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And there is just as much
drama in a bee hive,

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than on any African savannah.

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Hello, my buzzy friends!

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It's all good!

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Let's see how you're doing.

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Well, you all
seem pretty chill,

76
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so I'm gonna take my hood off.

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Whoa, that's better.

78
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Look at this one here.

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Little newborn bee!

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Go on, you can do it.

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Yes! Good job!

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Look at that.

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Her first steps as an adult bee.

84
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Oh, you are beautiful.

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Hello.

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And I'm not afraid because
for the first day of their life,

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they can't sting.

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So you're gonna be a
friendly bee, aren't you?

89
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Well, it's so good
to see a baby bee,

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that means the
colony's growing,

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and they need the numbers.

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This family has a lot to do.

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From raising 60,000 new
bees to collecting nectar

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from millions of flowers.

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All to make the 40 pounds of
honey they need for winter.

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See you later, everyone,
good luck!

97
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And the clock starts now.

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The key to the entire operation
comes down to just one bee.

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The largest, longest-lived,

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and most revered bee
in the family...

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...The queen.

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Mother to everyone in the hive.

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Her job is to lay eggs.

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She glues one to the
bottom of a cell.

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Then, moves onto the next.

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Egg, glue, move on, repeat.

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2,000 times a day.

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She could live five years,
doing nothing, but laying eggs.

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No time to rest.

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No time to raise her babies.

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That job is left to
Bee 1 and her sisters.

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They feed the larvae around
the clock with a soup of

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high-protein pollen,
collected from flowers.

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In just a week, the babies
grow 1,000 times bigger.

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And are then tucked
into their cells,

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ready for their radical
transformation into adults.

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So extraordinary,
yet rarely witnessed.

118
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When this generation emerges,

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they'll take over nursery duty.

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Leaving Bee 1 and her wave
of sisters to move on to other

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important jobs in the hive.

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Working together is at the
heart of honeybee society.

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But most bees have
to go it alone.

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Solitary, like this
red-tailed mason bee.

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A little bee, with
some unique talents.

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She's on a quest to find a
place to lay her first egg.

127
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But only one kind
of nest will do.

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An empty snail shell.

129
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This one's too small.

130
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Nope.

131
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Ugh, no chance!

132
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Could this be the one?

133
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Perfect!

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Next, she gathers pollen,

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food for when her
youngster hatches.

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It also becomes
a bed for her egg.

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But the pollen attracts
a gang of red ants.

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Her baby's future is at stake.

139
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But this time, big jaws
trump smaller ones.

140
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Nursery secure, for now.

141
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But the shell's at
the wrong angle!

142
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Rain could flood the entrance.

143
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She can't let that happen.

144
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By excavating the
soil around her shell,

145
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she creates the
space to flip it.

146
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And settles it into the ground.

147
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But there's one final problem
to solve, how to hide the shell.

148
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And the way she does that
has earned her the nickname.

149
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The Broomstick bee!

150
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Like a mini Harry Potter,

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she carries stick after
stick back to her shell.

152
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This one's a little ambitious!

153
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She's smart enough to
use the world around her.

154
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Weaving an impenetrable
fortress with hundreds of

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sticks to perfectly
camouflage her nest and protect

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her precious egg.

157
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Once complete, she buzzes off.

158
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But before the season's up,

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she'll build at least
20 more nests.

160
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A big job for one little bee.

161
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As summer draws near,
our honey bee population

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has nearly doubled.

163
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They need more space.

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So young Bee 1 is assigned to
the honeycomb construction crew.

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With the lower walls complete,
her job is to build up.

166
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Using her sisters as
a living scaffold.

167
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She can climb
anywhere in the hive.

168
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And she's come prepared with
tiny discs of wax made by

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special glands on her body.

170
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Bees are the only animals to
use wax as a building material,

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and they shape it
into one of the wonders

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of animal architecture.

173
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The six-sided bee cell.

174
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It's an engineering marvel.

175
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Incredibly strong,
yet almost weightless.

176
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The perfect space-saving
shape that uses the least

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amount of wax.

178
00:16:31,057 --> 00:16:33,935
The hive needs
200,000 new cells,

179
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as cradles for every new bee,

180
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and to store their
precious honey.

181
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The future of the
family depends on it.

182
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But their growing stores,
are bound to attract trouble.

183
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So, to keep out thieves,

184
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Bee 1 is now assigned
to be a bouncer.

185
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Every bee in the
hive smells the same.

186
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Their scent is an
"all-access" passcode.

187
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Those that don't
belong smell different.

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And wasps are real stinkers.

189
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These wanna-bees will do
all they can to sneak inside

190
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and steal the honey.

191
00:17:51,929 --> 00:17:53,973
Just not on her watch.

192
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In the mountain
forests of Japan,

193
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the Asian honeybee faces a
much more frightening foe.

194
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Giant hornets,

195
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wasps on steroids!

196
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Known by some as murder hornets.

197
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Because that is what they do.

198
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A nearby hive is
in the firing line.

199
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The honeybee's first
line of defense,

200
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is the bee equivalent
of a stadium wave.

201
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Designed to be a
show of strength.

202
00:19:15,596 --> 00:19:17,807
But it's not scaring the hornet.

203
00:19:26,941 --> 00:19:30,111
The bees retreat and regroup.

204
00:19:34,532 --> 00:19:37,994
Luckily, the entrance is
too narrow for the giant.

205
00:19:40,329 --> 00:19:42,248
Those inside are safe.

206
00:19:53,175 --> 00:19:57,430
But this is just a scout,
gathering intelligence.

207
00:20:03,686 --> 00:20:07,189
The hornet marks the hive
with a chemical scent...

208
00:20:10,693 --> 00:20:14,989
...that will guide her and
her clan right back.

209
00:20:20,620 --> 00:20:23,998
The bees need to get
rid of the smell, fast.

210
00:20:27,043 --> 00:20:29,337
And what they do
next is astonishing.

211
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Workers race to collect
fragrant leaves to mask

212
00:20:36,135 --> 00:20:37,595
the hornet's scent.

213
00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:44,393
This extraordinary behavior
is a rare example of tool use.

214
00:20:54,195 --> 00:20:55,946
The bees work quickly.

215
00:20:58,282 --> 00:21:00,201
But not fast enough.

216
00:21:02,203 --> 00:21:04,038
The hornet's back!

217
00:21:06,457 --> 00:21:08,042
With her sisters.

218
00:21:18,594 --> 00:21:20,721
Hornets eat adult bees.

219
00:21:25,101 --> 00:21:26,686
But what they're really after,

220
00:21:27,395 --> 00:21:30,022
are the thousands
of larvae inside.

221
00:21:33,234 --> 00:21:36,237
And together,
they slice their way in.

222
00:21:58,592 --> 00:22:04,223
The bees' only hope for
survival is to respond as one.

223
00:22:07,768 --> 00:22:10,104
Hold...

224
00:22:10,271 --> 00:22:11,647
Now!

225
00:22:17,194 --> 00:22:19,655
The bees vibrate
their wings together to

226
00:22:19,739 --> 00:22:21,782
generate extreme heat.

227
00:22:25,202 --> 00:22:29,582
The temperature in the
center reaches 115 degrees.

228
00:22:34,462 --> 00:22:37,298
Hot enough to fry a hornet.

229
00:22:46,474 --> 00:22:50,770
The next invader gets
the same treatment.

230
00:23:05,367 --> 00:23:09,663
Their collective action has
achieved the near impossible

231
00:23:11,165 --> 00:23:13,167
and saved the colony.

232
00:23:17,171 --> 00:23:20,174
But the abilities of
an individual bee can be

233
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just as impressive.

234
00:23:27,973 --> 00:23:31,352
Dr. Sammy Ramsey is one
of the most influential

235
00:23:31,435 --> 00:23:33,687
bee scientists in the world.

236
00:23:34,688 --> 00:23:37,233
Bees are amongst
the most intelligent insects

237
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on the planet.

238
00:23:39,401 --> 00:23:42,696
Their brain is about
the size of a pinhead,

239
00:23:42,905 --> 00:23:46,116
but it's packed with these
neurons that are specifically

240
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structured for learning.

241
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Sammy has come to
Queen Mary University of London

242
00:24:00,756 --> 00:24:05,845
to see firsthand a remarkable
breakthrough that looks inside

243
00:24:05,928 --> 00:24:07,304
the mind of a bee.

244
00:24:08,889 --> 00:24:10,891
The bumblebee lab
is at the forefront of

245
00:24:10,975 --> 00:24:12,351
understanding bee intelligence.

246
00:24:13,269 --> 00:24:14,854
We know that these--

247
00:24:14,937 --> 00:24:18,399
Dr. Alice Bridges is
showing Sammy an experiment,

248
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one that surprised the
scientific community.

249
00:24:23,529 --> 00:24:24,864
Go, go!

250
00:24:25,781 --> 00:24:27,324
Alright, she's in!

251
00:24:27,575 --> 00:24:29,243
Set loose
in the chamber,

252
00:24:29,451 --> 00:24:33,789
these bumblebees have a choice,
make a beeline for the food,

253
00:24:34,582 --> 00:24:36,959
or stop and play
with wooden balls.

254
00:24:38,335 --> 00:24:40,087
There's no real
reward on this side.

255
00:24:40,170 --> 00:24:43,299
There's no source of food.
There's just the option to play.

256
00:24:44,091 --> 00:24:47,344
Yeah, bees are pretty
reward-driven animals, like,

257
00:24:47,428 --> 00:24:49,305
they always want
to get more food,

258
00:24:49,638 --> 00:24:51,849
and yet we see here that
they chose to play instead.

259
00:24:54,935 --> 00:24:56,103
When we think of play,

260
00:24:56,186 --> 00:24:59,064
we think of bears and
lion cubs and puppies.

261
00:25:00,232 --> 00:25:02,359
Insects are not the
creatures that you would

262
00:25:02,443 --> 00:25:03,986
normally think of.

263
00:25:05,404 --> 00:25:08,324
This study is extraordinary
because it's the first time

264
00:25:08,407 --> 00:25:10,200
that play has been
demonstrated in insects.

265
00:25:15,331 --> 00:25:18,500
Play is something that's seen
as a means of practicing for

266
00:25:18,584 --> 00:25:21,253
the sorts of skills that you'll
need more broadly in life.

267
00:25:21,629 --> 00:25:23,297
Exactly!

268
00:25:23,464 --> 00:25:25,257
Bees, especially
these bumblebees,

269
00:25:25,341 --> 00:25:27,927
are gonna be handling so many
different types of flowers.

270
00:25:28,677 --> 00:25:31,472
Perhaps this is a way that they
can refine those skills before

271
00:25:31,555 --> 00:25:32,973
leaving the hive.

272
00:25:33,682 --> 00:25:36,936
But there’s another
test that reveals even more

273
00:25:37,019 --> 00:25:38,771
about bumblebee intelligence.

274
00:25:39,813 --> 00:25:41,899
A lot of our
experiments that we do here,

275
00:25:41,982 --> 00:25:45,277
we design tasks as kind of
these artificial flowers.

276
00:25:45,527 --> 00:25:46,654
Ah!

277
00:25:46,737 --> 00:25:50,157
We put on this yellow
target here, sugary water,

278
00:25:50,449 --> 00:25:52,117
they go crazy for this!

279
00:25:52,201 --> 00:25:55,454
But ah, they can't get to it,
because, because of the lid.

280
00:25:55,788 --> 00:25:57,915
They have to do a series
of two behaviors,

281
00:25:58,374 --> 00:26:00,876
so they have to move
the blue door first.

282
00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:02,086
Oh, wow.

283
00:26:02,169 --> 00:26:03,504
Push that out of
the way, and then.

284
00:26:03,587 --> 00:26:05,381
And then the red one.

285
00:26:05,464 --> 00:26:08,008
I don't think a lot of people
would have expected a bee to be

286
00:26:08,092 --> 00:26:09,510
able to solve this.

287
00:26:10,219 --> 00:26:14,098
For the experiment to
work, one bee has to be trained.

288
00:26:15,933 --> 00:26:17,476
Does someone in here
know what they're doing?

289
00:26:17,559 --> 00:26:20,396
Yep, we have a bee
already trained, um,

290
00:26:20,479 --> 00:26:22,481
number 75, if
you can see her?

291
00:26:24,233 --> 00:26:26,402
75, Oh, yeah, there she goes.

292
00:26:29,071 --> 00:26:30,489
There you go.

293
00:26:30,698 --> 00:26:32,199
Oh, she's motivated.

294
00:26:32,282 --> 00:26:34,076
Oh, she's going
straight for the--

295
00:26:35,411 --> 00:26:37,997
She's hopefully gonna
show us what we've taught her.

296
00:26:38,747 --> 00:26:41,083
Okay, so she has to
move the blue door first,

297
00:26:41,166 --> 00:26:42,167
then the red one.

298
00:26:42,251 --> 00:26:43,877
You're going for the red.
Come on.

299
00:26:44,378 --> 00:26:46,338
They always give it
a little go, just in case.

300
00:26:46,422 --> 00:26:47,423
Yeah, just in case.

301
00:26:47,506 --> 00:26:49,925
Okay, but no, it looks
like she's figured it out.

302
00:26:54,555 --> 00:26:56,015
Come on,
she knows what to do.

303
00:26:56,098 --> 00:26:57,516
Come on, come on,
push, push, push, yes.

304
00:26:57,599 --> 00:26:59,018
Yes.

305
00:26:59,101 --> 00:27:00,602
Go 75, you got this.

306
00:27:00,686 --> 00:27:02,271
Come on, 75.

307
00:27:03,355 --> 00:27:05,315
We are rooting for you.

308
00:27:08,652 --> 00:27:09,945
There it goes!
Keep pushing.

309
00:27:10,029 --> 00:27:11,155
Come on, ooh!

310
00:27:11,238 --> 00:27:12,948
Oh-ho!

311
00:27:15,284 --> 00:27:17,369
Doing one thing to
get there would be the

312
00:27:17,453 --> 00:27:19,163
single order thinking,

313
00:27:19,621 --> 00:27:22,541
but the second order
thinking is I have to move this

314
00:27:22,624 --> 00:27:24,126
in order to move that.

315
00:27:25,586 --> 00:27:29,089
They're able to see farther
into the future than just

316
00:27:29,173 --> 00:27:30,924
the immediate future.

317
00:27:32,134 --> 00:27:34,052
It’s really quite remarkable.

318
00:27:36,180 --> 00:27:39,057
The really cool thing
about this experiment is that

319
00:27:39,141 --> 00:27:42,060
if we leave her in here for
long enough with the box,

320
00:27:42,144 --> 00:27:43,395
with the other bees,

321
00:27:43,479 --> 00:27:45,147
they'll be able to
learn how to open the box

322
00:27:45,230 --> 00:27:47,483
with no training at all,
just from observing her.

323
00:27:48,317 --> 00:27:50,444
But have the
untrained bee students

324
00:27:50,527 --> 00:27:52,070
been paying attention?

325
00:27:54,156 --> 00:27:55,908
We've got
another bee here who might have

326
00:27:55,991 --> 00:27:57,618
sort of started to
figure out what's going on,

327
00:27:57,701 --> 00:27:58,952
she's following behind.

328
00:27:59,036 --> 00:28:00,329
Are you serious?
That quickly?

329
00:28:00,412 --> 00:28:01,914
Yeah!

330
00:28:02,372 --> 00:28:03,916
Can you push that?

331
00:28:04,583 --> 00:28:06,001
Come on.

332
00:28:08,128 --> 00:28:10,130
Oh my gosh!

333
00:28:11,340 --> 00:28:13,050
What a good bee!

334
00:28:13,634 --> 00:28:16,178
Okay, there's one more
step in this process.

335
00:28:18,180 --> 00:28:20,057
Push, push, push, push.

336
00:28:20,140 --> 00:28:23,685
- Come on! Come on!
- Success!

337
00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:29,149
The way that these insects
have had to think their way

338
00:28:29,233 --> 00:28:33,362
around problems forces
us to think differently,

339
00:28:33,445 --> 00:28:36,323
because they are a lot
more intelligent and aware

340
00:28:36,406 --> 00:28:37,699
than we've given them credit.

341
00:28:43,705 --> 00:28:46,333
A bee's
problem-solving skills are

342
00:28:46,416 --> 00:28:48,252
vital in their daily lives.

343
00:28:50,546 --> 00:28:53,382
Especially when gathering
food, like pollen.

344
00:28:57,386 --> 00:29:01,223
And few do it quite like
the buff-tailed bumblebee.

345
00:29:05,727 --> 00:29:09,147
This flower tucks its
pollen away in tubular petals

346
00:29:09,731 --> 00:29:11,191
hard to reach.

347
00:29:11,692 --> 00:29:14,236
So she becomes a jackhammer.

348
00:29:16,405 --> 00:29:19,533
Buzzing at up to 400
vibrations per second,

349
00:29:24,329 --> 00:29:26,540
blasting the hidden
pollen loose.

350
00:29:28,250 --> 00:29:31,128
Where she catches it
on her hairy belly.

351
00:29:36,216 --> 00:29:38,719
But unlocking this
treasure takes practice,

352
00:29:40,846 --> 00:29:43,265
as this first timer discovers.

353
00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:45,767
Whoops!

354
00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:52,482
She's nailed the
loosening bit at least.

355
00:29:56,236 --> 00:30:00,157
Like any new skill, success
comes from trial and error.

356
00:30:05,662 --> 00:30:08,081
Yeah, there you go!

357
00:30:13,629 --> 00:30:17,299
The bee now uses her legs
to brush the pollen grains

358
00:30:17,466 --> 00:30:18,717
down her body.

359
00:30:22,304 --> 00:30:25,474
Next, she does
something remarkable and

360
00:30:25,557 --> 00:30:27,184
never filmed before.

361
00:30:30,604 --> 00:30:33,273
To stop the pollen
blowing off in flight,

362
00:30:33,899 --> 00:30:40,822
she adds a drop of nectar,
passed to her back legs,

363
00:30:41,907 --> 00:30:46,495
to glue the grains into a
solid packet for travel.

364
00:30:57,464 --> 00:31:00,467
Back at the hive,
summer is in full swing.

365
00:31:03,303 --> 00:31:07,307
Inside, Bee 1 has
finally been promoted to

366
00:31:07,391 --> 00:31:09,226
the worker's top job.

367
00:31:10,769 --> 00:31:11,812
Her new mission,

368
00:31:11,895 --> 00:31:15,107
collect pollen and the raw
ingredient for honey...

369
00:31:16,316 --> 00:31:17,859
...Nectar!

370
00:31:19,194 --> 00:31:21,113
But where to get it?

371
00:31:24,533 --> 00:31:27,411
As usual, she turns
to an older sister,

372
00:31:29,997 --> 00:31:32,290
introducing the waggle dance.

373
00:31:34,334 --> 00:31:36,920
It's how honeybees
talk to each other.

374
00:31:40,966 --> 00:31:45,178
These groovy moves tell
others not just where to

375
00:31:45,262 --> 00:31:47,055
find the best nectar,

376
00:31:48,932 --> 00:31:51,935
but the angle to take
when leaving the hive.

377
00:31:53,311 --> 00:31:55,188
How far away it is.

378
00:31:56,982 --> 00:31:59,317
And even any detours
along the way.

379
00:32:01,987 --> 00:32:03,947
It’s a bee’s GPS!

380
00:32:05,991 --> 00:32:09,536
The 'beeline' the most
direct path to the nectar.

381
00:32:14,624 --> 00:32:16,251
Message received.

382
00:32:18,962 --> 00:32:22,132
But leaving the hive
is a risky business,

383
00:32:23,967 --> 00:32:26,470
especially when
it's your first time.

384
00:32:29,347 --> 00:32:31,850
There's good reason
for her to be hesitant.

385
00:32:33,101 --> 00:32:37,481
Nearly half of all new foragers
never see their family again.

386
00:32:40,108 --> 00:32:42,986
One of the biggest
dangers is getting lost.

387
00:32:44,154 --> 00:32:45,530
So, on take-off,

388
00:32:45,614 --> 00:32:47,824
Bee 1 faces the hive.

389
00:32:49,618 --> 00:32:53,163
Then, makes a mental note
of the landmarks around it.

390
00:32:55,082 --> 00:32:56,500
Whoops!

391
00:32:59,294 --> 00:33:02,881
Once she's locked in
the view, she's off.

392
00:33:07,135 --> 00:33:09,554
The trip could take her
two miles from home.

393
00:33:13,558 --> 00:33:16,311
With pitstops at
thousands of flowers.

394
00:33:23,068 --> 00:33:27,072
In her lifetime, she'll gather
less than a teaspoon of nectar.

395
00:33:30,534 --> 00:33:34,204
But every drop is
vital to the family.

396
00:33:39,501 --> 00:33:43,004
Not everything the
flower hides is sweet.

397
00:33:46,508 --> 00:33:48,218
A crab spider.

398
00:33:56,643 --> 00:34:00,981
For Bee 1, it's hard to
separate petal from predator.

399
00:34:04,943 --> 00:34:07,571
But then she's never
seen a spider before.

400
00:34:15,203 --> 00:34:18,248
Lucky for her, this crab
spider isn't hungry.

401
00:34:25,255 --> 00:34:30,260
But some sisters
aren't so fortunate.

402
00:34:43,356 --> 00:34:45,275
Next stop pollen.

403
00:34:45,859 --> 00:34:49,362
The powdery grains
plants use to reproduce,

404
00:34:49,821 --> 00:34:52,157
and a vital bee food.

405
00:34:58,246 --> 00:35:00,707
The little pollen grains
stick to her hairs.

406
00:35:02,626 --> 00:35:05,086
Some will drop off
on different flowers.

407
00:35:08,465 --> 00:35:10,300
Seeding them as she goes.

408
00:35:14,221 --> 00:35:17,599
This is the way bees
pollinate three-quarters of

409
00:35:17,682 --> 00:35:19,142
all flowering plants.

410
00:35:21,061 --> 00:35:24,981
A partnership that dates back
to the age of the dinosaurs.

411
00:35:28,693 --> 00:35:31,238
Loaded with food,
she heads for home.

412
00:35:33,698 --> 00:35:37,327
But when your cargo of nectar
and pollen doubles your weight,

413
00:35:38,078 --> 00:35:41,581
it can make touchdowns,
well, tricky.

414
00:35:50,048 --> 00:35:53,510
Inside, Bee 1 unloads
her baskets of pollen.

415
00:35:58,807 --> 00:36:01,017
It'll be used later
to feed the larvae.

416
00:36:09,067 --> 00:36:11,695
Then, she passes her
nectar to a sister.

417
00:36:16,241 --> 00:36:18,410
But this isn't food sharing,

418
00:36:20,662 --> 00:36:24,207
it's the recipe
for making honey.

419
00:36:26,167 --> 00:36:27,168
With each transfer,

420
00:36:27,252 --> 00:36:33,008
the sisters add enzymes
that break down the nectar

421
00:36:33,091 --> 00:36:34,467
to make it edible.

422
00:36:39,097 --> 00:36:43,143
The workers then store
this sugar solution in cells.

423
00:36:45,895 --> 00:36:48,315
But there's one final step.

424
00:36:50,734 --> 00:36:53,612
Beating their wings
at 170 times a second.

425
00:36:54,738 --> 00:36:58,241
The sisters fan the mixture
to evaporate the water.

426
00:37:04,456 --> 00:37:09,753
And after three fantastic days,
the transformation is complete.

427
00:37:12,130 --> 00:37:14,716
Nectar has become liquid gold.

428
00:37:16,259 --> 00:37:18,261
Honey!

429
00:37:19,804 --> 00:37:24,267
It takes 2 million flowers to
make just one pound of honey.

430
00:37:25,518 --> 00:37:29,397
The sisters will need 40 times
that to see them through winter.

431
00:37:32,150 --> 00:37:34,611
And they're only halfway there.

432
00:37:40,241 --> 00:37:43,620
For some bees, just finding
nectar is the hardest part.

433
00:37:52,504 --> 00:37:53,880
In the Amazon jungle,

434
00:37:53,963 --> 00:37:56,299
flowers are less
common than you'd think.

435
00:38:00,637 --> 00:38:03,598
So firebees have a plan B.

436
00:38:06,559 --> 00:38:08,812
Sap-sucking treehoppers!

437
00:38:13,441 --> 00:38:16,152
But the bees don't eat
the little suckers.

438
00:38:18,488 --> 00:38:20,156
They farm them!

439
00:38:28,331 --> 00:38:32,794
Tree hoppers excrete a sugary
substance called honeydew,

440
00:38:33,128 --> 00:38:34,629
similar to nectar.

441
00:38:35,463 --> 00:38:38,675
And they're willing
to trade it...

442
00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:43,680
...for protection
from their enemies,

443
00:38:43,763 --> 00:38:45,557
like assassin bugs.

444
00:39:00,905 --> 00:39:03,450
Now, to claim the reward.

445
00:39:05,535 --> 00:39:09,205
But there's no payment
without a little tickling.

446
00:39:20,842 --> 00:39:22,844
Who needs flowers,

447
00:39:23,011 --> 00:39:25,305
when getting food is
like turning on a tap?

448
00:39:36,900 --> 00:39:38,777
But there's a catch,

449
00:39:41,070 --> 00:39:43,656
honeydew is too heavy
to fly with,

450
00:39:48,536 --> 00:39:50,955
so the firebees must
lighten the load.

451
00:39:57,045 --> 00:39:58,671
Unlike honeybees,

452
00:39:58,755 --> 00:40:01,758
they let the sun's
heat evaporate the water,

453
00:40:02,717 --> 00:40:06,012
and concentrate it
into a sugary syrup that's

454
00:40:06,095 --> 00:40:07,931
light enough to carry home.

455
00:40:15,814 --> 00:40:18,775
Firebees are not the
only ones who've had to adapt

456
00:40:18,858 --> 00:40:20,693
to a scarcity of nectar.

457
00:40:21,861 --> 00:40:25,532
There's one bee in this jungle
that's taken its diet in a

458
00:40:25,615 --> 00:40:27,367
whole new direction.

459
00:40:30,453 --> 00:40:34,624
Vulture bees, the
world's most unusual bee.

460
00:40:39,045 --> 00:40:42,632
Like their namesake, they
have a taste for the dead.

461
00:40:45,552 --> 00:40:49,264
And their sense of smell is
so acute they can sniff out

462
00:40:49,347 --> 00:40:51,558
their food from
half a mile away.

463
00:40:55,687 --> 00:40:57,605
A rancid fish.

464
00:41:00,608 --> 00:41:04,070
This is the only bee that
relies on rotting flesh.

465
00:41:15,498 --> 00:41:17,834
She may have found
the fish first,

466
00:41:18,918 --> 00:41:23,548
but you can always rely on a
fly to muscle in on a free meal.

467
00:41:28,595 --> 00:41:31,598
Finders keepers
doesn't work here.

468
00:41:36,519 --> 00:41:39,022
But she is a bee with attitude!

469
00:41:42,442 --> 00:41:46,321
Willing to go jaw to jaw
with even the

470
00:41:46,404 --> 00:41:48,031
roughest-looking diners.

471
00:41:54,037 --> 00:41:58,833
Luckily, her sisters appear and
help to see off the competition.

472
00:42:10,720 --> 00:42:12,805
Just like real vultures,

473
00:42:12,889 --> 00:42:15,642
these bees are the
ultimate clean-up crew.

474
00:42:19,020 --> 00:42:22,023
And amazingly, they can
even turn this digested

475
00:42:22,106 --> 00:42:24,400
meat into honey.

476
00:42:32,325 --> 00:42:35,244
The sisterhood is having
a successful summer.

477
00:42:37,664 --> 00:42:40,375
They've filled more than
half their honey cells.

478
00:42:45,171 --> 00:42:47,423
But it's come at a cost.

479
00:42:54,180 --> 00:42:58,434
Our Bee 1, the year's first
arrival has given it her all.

480
00:43:03,564 --> 00:43:07,068
Being a worker, her life
was sweet but short.

481
00:43:21,416 --> 00:43:26,963
To stop the spread of disease,
fallen sisters must be removed.

482
00:43:38,224 --> 00:43:41,644
But, for some, letting
go can be hard.

483
00:43:56,242 --> 00:43:58,369
Bee 1 isn't the only casualty.

484
00:44:07,587 --> 00:44:09,964
Hundreds of sisters
die every day.

485
00:44:13,342 --> 00:44:17,388
And yet, the colony has
ballooned to over 60,000.

486
00:44:21,184 --> 00:44:24,645
A population boom that
triggers the most dramatic event

487
00:44:24,729 --> 00:44:26,230
in the family's life.

488
00:44:30,109 --> 00:44:33,279
It's the signal for the
queen to leave the hive and

489
00:44:33,362 --> 00:44:34,655
start a new colony.

490
00:44:37,575 --> 00:44:40,161
Many of her daughters
must follow.

491
00:44:43,122 --> 00:44:45,416
But, before they leave,

492
00:44:45,500 --> 00:44:48,711
they feast on the
hard-won stores.

493
00:44:52,215 --> 00:44:54,675
It could be days before
they'll feed again.

494
00:44:59,555 --> 00:45:02,767
We don't yet understand
what makes one bee leave

495
00:45:02,850 --> 00:45:04,352
and another stay.

496
00:45:06,354 --> 00:45:11,317
But soon, hundreds, then
thousands, join the queen.

497
00:45:15,404 --> 00:45:17,156
Half the colony.

498
00:45:22,120 --> 00:45:24,789
It's how honeybees
colonize new locations.

499
00:45:32,338 --> 00:45:35,091
30,000 now take to
the air in a swarm.

500
00:45:41,347 --> 00:45:44,725
Their first task is to
set up a temporary base.

501
00:45:53,276 --> 00:45:56,612
Scouts will set off from here
to look for a permanent home.

502
00:46:00,241 --> 00:46:03,452
And that makes it a perfect
time for me to check in.

503
00:46:05,329 --> 00:46:07,123
Hello everyone!

504
00:46:08,124 --> 00:46:10,376
You are looking very beautiful.

505
00:46:12,253 --> 00:46:13,754
So many bees!

506
00:46:16,799 --> 00:46:19,302
It's just this massive
living structure.

507
00:46:20,553 --> 00:46:23,264
And buried deep down in
the center is the Queen,

508
00:46:23,973 --> 00:46:26,517
with all the other workers
gathering around her.

509
00:46:30,146 --> 00:46:32,607
Just the most amazing
thing to look at.

510
00:46:36,152 --> 00:46:38,696
It looks pretty intimidating;
there's a lot of stinging power

511
00:46:38,779 --> 00:46:40,865
right there, but,

512
00:46:42,366 --> 00:46:43,618
oh, right on my lip.

513
00:46:44,076 --> 00:46:45,828
Please don't go in my mouth!

514
00:46:46,621 --> 00:46:48,581
See, it's a common
misconception that

515
00:46:48,664 --> 00:46:50,249
when bees are swarming,

516
00:46:50,333 --> 00:46:52,376
they're always
very angry and aggressive.

517
00:46:52,627 --> 00:46:56,339
But they don't have any
honey or brood to defend,

518
00:46:56,547 --> 00:46:59,508
so they're really kind of
preoccupied at the moment.

519
00:46:59,759 --> 00:47:01,552
I'm just part of the landscape.

520
00:47:04,472 --> 00:47:07,683
So, this is a great opportunity
to film them up close.

521
00:47:16,442 --> 00:47:18,778
The ones at the top,
holding onto the branch,

522
00:47:19,362 --> 00:47:21,572
are doing the heavy lifting.

523
00:47:23,407 --> 00:47:27,161
But every bee in the swarm
plays a part by holding tight

524
00:47:27,245 --> 00:47:28,704
to her sisters.

525
00:47:29,330 --> 00:47:31,207
Wow.

526
00:47:36,754 --> 00:47:39,548
And tonight, it looks as
if they'll have to hold on

527
00:47:39,632 --> 00:47:41,259
tighter than ever.

528
00:47:42,551 --> 00:47:44,470
I think rain’s coming.

529
00:47:49,475 --> 00:47:51,894
It's the last thing the
vulnerable family needs.

530
00:47:53,771 --> 00:47:55,606
It is pouring!

531
00:47:56,232 --> 00:47:58,317
Poor bees, they’re
just getting soaked.

532
00:48:01,320 --> 00:48:03,364
With nothing to shield them,

533
00:48:03,447 --> 00:48:06,409
the entire colony could
die from the cold.

534
00:48:07,535 --> 00:48:10,579
They’re huddling together,
desperately trying to get warm.

535
00:48:12,581 --> 00:48:15,251
But even now, the
bees work together.

536
00:48:18,004 --> 00:48:20,339
They rotate their
positions to take their

537
00:48:20,423 --> 00:48:22,216
turn out in the elements.

538
00:48:27,263 --> 00:48:29,265
But if it keeps
raining like this,

539
00:48:29,807 --> 00:48:31,559
they won't survive the night.

540
00:48:34,270 --> 00:48:37,231
There's nothing I
can do but hope they'll

541
00:48:37,315 --> 00:48:38,482
make it till morning.

542
00:48:41,277 --> 00:48:44,530
Back at the hive,
things look just as bleak.

543
00:48:46,407 --> 00:48:49,785
They've lost their queen
and half their workers.

544
00:48:53,914 --> 00:48:55,750
Honey supplies are down,

545
00:48:57,960 --> 00:49:02,715
and winter is
just four months away.

546
00:49:09,120 --> 00:49:11,789
Previously on
S<i>ecrets of the Bees.</i>

547
00:49:16,044 --> 00:49:17,921
After months of tireless work,

548
00:49:21,132 --> 00:49:23,301
the honeybee
family split in two.

549
00:49:26,721 --> 00:49:28,598
Half the sisters left,

550
00:49:30,558 --> 00:49:34,020
leaving those that
remained in a depleted hive

551
00:49:34,479 --> 00:49:35,855
without a queen.

552
00:49:37,398 --> 00:49:39,901
While breakaways found
themselves in the

553
00:49:39,984 --> 00:49:41,319
eye of a storm.

554
00:49:43,613 --> 00:49:45,198
It is pouring!

555
00:49:45,531 --> 00:49:47,242
Poor bees, they’re
just getting soaked.

556
00:50:05,635 --> 00:50:09,222
Now, I’m back to see if
the swarm survived the night.

557
00:50:13,268 --> 00:50:14,894
Oh, there are lots
of bees flying.

558
00:50:16,688 --> 00:50:18,022
Here we go.

559
00:50:21,943 --> 00:50:24,028
How you doing, bee swarm?

560
00:50:26,614 --> 00:50:27,865
They actually look okay.

561
00:50:30,326 --> 00:50:31,911
Well, that is a relief,

562
00:50:31,995 --> 00:50:33,913
I was worried they’d
got dangerously cold

563
00:50:33,997 --> 00:50:35,456
in the rain.

564
00:50:37,875 --> 00:50:39,502
Alright, I’m going
to grab my camera.

565
00:50:42,630 --> 00:50:45,591
Out in the open, the bees
are still vulnerable.

566
00:50:47,010 --> 00:50:49,220
They desperately need a
roof over their heads.

567
00:50:50,805 --> 00:50:53,808
The plan now is that most of
the bees are going to stay put

568
00:50:53,891 --> 00:50:55,476
and conserve their energy,

569
00:50:55,560 --> 00:50:59,147
but some of them
are gonna leave.

570
00:51:02,358 --> 00:51:04,360
There she goes.
Woo-hoo!

571
00:51:06,070 --> 00:51:07,822
These are the scouts,

572
00:51:08,406 --> 00:51:10,241
the most
experienced workers.

573
00:51:13,619 --> 00:51:15,955
Their job is to
go house hunting.

574
00:51:18,291 --> 00:51:21,878
Each scout can only search
as far as the queen can travel,

575
00:51:22,962 --> 00:51:24,464
about two miles.

576
00:51:28,176 --> 00:51:30,178
And any hole is
worth investigating.

577
00:51:32,221 --> 00:51:34,223
She’s looking for
somewhere roomy enough

578
00:51:34,307 --> 00:51:35,850
for the colony to grow.

579
00:51:37,226 --> 00:51:38,353
Check.

580
00:51:39,354 --> 00:51:43,524
An entrance narrow
enough to defend, check.

581
00:51:46,861 --> 00:51:49,238
But this is just too open.

582
00:51:57,580 --> 00:52:00,541
A tree hole could
tick all the boxes!

583
00:52:04,128 --> 00:52:05,713
A safe height from the ground.

584
00:52:06,756 --> 00:52:10,051
And space for her
30,000 sisters.

585
00:52:16,974 --> 00:52:18,351
Perfect!

586
00:52:21,354 --> 00:52:23,689
Now to convince the swarm.

587
00:52:28,486 --> 00:52:30,363
That is a waggle!

588
00:52:31,531 --> 00:52:34,325
Well, this is the infamous
honeybee waggle dance.

589
00:52:37,703 --> 00:52:40,331
This might look like a
bunch of random butt shakes,

590
00:52:40,414 --> 00:52:42,041
but this is an
important message.

591
00:52:42,917 --> 00:52:46,045
This is how the scouts
tell the rest of the colony

592
00:52:46,129 --> 00:52:47,755
about the location
and the quality of a new

593
00:52:47,839 --> 00:52:49,132
house they found.

594
00:52:50,466 --> 00:52:53,219
And it’s the most advanced
communication system

595
00:52:53,302 --> 00:52:54,804
of any insect.

596
00:52:58,391 --> 00:52:59,976
Now I wonder what
they’re saying.

597
00:53:00,434 --> 00:53:01,936
Everyone listen!

598
00:53:02,019 --> 00:53:04,063
You won’t believe the
place I just found;

599
00:53:04,147 --> 00:53:06,566
it’s got a sweet view,
it’s not far from here,

600
00:53:06,649 --> 00:53:08,526
and it’s got so
much room for honey!

601
00:53:10,570 --> 00:53:12,071
The longer the dance,

602
00:53:12,155 --> 00:53:14,323
the further the
sisters know to travel,

603
00:53:15,449 --> 00:53:18,536
and her enthusiasm
tells the others just how

604
00:53:18,619 --> 00:53:20,121
great the place is.

605
00:53:25,418 --> 00:53:27,837
The other scouts
check the hole out...

606
00:53:31,382 --> 00:53:33,718
to be sure it’s as
good as she says.

607
00:53:37,680 --> 00:53:40,475
And if they like it,
they’ll waggle too.

608
00:53:45,563 --> 00:53:47,648
It’s one bee, one vote,

609
00:53:50,359 --> 00:53:52,069
democracy in action!

610
00:53:54,405 --> 00:53:57,658
Once a majority
of the scouts agree,

611
00:53:58,618 --> 00:54:00,077
it’s a done deal.

612
00:54:12,924 --> 00:54:15,843
All 30,000 bees take to the air.

613
00:54:28,397 --> 00:54:31,025
The swarm finally
has a new home.

614
00:54:35,154 --> 00:54:39,283
A place for this half of the
sisterhood to grow and thrive.

615
00:54:43,663 --> 00:54:45,706
Swarming is a
dangerous gamble,

616
00:54:46,499 --> 00:54:49,669
but it’s one honeybees
must take if they’re to spread

617
00:54:49,752 --> 00:54:51,087
to new areas.

618
00:54:52,838 --> 00:54:57,176
It’s also the only time
they move any real distance.

619
00:55:01,764 --> 00:55:04,308
Unless we force them.

620
00:55:12,400 --> 00:55:16,445
Every year, 30 billion
honeybees are trucked from all

621
00:55:16,529 --> 00:55:19,615
over the US to the Central
Valley of California.

622
00:55:23,494 --> 00:55:25,955
It’s one of the largest
movements of animals

623
00:55:26,080 --> 00:55:27,540
on the planet...

624
00:55:29,125 --> 00:55:31,752
...and known as
migratory beekeeping.

625
00:55:43,806 --> 00:55:45,725
Let’s start
cleaning up this bed,

626
00:55:45,808 --> 00:55:47,018
get the snow off.

627
00:55:48,811 --> 00:55:51,647
Ryan Lieuallen is a
fifth-generation beekeeper.

628
00:55:53,149 --> 00:55:56,819
I've been exposed to
them with my dad and grandpa

629
00:55:56,902 --> 00:56:01,115
since I was 3 or 4, so
pretty much my whole life.

630
00:56:06,829 --> 00:56:09,665
Each winter, while the
bees are saving their energy,

631
00:56:10,666 --> 00:56:13,669
Ryan transports thousands of
his hives from their home in

632
00:56:13,753 --> 00:56:15,421
Oregon to California,

633
00:56:16,756 --> 00:56:20,259
not for honey making but
to pollinate Almond trees.

634
00:56:20,968 --> 00:56:22,636
Here comes the net.

635
00:56:25,639 --> 00:56:27,683
It’s an
800-mile journey.

636
00:56:30,144 --> 00:56:33,856
An unimaginable distance for
an animal that would normally

637
00:56:33,939 --> 00:56:36,525
never travel more than
6 miles from its home.

638
00:56:42,698 --> 00:56:44,158
Midway through the trip,

639
00:56:44,241 --> 00:56:47,244
as the truck descends from
the Rockies into California,

640
00:56:48,162 --> 00:56:50,873
the temperature
suddenly climbs 20 degrees.

641
00:56:53,709 --> 00:56:55,753
The bees start to awaken.

642
00:56:56,379 --> 00:56:58,214
You can smell them.

643
00:57:00,091 --> 00:57:01,592
The whole truck will buzz.

644
00:57:02,885 --> 00:57:05,096
This is the
most dangerous part of

645
00:57:05,179 --> 00:57:06,889
the bees’ journey.

646
00:57:08,557 --> 00:57:10,518
Anytime we stop...

647
00:57:13,896 --> 00:57:16,190
...they'll start to fly
and come out the entrances.

648
00:57:19,610 --> 00:57:21,654
They'll get stuck
in the nets and die.

649
00:57:25,658 --> 00:57:27,451
After two
long days of travel,

650
00:57:28,202 --> 00:57:30,037
the bees reach
their destination.

651
00:57:32,748 --> 00:57:34,834
They join millions of others,

652
00:57:34,917 --> 00:57:37,711
a concentration of
hives found nowhere else.

653
00:57:39,964 --> 00:57:43,008
But have Ryan’s bees
survived the journey?

654
00:57:45,302 --> 00:57:46,887
Oh, this
is not a good one.

655
00:57:48,013 --> 00:57:51,225
Yeah, all these bees that I'm
finding on the bottom boards,

656
00:57:51,308 --> 00:57:53,018
they got frozen
on the drive down.

657
00:57:55,688 --> 00:57:58,524
Migratory Beekeeping
is, it's hard.

658
00:57:59,734 --> 00:58:02,027
You do your best to keep
them healthy and alive but,

659
00:58:02,111 --> 00:58:03,988
sometimes you know,
you just can’t.

660
00:58:08,617 --> 00:58:11,328
With no source of
nectar here to feed his bees,

661
00:58:12,246 --> 00:58:14,331
Ryan provides a substitute.

662
00:58:15,875 --> 00:58:18,377
Food that simulates spring,

663
00:58:18,753 --> 00:58:21,630
cueing them to grow their
colony as fast as possible.

664
00:58:22,423 --> 00:58:24,091
Goodnight, girls!

665
00:58:29,638 --> 00:58:32,725
After two weeks,
the hives are spread

666
00:58:33,100 --> 00:58:34,727
across the orchards.

667
00:58:36,604 --> 00:58:39,106
In pole position for the bloom.

668
00:58:48,657 --> 00:58:52,995
Over 100 million almond trees
flower at the same time.

669
00:58:56,916 --> 00:59:00,336
And the bees will need
to visit every one of them

670
00:59:01,212 --> 00:59:03,464
in just a week.

671
00:59:06,717 --> 00:59:09,553
It’s time for Ryan’s
bees to get to work.

672
00:59:13,682 --> 00:59:16,685
Each visits up to
5000 flowers a day.

673
00:59:23,484 --> 00:59:25,194
And while they’re
collecting food,

674
00:59:25,945 --> 00:59:29,156
pollen grains are transferred
from one flower to another,

675
00:59:30,950 --> 00:59:32,701
seeding the plants.

676
00:59:34,829 --> 00:59:38,457
It’s the largest
pollination event on earth.

677
00:59:42,628 --> 00:59:45,089
But the flowers
only lasts 6 days.

678
00:59:47,716 --> 00:59:49,218
The petals
start to fall,

679
00:59:51,846 --> 00:59:53,681
and there's no more
bloom for the bees.

680
00:59:55,766 --> 00:59:58,686
Over three-quarters
of the world’s almonds

681
00:59:58,769 --> 01:00:00,479
come from California.

682
01:00:01,647 --> 01:00:07,278
A $20 billion business,
totally dependent on honeybees.

683
01:00:12,366 --> 01:00:15,786
This year, the event has
taken its toll on Ryan’s bees.

684
01:00:18,205 --> 01:00:20,374
I'm very concerned
with the future.

685
01:00:21,876 --> 01:00:24,545
What are my actions today
going to amount to tomorrow?

686
01:00:27,506 --> 01:00:30,092
Ryan is convinced that
there’s a better way ahead.

687
01:00:41,520 --> 01:00:42,813
Two weeks ago,

688
01:00:42,897 --> 01:00:45,441
the swarm
left the hive with half its

689
01:00:45,524 --> 01:00:47,526
workforce and no queen.

690
01:00:52,406 --> 01:00:53,908
But before leaving,

691
01:00:53,991 --> 01:00:58,746
the old queen laid an egg
in each of four special cells.

692
01:01:02,166 --> 01:01:05,836
Since then, they’ve been
carefully tended by the sisters.

693
01:01:08,130 --> 01:01:10,591
Each contains a
queen in waiting.

694
01:01:22,186 --> 01:01:24,813
The first to emerge
has the advantage.

695
01:01:28,442 --> 01:01:31,236
It’s the moment the sisters
have been waiting for.

696
01:01:35,532 --> 01:01:37,785
This could be their new queen.

697
01:01:44,249 --> 01:01:47,753
Leader and egg layer in one!

698
01:01:51,882 --> 01:01:55,386
She lets everyone in the hive
know she’s ready to rule.

699
01:01:57,680 --> 01:02:00,766
Communicating in a
way no other bee can.

700
01:02:04,395 --> 01:02:05,771
She toots.

701
01:02:09,483 --> 01:02:12,486
The sound travels through
the walls of the honeycomb.

702
01:02:13,946 --> 01:02:15,489
At each toot,

703
01:02:15,572 --> 01:02:20,911
the colony freezes in
recognition of their new queen.

704
01:02:35,217 --> 01:02:37,636
The spare queens,
still in their cells,

705
01:02:38,178 --> 01:02:40,139
answer back with a quack.

706
01:02:43,642 --> 01:02:46,687
A reminder to the
already emerged queen that

707
01:02:46,770 --> 01:02:48,188
she has rivals.

708
01:02:51,066 --> 01:02:52,401
To keep her crown,

709
01:02:52,526 --> 01:02:54,653
she must leave
the hive and mate.

710
01:02:57,865 --> 01:03:01,452
If she fails, the spare
queens will get their chance.

711
01:03:07,374 --> 01:03:10,711
Until then, the sisters
keep them calm with food

712
01:03:11,628 --> 01:03:13,172
and gentle vibrations.

713
01:03:23,056 --> 01:03:26,101
If the emerged queen succeeds,

714
01:03:26,185 --> 01:03:29,021
she will kill the
imprisoned rivals.

715
01:03:37,070 --> 01:03:38,572
At this time of year,

716
01:03:38,655 --> 01:03:41,325
the queens are not the
only new bees on the block.

717
01:03:50,584 --> 01:03:52,169
This one is big.

718
01:03:55,297 --> 01:03:57,382
A big boy, to be precise.

719
01:04:00,177 --> 01:04:02,763
Males are born in
the warmer months.

720
01:04:06,308 --> 01:04:10,479
Known as a drone,
he has one important job...

721
01:04:13,941 --> 01:04:16,443
...that’s if he can
squeeze out of his cell!

722
01:04:24,368 --> 01:04:27,120
Luckily, his sisters are
there to lend a hand.

723
01:04:37,714 --> 01:04:41,468
Males like him do nothing
to contribute to the family.

724
01:04:43,971 --> 01:04:47,808
He can’t collect
nectar or pollen.

725
01:04:52,396 --> 01:04:54,648
He can’t even feed himself.

726
01:05:00,195 --> 01:05:02,990
All he does is get
in everyone’s way.

727
01:05:06,034 --> 01:05:11,582
His only purpose in life is
to mate with queens from other

728
01:05:11,665 --> 01:05:14,668
hives and spread
his family’s genes.

729
01:05:19,339 --> 01:05:21,800
It's the reason
for his large eyes!

730
01:05:22,384 --> 01:05:24,553
Twice the size of his sisters.

731
01:05:26,471 --> 01:05:29,099
They give him a complete
view of the skies,

732
01:05:31,810 --> 01:05:34,396
perfect for spotting
queens in flight.

733
01:05:36,690 --> 01:05:38,567
Just not his sister.

734
01:05:39,276 --> 01:05:41,820
She must go find her own drones

735
01:05:41,904 --> 01:05:43,572
from another hive.

736
01:05:50,579 --> 01:05:52,998
She’ll mate with
up to 20 of them.

737
01:05:55,000 --> 01:05:57,336
A trait unique to
honeybee queens.

738
01:06:00,547 --> 01:06:03,550
Most bees have a single partner.

739
01:06:05,594 --> 01:06:06,929
And for some,

740
01:06:07,012 --> 01:06:09,723
finding that mate
is a dangerous task.

741
01:06:15,938 --> 01:06:19,483
This is one of Australia’s
driest deserts.

742
01:06:24,947 --> 01:06:27,074
But for just a
few weeks a year,

743
01:06:27,157 --> 01:06:29,826
carpets of nectar-rich
flowers bloom.

744
01:06:31,453 --> 01:06:33,163
And when they pop up,

745
01:06:34,623 --> 01:06:38,043
so do one of the
largest bees on the planet.

746
01:06:54,309 --> 01:06:55,936
A female Dawson’s bee.

747
01:07:01,984 --> 01:07:04,319
She’s spent a year
alone underground,

748
01:07:05,070 --> 01:07:07,906
waiting for this very
moment to find a mate.

749
01:07:19,042 --> 01:07:22,254
Her radiating scent has lured
in dozens of contenders.

750
01:07:29,636 --> 01:07:30,887
But she only needs one.

751
01:07:45,319 --> 01:07:48,572
It’s smart to stay in
her hole, out of reach.

752
01:07:54,745 --> 01:07:57,748
Let the males take their
frustration out on each other.

753
01:08:06,840 --> 01:08:08,675
Another female tries her luck.

754
01:08:13,430 --> 01:08:15,349
And gets more than
she bargained for.

755
01:08:26,443 --> 01:08:29,321
Since female Dawson Bees
only mate once,

756
01:08:30,447 --> 01:08:32,532
competition is fierce.

757
01:08:37,954 --> 01:08:40,874
In the pile-up,
this female could be injured,

758
01:08:42,751 --> 01:08:44,336
or worse.

759
01:08:53,345 --> 01:08:56,640
Her scent is so powerful
that even after death,

760
01:08:57,891 --> 01:08:59,601
it still attracts attention.

761
01:09:11,655 --> 01:09:13,657
Most females have now emerged,

762
01:09:15,534 --> 01:09:17,285
and there are
fewer active males.

763
01:09:21,915 --> 01:09:24,376
The cautious female
checks out the scene.

764
01:09:31,925 --> 01:09:36,596
Just one male, the perfect
time to make a move.

765
01:09:44,146 --> 01:09:45,647
But it’s a mistake.

766
01:09:49,276 --> 01:09:51,236
Males are relentless.

767
01:10:01,663 --> 01:10:03,957
But she has found the one!

768
01:10:05,333 --> 01:10:07,085
And he holds on for dear life.

769
01:10:13,091 --> 01:10:16,219
They must reach cover
as fast as her little legs

770
01:10:16,303 --> 01:10:17,387
can carry them.

771
01:10:29,649 --> 01:10:31,860
Finally, some peace.

772
01:10:41,244 --> 01:10:43,788
Once mated,
her scent changes,

773
01:10:45,207 --> 01:10:47,209
and the males lose all interest.

774
01:10:52,005 --> 01:10:54,549
Her timing has been perfect.

775
01:10:59,012 --> 01:11:03,391
The brief burst of flowers
provides her and her young with

776
01:11:03,475 --> 01:11:05,185
everything they’ll need.

777
01:11:16,029 --> 01:11:17,405
Back at the hive,

778
01:11:17,489 --> 01:11:20,909
the queen has successfully
mated and makes

779
01:11:21,034 --> 01:11:22,869
her triumphant return.

780
01:11:30,961 --> 01:11:35,549
With her on egg-laying duty,
the population booms.

781
01:11:40,303 --> 01:11:42,806
And the workers ramp
up productivity.

782
01:11:52,732 --> 01:11:54,985
Nectar collection
is in full swing.

783
01:11:59,614 --> 01:12:03,285
They need to make and
store 40 pounds of honey to

784
01:12:03,368 --> 01:12:05,203
survive the winter.

785
01:12:06,746 --> 01:12:09,082
And they still have a way to go.

786
01:12:11,084 --> 01:12:13,670
With fall approaching
and nectar drying up,

787
01:12:15,380 --> 01:12:18,466
every drop of stored
honey is precious.

788
01:12:19,718 --> 01:12:22,929
Not to be wasted on freeloaders.

789
01:12:28,101 --> 01:12:30,687
With mating season over,

790
01:12:30,770 --> 01:12:33,231
the males have
outstayed their welcome.

791
01:12:39,529 --> 01:12:41,740
So their sisters turn on them.

792
01:12:47,787 --> 01:12:49,789
Every drone is evicted.

793
01:12:52,000 --> 01:12:53,543
Dead or alive.

794
01:13:04,888 --> 01:13:08,308
And the hive becomes a
female-only zone once more.

795
01:13:16,149 --> 01:13:18,735
With just a few weeks
left until winter,

796
01:13:19,152 --> 01:13:20,737
it’s a critical time.

797
01:13:22,238 --> 01:13:25,659
But it’s now that many
honeybees all over the world

798
01:13:25,742 --> 01:13:29,079
fall victim to something
beyond their control.

799
01:13:37,253 --> 01:13:38,797
If you’re going to understand.

800
01:13:38,880 --> 01:13:41,716
For entomologist
Dr. Sammy Ramsey,

801
01:13:41,800 --> 01:13:44,511
stopping this threat
is his life’s work.

802
01:13:45,303 --> 01:13:48,848
So, I want you to consider
for a moment that you are host

803
01:13:48,932 --> 01:13:51,893
to a parasite that is
about the size of your hand.

804
01:13:52,852 --> 01:13:55,313
This body size ratio is wild.

805
01:13:55,397 --> 01:13:57,732
Honestly, it be, it would
be like, it would be like,

806
01:13:57,816 --> 01:14:00,026
a human having these.

807
01:14:01,945 --> 01:14:03,446
These are Varroa Mites.

808
01:14:03,530 --> 01:14:05,949
These are the parasites that
honeybees have on their bodies

809
01:14:06,533 --> 01:14:08,118
that are actually
liquefying their livers and

810
01:14:08,201 --> 01:14:09,869
sucking it out of them.

811
01:14:10,412 --> 01:14:13,748
The Varroa mites are
destructive on a scale that is

812
01:14:13,832 --> 01:14:15,417
hard to fathom at times.

813
01:14:16,960 --> 01:14:18,545
They are the most threatening,

814
01:14:18,628 --> 01:14:22,340
widely distributed
parasite of bees on this planet.

815
01:14:24,259 --> 01:14:26,136
Sammy and
his student, Justin,

816
01:14:26,511 --> 01:14:29,973
need to check on infested
hives and assess the effects

817
01:14:30,056 --> 01:14:31,641
the mites have on the bees.

818
01:14:35,019 --> 01:14:38,231
Mmh, definitely
deformed wing virus in this one.

819
01:14:38,565 --> 01:14:41,317
Yeah, poor girl.
Her wings are just so short.

820
01:14:45,739 --> 01:14:49,451
They have so many cells
that are opened on this frame,

821
01:14:49,534 --> 01:14:51,161
that is not a good sign.

822
01:14:51,870 --> 01:14:55,665
When Varroa infiltrate colonies
and attach themselves to bees,

823
01:14:55,749 --> 01:14:57,751
they wreak havoc on the
bees’ immune system.

824
01:14:59,085 --> 01:15:02,547
Viruses are able to grow
out of control and cause these

825
01:15:02,630 --> 01:15:04,632
really problematic
symptoms in the bees.

826
01:15:06,384 --> 01:15:07,844
To study the enemy,

827
01:15:07,927 --> 01:15:11,014
Sammy has a way to collect
mites from a honeybee hive.

828
01:15:12,557 --> 01:15:14,017
There you go.
There you go.

829
01:15:15,018 --> 01:15:16,895
You're about to donate
your mites to science.

830
01:15:20,273 --> 01:15:23,276
Varroa mites don’t
stay attached to bees if their

831
01:15:23,359 --> 01:15:25,695
feet get covered
with powdered sugar.

832
01:15:29,783 --> 01:15:31,159
Those are
some dusty bees!

833
01:15:31,284 --> 01:15:32,702
And now we just roll it.

834
01:15:33,286 --> 01:15:35,038
And then we shake!

835
01:15:35,622 --> 01:15:37,707
That sugar will get
into all the crevices,

836
01:15:37,791 --> 01:15:39,959
and then they'll slide
right off the bees.

837
01:15:40,752 --> 01:15:42,670
Sorry, ladies, but this
is for your own good.

838
01:15:43,087 --> 01:15:45,048
You don't want these
mites, I promise.

839
01:15:47,091 --> 01:15:50,345
Check it out, this colony
is mite-ey for sure!

840
01:15:51,679 --> 01:15:53,431
Woof.

841
01:15:53,515 --> 01:15:55,058
This is my
favorite part, though.

842
01:15:55,433 --> 01:15:57,060
Get to actually
put them back home.

843
01:16:02,941 --> 01:16:05,193
All right, ladies, you are
going to be really popular.

844
01:16:08,822 --> 01:16:10,448
Who doesn't love a sweet bee?

845
01:16:15,328 --> 01:16:18,832
Returning to his lab,
Sammy wants to test the mites

846
01:16:18,915 --> 01:16:20,667
on a special group of bees.

847
01:16:23,795 --> 01:16:27,131
They could hold the solution
to dealing with infestations.

848
01:16:29,676 --> 01:16:31,177
- Ready?
- Mmm-hmm.

849
01:16:31,261 --> 01:16:35,139
We can introduce those
mites into our observation hive,

850
01:16:35,223 --> 01:16:38,893
and we can watch how
the bees actually handles

851
01:16:38,977 --> 01:16:40,937
a huge influx of
mites all at once.

852
01:16:41,521 --> 01:16:42,730
Alright, close it,
close it, close it!

853
01:16:42,814 --> 01:16:43,815
There you go.

854
01:16:43,898 --> 01:16:45,233
Good.

855
01:16:47,068 --> 01:16:49,487
These mites
right there on the glass.

856
01:16:49,571 --> 01:16:51,656
They're waiting for a
bee to pass by that they

857
01:16:51,739 --> 01:16:52,949
can just latch onto.

858
01:17:00,081 --> 01:17:02,208
There you go.

859
01:17:03,501 --> 01:17:06,838
These mites are
masters of disguise.

860
01:17:09,132 --> 01:17:12,135
They have learned all the
different ways of masking their

861
01:17:12,218 --> 01:17:14,887
smell, even the feel
of their bodies.

862
01:17:17,557 --> 01:17:20,810
They mimic the plates
and hairs of the bee's body,

863
01:17:22,687 --> 01:17:24,897
such that when a bee
is touching itself,

864
01:17:24,981 --> 01:17:27,525
the parasite feels
like its own body.

865
01:17:30,862 --> 01:17:33,906
But this colony
has a unique superpower.

866
01:17:35,450 --> 01:17:37,785
The bees in
our observation hive are

867
01:17:37,869 --> 01:17:42,915
of a specific genetic stock
that's able to resist certain

868
01:17:42,999 --> 01:17:46,169
elements of the Varroa mites'
takeover of the colony.

869
01:17:48,212 --> 01:17:49,881
Compared to
typical honeybees,

870
01:17:50,798 --> 01:17:53,635
these bees groom their
bodies much more frequently.

871
01:17:55,637 --> 01:17:57,221
They can tell
that something is wrong,

872
01:17:57,305 --> 01:17:59,057
and they need to do
something about it.

873
01:18:00,933 --> 01:18:02,518
Well done, you.

874
01:18:02,602 --> 01:18:04,062
Yes!

875
01:18:08,524 --> 01:18:11,110
Sammy and his team
hope that if this grooming

876
01:18:11,194 --> 01:18:14,280
trait can be genetically
reproduced in other honeybees,

877
01:18:16,032 --> 01:18:18,910
varroa mites won’t
get a chance to spread

878
01:18:19,035 --> 01:18:20,662
their deadly viruses.

879
01:18:29,170 --> 01:18:30,672
Despite this threat,

880
01:18:30,755 --> 01:18:34,467
the global honeybee population
is still in the trillions.

881
01:18:37,095 --> 01:18:40,098
And our passion for
beekeeping has caused some

882
01:18:40,181 --> 01:18:42,642
unexpected problems
for wild bees.

883
01:18:45,478 --> 01:18:48,564
This little garden in
the heart of the city was

884
01:18:48,648 --> 01:18:51,109
especially designed
for bees, of all kinds.

885
01:18:55,113 --> 01:18:57,198
This whole patch is
just full of honeybees.

886
01:18:57,615 --> 01:18:59,617
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,

887
01:19:00,118 --> 01:19:02,078
7, 8, 9, 10, 11.

888
01:19:02,704 --> 01:19:04,789
I can see one big
bumblebee back in there.

889
01:19:04,872 --> 01:19:08,251
But this whole patch is
just loaded with honeybees.

890
01:19:10,712 --> 01:19:13,214
And it's easy to think,
great, loads of bees,

891
01:19:13,297 --> 01:19:15,091
but actually it's more
complicated than that.

892
01:19:17,093 --> 01:19:18,803
These honeybees aren’t wild;

893
01:19:19,429 --> 01:19:21,639
they’re domesticated,
more like livestock.

894
01:19:22,932 --> 01:19:25,017
I'm sure their hive
isn't far from here.

895
01:19:26,102 --> 01:19:27,270
Just in London,

896
01:19:27,353 --> 01:19:30,356
there’s an estimated
400 million honeybees.

897
01:19:31,232 --> 01:19:32,650
Whoa!

898
01:19:33,067 --> 01:19:35,611
40 times more than
the human population.

899
01:19:38,364 --> 01:19:41,367
Because of the incredible way
that honeybees communicate

900
01:19:41,451 --> 01:19:42,827
and work as a team,

901
01:19:42,910 --> 01:19:46,080
they’re often the
first to find these fresh

902
01:19:46,164 --> 01:19:47,540
patches of flowers.

903
01:19:48,040 --> 01:19:50,460
So, they just outcompete
the wild bees.

904
01:19:54,964 --> 01:19:57,592
But there is one
wild bee here trying to

905
01:19:57,675 --> 01:19:58,885
stand up to them.

906
01:19:59,552 --> 01:20:02,138
In the corner of this
patch of flowers,

907
01:20:02,221 --> 01:20:05,183
I have found a magical
little kingdom.

908
01:20:08,603 --> 01:20:11,606
And the king of this
kingdom, here he comes!

909
01:20:13,065 --> 01:20:14,233
Is this guy.

910
01:20:15,985 --> 01:20:18,112
He's a male wool carder bee.

911
01:20:20,448 --> 01:20:22,575
Unlike the other
bees on this patch,

912
01:20:22,867 --> 01:20:26,454
this male carder bee’s is
here to defend his territory,

913
01:20:28,623 --> 01:20:30,291
a lamb’s ear plant,

914
01:20:31,334 --> 01:20:33,669
hoping a female turns up.

915
01:20:34,670 --> 01:20:37,632
Anyone that comes into his
little patch gets a beating.

916
01:20:39,717 --> 01:20:40,843
Oh honeybee!

917
01:20:42,011 --> 01:20:43,346
Here he comes.

918
01:20:51,145 --> 01:20:52,814
Whoopah, get out of here.

919
01:20:56,484 --> 01:20:57,985
Oh honeybee!

920
01:20:59,487 --> 01:21:00,905
Here he goes.

921
01:21:01,906 --> 01:21:02,990
Ka-pah!

922
01:21:04,534 --> 01:21:07,161
It's incredible how much
action and drama there is just

923
01:21:07,245 --> 01:21:08,329
in this little patch.

924
01:21:12,083 --> 01:21:13,835
He's just so feisty.

925
01:21:17,380 --> 01:21:18,422
Oop, Bumblebee invader.

926
01:21:18,506 --> 01:21:19,924
He's not gonna like that!

927
01:21:25,721 --> 01:21:26,931
Chaos.

928
01:21:32,228 --> 01:21:34,230
Now that the coast is clear,

929
01:21:34,313 --> 01:21:38,067
the one bee he’s
been waiting for can finally

930
01:21:38,150 --> 01:21:39,485
make an appearance.

931
01:21:40,778 --> 01:21:42,113
Oh, here comes a female!

932
01:21:47,368 --> 01:21:49,704
He’s gonna take off in a
second and go for that female.

933
01:21:50,746 --> 01:21:53,666
Ooh, little bit of mating!

934
01:21:57,253 --> 01:22:00,214
Right now, this wool
carder bee should be

935
01:22:00,298 --> 01:22:01,549
focusing on females.

936
01:22:04,802 --> 01:22:08,472
Instead, he’s constantly
chasing honeybees feeding

937
01:22:08,556 --> 01:22:09,682
in his territory.

938
01:22:12,143 --> 01:22:14,061
He must be just
completely exhausted.

939
01:22:18,399 --> 01:22:20,401
It used to be thought
that to save the bees,

940
01:22:20,484 --> 01:22:22,194
put in lots of hives.

941
01:22:22,278 --> 01:22:24,614
But the reality is that what
you are doing by introducing

942
01:22:24,697 --> 01:22:27,325
these new honeybees’
hives is just

943
01:22:27,408 --> 01:22:29,035
introducing more competition.

944
01:22:31,162 --> 01:22:33,456
What’s important is
giving wild species like

945
01:22:33,539 --> 01:22:36,292
the carder bee enough
space and food to thrive.

946
01:22:41,172 --> 01:22:45,968
Up to a quarter of all wild
bee species are in decline.

947
01:22:49,639 --> 01:22:51,641
But
there’s one wild bee,

948
01:22:51,724 --> 01:22:55,728
who, with a helping hand,
is making a surprising comeback.

949
01:23:06,447 --> 01:23:10,326
A Melipona bee, on lookout duty.

950
01:23:13,913 --> 01:23:17,500
Her job is to guard the nest
entrance from insect invaders.

951
01:23:21,754 --> 01:23:25,466
And she’s got every
angle covered.

952
01:23:31,973 --> 01:23:34,809
Unlike honeybees,
she’s stingless.

953
01:23:35,768 --> 01:23:39,230
But who needs a sting when
you’ve got jaws like these?

954
01:23:41,941 --> 01:23:45,069
For the next two weeks,
she’ll stay right here,

955
01:23:45,861 --> 01:23:50,116
all day, protecting
the colony so her sisters

956
01:23:50,199 --> 01:23:51,826
can focus on foraging.

957
01:23:55,496 --> 01:23:58,749
Meliponas feed from
over 60 plant species in

958
01:23:58,833 --> 01:24:00,251
the Mexican jungle.

959
01:24:03,421 --> 01:24:05,881
Without these
vital pollinators,

960
01:24:05,965 --> 01:24:08,426
this unique ecosystem
could disappear.

961
01:24:13,222 --> 01:24:16,684
At the nest, our sentinel
is still on high alert.

962
01:24:19,186 --> 01:24:21,314
Not just for
approaching enemies,

963
01:24:23,232 --> 01:24:25,192
but so she knows when to duck...

964
01:24:26,569 --> 01:24:28,029
...for her returning sisters.

965
01:24:30,531 --> 01:24:34,827
A dangerous job, but
someone’s got to do it.

966
01:24:38,372 --> 01:24:41,751
Because inside is
a real treasure,

967
01:24:46,547 --> 01:24:49,884
future generations of
Meliponas in their cells.

968
01:24:56,891 --> 01:25:01,312
These bees used to be found
all across Central America.

969
01:25:02,730 --> 01:25:05,232
But their range is
now much smaller.

970
01:25:07,026 --> 01:25:09,945
Habitat loss and pesticides
mean their numbers

971
01:25:10,029 --> 01:25:11,781
have dropped dramatically.

972
01:25:14,867 --> 01:25:17,161
Humans haven’t
been good to them.

973
01:25:21,874 --> 01:25:23,876
But that’s changing.

974
01:25:28,047 --> 01:25:30,383
Hello, my little bees!

975
01:25:30,466 --> 01:25:32,093
My babies

976
01:25:32,176 --> 01:25:34,095
How are you?

977
01:25:35,805 --> 01:25:39,517
Dona Antonia Ku Yah
and her Mayan community have

978
01:25:39,600 --> 01:25:42,895
rekindled the ancient art
of Melipona beekeeping.

979
01:25:51,695 --> 01:25:54,240
They could bite her, but don’t.

980
01:25:56,909 --> 01:25:58,786
Antonia is one of the team.

981
01:26:00,371 --> 01:26:03,332
The character of the
Melipona bees is such that...

982
01:26:03,416 --> 01:26:07,086
if you treat them with love,

983
01:26:07,211 --> 01:26:10,840
they will love you back.

984
01:26:11,757 --> 01:26:14,552
They don't want to get down!

985
01:26:16,053 --> 01:26:18,514
They want to stay!

986
01:26:22,643 --> 01:26:25,396
Antonia provides
the bees with a clean home,

987
01:26:25,938 --> 01:26:28,023
sheltered from the sun,

988
01:26:28,816 --> 01:26:32,528
and bordered by water so
other insects can’t scuttle in.

989
01:26:37,074 --> 01:26:40,619
It doesn’t mean our guard takes
her job any less seriously.

990
01:26:43,831 --> 01:26:47,001
But the added protection
gives the sisters more time and

991
01:26:47,084 --> 01:26:50,045
space to produce some
of the most valuable

992
01:26:50,129 --> 01:26:51,422
honey in the world,

993
01:26:52,423 --> 01:26:54,675
prized for its
medicinal qualities.

994
01:26:57,761 --> 01:26:59,221
Unlike honeybees,

995
01:26:59,305 --> 01:27:01,557
who process their
honey by fanning it,

996
01:27:02,558 --> 01:27:06,604
Meliponas blow nectar into
bubbles to evaporate the water,

997
01:27:11,066 --> 01:27:13,319
then stash it in giant pots.

998
01:27:21,869 --> 01:27:24,538
The Melipona beekeeping
knowledge is passed through

999
01:27:24,622 --> 01:27:29,460
the generations,
and any new helper needs

1000
01:27:29,585 --> 01:27:31,879
to be introduced to the bees.

1001
01:27:32,880 --> 01:27:36,926
Look, this
is what you do.

1002
01:27:39,470 --> 01:27:42,389
Antonia harvests
just 30 ounces from

1003
01:27:42,473 --> 01:27:43,891
each colony per year.

1004
01:27:46,560 --> 01:27:49,813
Far less than a typical
honeybee hive would produce.

1005
01:27:52,316 --> 01:27:54,109
By keeping Meliponas,

1006
01:27:54,193 --> 01:27:56,695
she’s not only making
herself a useful income,

1007
01:27:57,530 --> 01:28:01,408
but also helping a wild
species and the forest that

1008
01:28:01,492 --> 01:28:03,118
depends on them.

1009
01:28:11,085 --> 01:28:14,547
But the global demand
for honey ultimately depends on

1010
01:28:14,630 --> 01:28:18,217
large-scale beekeepers,
like Ryan.

1011
01:28:21,053 --> 01:28:25,766
His bees are now back in Oregon
after the Almond Pollination to

1012
01:28:25,849 --> 01:28:27,977
spend the rest of the
year making honey,

1013
01:28:29,436 --> 01:28:31,105
but they’ve had a rough time.

1014
01:28:32,398 --> 01:28:34,358
For us, this
year was the worst.

1015
01:28:35,651 --> 01:28:39,905
The percentage of our bees
that died was over 50%.

1016
01:28:43,367 --> 01:28:45,703
I’m a fifth-generation
beekeeper,

1017
01:28:45,786 --> 01:28:47,871
and I’m telling you
this is not sustainable.

1018
01:28:49,498 --> 01:28:52,084
So Ryan has
an ambitious plan.

1019
01:28:55,129 --> 01:28:56,714
With the help of his family,

1020
01:28:56,797 --> 01:28:59,633
he’s attempting to
do what few have done before.

1021
01:29:01,010 --> 01:29:03,637
We have 450 acres
that we're going to convert

1022
01:29:03,721 --> 01:29:05,681
to pollinator habitat.

1023
01:29:08,267 --> 01:29:09,518
It’s gonna be one
of the largest in the

1024
01:29:09,602 --> 01:29:11,395
entire continental US.

1025
01:29:12,730 --> 01:29:16,191
Ryan is growing a
massive wildflower meadow that

1026
01:29:16,275 --> 01:29:20,529
will provide for his honeybees
and produce large quantities of

1027
01:29:20,613 --> 01:29:22,406
top-quality honey.

1028
01:29:23,782 --> 01:29:25,117
This one’s the sand point,

1029
01:29:25,200 --> 01:29:26,910
and the alfalfa is a
little tiny one.

1030
01:29:27,328 --> 01:29:28,996
They look like...
tiny rocks.

1031
01:29:29,413 --> 01:29:31,498
Yeah, aren't they pretty?
Like little, little Easter eggs.

1032
01:29:31,582 --> 01:29:32,916
Yeah.

1033
01:29:35,044 --> 01:29:37,880
Ryan is blending a
mix of wildflowers which will

1034
01:29:38,005 --> 01:29:40,591
ensure there’s always
something in bloom between

1035
01:29:40,674 --> 01:29:42,426
Spring and Fall.

1036
01:29:43,594 --> 01:29:45,804
- Ok, ready for a drive?!
- Yeah!

1037
01:30:03,155 --> 01:30:06,617
Now all Ryan has
to do is wait for nature to

1038
01:30:06,742 --> 01:30:08,327
take its course.

1039
01:30:18,962 --> 01:30:20,798
Look at the color!

1040
01:30:20,881 --> 01:30:23,717
Have you ever seen one
with that color before?

1041
01:30:23,801 --> 01:30:25,469
That’s amazing, Ryan!

1042
01:30:26,553 --> 01:30:27,638
Let's try some bugs.

1043
01:30:27,763 --> 01:30:29,765
Let's go find a bug right here!

1044
01:30:30,057 --> 01:30:33,227
Walking with the kids
through the flowered meadows to

1045
01:30:33,310 --> 01:30:35,104
show them all the pollinators.

1046
01:30:35,479 --> 01:30:36,647
Not just the
honeybees but all these

1047
01:30:36,772 --> 01:30:38,607
different style pollinators,

1048
01:30:38,691 --> 01:30:40,818
leaf cutter bee,
solitary bees.

1049
01:30:41,485 --> 01:30:43,696
They get interested in
what they’re seeing.

1050
01:30:45,739 --> 01:30:47,783
Quite the little ecosystem
on this bush, huh?

1051
01:30:48,867 --> 01:30:50,494
What is that?

1052
01:30:50,577 --> 01:30:51,578
Wow!

1053
01:30:51,662 --> 01:30:52,705
It’s a honeybee.

1054
01:30:52,788 --> 01:30:54,540
It's a honeybee.
It's two honey bees.

1055
01:30:54,623 --> 01:30:55,708
Three.

1056
01:30:55,791 --> 01:30:57,209
They’re sleeping in there.

1057
01:30:57,292 --> 01:30:58,669
Oh!

1058
01:30:59,002 --> 01:31:00,713
‘Cause they got cold
during the rainstorm.

1059
01:31:00,796 --> 01:31:01,922
Oh my gosh!

1060
01:31:02,005 --> 01:31:03,048
Are they dead?

1061
01:31:03,132 --> 01:31:05,217
No, no, they’re sleeping,
it’s like, when they get cold.

1062
01:31:05,300 --> 01:31:06,844
They don’t even
know they are learning,

1063
01:31:06,927 --> 01:31:09,972
but they are gaining such
an insight to this system

1064
01:31:10,097 --> 01:31:12,266
of seeds to flowers
to pollinators.

1065
01:31:16,645 --> 01:31:17,938
Can you taste it with
the tip of your tongue?

1066
01:31:18,021 --> 01:31:19,189
You kinda gotta squeeze it out.

1067
01:31:19,273 --> 01:31:20,357
It’s good, right?

1068
01:31:20,441 --> 01:31:22,025
Are you a bee now?

1069
01:31:22,109 --> 01:31:23,694
Are you gonna go
pollinate some things?

1070
01:31:24,153 --> 01:31:26,363
Ryan hopes to
give up the annual almond

1071
01:31:26,447 --> 01:31:30,451
pollination journey and
instead develop sustainable

1072
01:31:30,534 --> 01:31:32,953
beekeeping here
at home in Oregon.

1073
01:31:35,080 --> 01:31:39,126
Creating the pollinator
habitat is something that

1074
01:31:39,251 --> 01:31:40,586
I can do to give back.

1075
01:31:46,967 --> 01:31:49,386
We can all play a role.

1076
01:31:49,470 --> 01:31:50,929
We can plant more flowers,

1077
01:31:51,013 --> 01:31:52,765
or we can stop
destroying them.

1078
01:31:54,183 --> 01:31:56,185
Either way, it's
a positive impact.

1079
01:32:08,822 --> 01:32:11,325
With winter
just around the corner,

1080
01:32:11,408 --> 01:32:14,661
the time has come to
see if the hive is ready.

1081
01:32:17,039 --> 01:32:18,457
Let’s take a look.

1082
01:32:22,878 --> 01:32:25,964
Wow, so much honey!

1083
01:32:28,675 --> 01:32:30,594
You have been busy bees!

1084
01:32:32,221 --> 01:32:35,140
You can see each one of
these cells is just packed

1085
01:32:35,224 --> 01:32:36,600
full of honey.

1086
01:32:36,975 --> 01:32:39,603
And on top is that thin
little membrane cap.

1087
01:32:40,979 --> 01:32:43,106
And that's like the
bees putting a lid on their

1088
01:32:43,190 --> 01:32:44,775
jars of honey.

1089
01:32:45,692 --> 01:32:49,196
Against the odds,
the hive has triumphed.

1090
01:32:50,614 --> 01:32:53,534
They’ve made enough
honey to survive the winter.

1091
01:32:58,372 --> 01:32:59,957
Good job, bees,
you’ve done it.

1092
01:33:11,051 --> 01:33:13,637
The honeybee will always
be our loyal friend.

1093
01:33:15,639 --> 01:33:17,808
But we’ve got a lot more to
thank them for than just honey.

1094
01:33:18,267 --> 01:33:20,227
They are key pollinators
of our crops.

1095
01:33:23,188 --> 01:33:24,690
It’s worth remembering
that there are over

1096
01:33:24,773 --> 01:33:26,733
20,000 other species.

1097
01:33:28,527 --> 01:33:31,488
Together, they’re responsible
for a third of the food we eat.

1098
01:33:36,118 --> 01:33:37,953
But many are in steep decline,

1099
01:33:38,704 --> 01:33:40,998
and some on the
very edge of extinction.

1100
01:33:44,042 --> 01:33:46,378
We are now changing the
world faster than ever before.

1101
01:33:47,004 --> 01:33:48,672
And they just can’t keep up.

1102
01:33:49,381 --> 01:33:52,009
So it’s not just a shame
we’re losing the bees;

1103
01:33:52,092 --> 01:33:53,468
we need the bees.