>> FROM THE DAWN OF
CIVILIZATION, THE HONEYBEE HAS
SYMBOLIZED HARD WORK, UNITY, AND
COOPERATION.
THESE FURRY INSECTS LIVE IN
COLONIES WHERE EVERY BEE WORKS
FOR THE GOOD OF THE WHOLE.
AT THE HEART OF A COLONY OF
THOUSANDS, THERE IS BUT ONE
QUEEN.
WHILE SHE LAYS EGGS, HER
DAUGHTERS, THE WORKER BEES, RUN
THE HIVE, TAKING ON DIFFERENT
ROLES DURING THEIR LIFE SPAN.
NURSE BEES CARE FOR THE QUEEN
AND BABY BEES.
GUARD BEES PROTECT THE HIVE FROM
INVADERS, AND FORAGE BEES
VENTURE OUT FROM THE HIVE TO
GATHER FOOD AND WATER TO SHARE
WITH THEIR COLONY.
HONEYBEES FROM ONE HIVE CAN
VISIT MORE THAN 100,000 FLOWERS
IN A SINGLE DAY.
FINDING A FLOWER IN BLOOM, A
HONEYBEE COLLECTS POLLEN FOR
FOOD AND NECTAR TO MAKE HONEY.
THE SWEET NECTAR AND NOURISHING
POLLEN ARE HER REWARD FOR
CARRYING OUT ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT TASKS IN NATURE --
POLLINATION.
>> POLLINATION IS PRIMARILY
DEPENDENT UPON EITHER OF TWO
FACTORS -- INSECTS OR THE WIND.
THE BEE'S BODY PICKS UP POLLEN
GRAINS AS IT BRUSHES AGAINST THE
ANTHERS IN A FLOWER.
WHEN THE BEE ALIGHTS ON ANOTHER
FLOWER, THE POLLEN ADHERING TO
ITS BODY RUBS OFF ONTO THE
STIGMA OF THAT FLOWER.
THE SUCCESS OF THE FLOWER
DEPENDS UPON THAT MOMENT OF
FERTILIZATION.
INSIDE, THE PART THAT REMAINS IS
THE SINGLE CELL THAT WAS FORMED
BY FERTILIZATION.
IT BEGINS TO GROW UNTIL THERE
ARE MANY CELLS, WHICH TAKE SHAPE
INTO A SEED, A SEED WITHIN A
FRUIT.
>> A LOT OF THE PEOPLE OUT THERE
DON'T REALIZE THAT ONE OUT OF
EVERY THREE BITES OF FOOD THEY
STICK IN THEIR MOUTH, THESE
HONEYBEES PUT ON THEIR DINNER
TABLE.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT HERE...
>> WE WOULDN'T HAVE OUR FRUITS.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE OUR VEGETABLES.
IF WE WANT A DIET THAT IS MORE
THAN GRUEL, MORE THAN WHEAT,
OATS, CORN, AND RICE, WE NEED
HONEYBEES.
BUT ALSO, EVEN THE INDIVIDUAL
BEE IS JUST FASCINATING.
IT HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO DO WHAT
IT DOES, WHICH IS GO OUT AND
COLLECT POLLEN AND HONEY AND
BRING IT BACK.
SO IT'S GOT ALL THIS HAIR.
IT BUILDS UP A STATIC
ELECTRICITY WHEN IT'S FLYING, SO
WHEN IT'S IN THE FLOWER, THE
POLLEN JUMPS ON IT.
IT'S GOT SPECIAL NOTCHES ON ITS
FRONT LEGS TO CLEAN ITS
ANTENNAE.
ITS ANTENNAE CAN SMELL.
IT CAN TELL THE TEMPERATURE.
IT CAN MEASURE OXYGEN AND
CARBON DIOXIDE.
AND IT'S AN AMAZING, AMAZING
THING.
>> THIS MIGHT BE ONE OF THE MOST
INTERESTING, DISTURBING, AND
PUZZLING STORIES TO COME ALONG
IN A LONG TIME.
SOMETHING IS HAPPENING TO THE
HONEYBEES.
>> OVER 10 MILLION BEES HAVE
MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED IN
TAIWAN RECENTLY, AND BEEKEEPERS
ARE HAVING A TOUGH TIME MAKING
MONEY.
>> SOMETHING IS KILLING OUR
HONEYBEES IN STAGGERING NUMBERS.
>> THE FIRST BEEKEEPER IN THE
UNITED STATES TO BRING THESE
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCES TO
LIGHT WAS DAVID HACKENBERG.
HACKENBERG OWNS AND MANAGES
AROUND 3,000 BEEHIVES AND WORKS
WITH HIS SON, DAVEY.
TOGETHER, THEY BRING BEES TO
APPLE ORCHARDS, ALMOND GROVES,
PUMPKIN PATCHES, AND BLUEBERRY
FIELDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
>> HEY, WE'LL SEE YOU IN A
LITTLE BIT, BOYS.
>> YOU KNOW, I STARTED KEEPING
BEES IN 1962 AS A HIGH-SCHOOL...
PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, I WAS BORN AND RAISED
ON A DAIRY FARM, AND WAS RAISING
VEAL CALVES, AND WE LIKED HONEY,
SO I GOT A HIVE OF BEES IN 1962.
IN THE SPRING OF 1962, I GOT
THIS HIVE OF BEES, YOU KNOW.
AND MY MOTHER SAID, "THAT'LL GO
AWAY QUICK.
YOU GET STUNG ONCE OR TWICE,"
YOU KNOW.
BUT IT DIDN'T, AND BY THE TIME I
GOT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, I HAD A
COUPLE HUNDRED HIVES.
AND WE JOKE ABOUT GETTING STUNG.
YOU KNOW, YOU GET STUNG, AND YOU
BECOME A BEEKEEPER.
[ BEES BUZZING ]
HEY.
YOU GOT A PALLET, OR WHAT?
>> I GOT HONEY.
I GOT A BOX FULL OF HONEY.
I GOT...
>> WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE
GOING THROUGH THESE BEES AND
GETTING THEM READY TO GO TO
CALIFORNIA.
WE GOT TO GET THEM ALL IN CLEAN
PALLETS.
WE'RE MAKING SURE THEY'RE ALL
GOOD-LOOKING BEEHIVES.
ABOUT TWO TRAILERS -- ABOUT 800
AND SOME, HOPEFULLY.
WE WERE HOPING TO SEND THREE
LOADS, BUT...
WE JUST KEEP LOSING THEM.
>> IN OCTOBER 2006,
DAVE HACKENBERG DISCOVERED
MASSIVE HONEYBEE LOSSES AND
ANNOUNCED THEM TO THE WORLD.
THE DISCOVERY THRUST HIM INTO
THE SPOTLIGHT AND CREATED QUITE
A BUZZ.
>> LET ME INTRODUCE
DAVE HACKENBERG.
>> [ LAUGHS ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THIS IS REALLY THE GENTLEMAN
THAT RAISED THE RED FLAGS.
HE MADE ENOUGH NOISE TO GET
PEOPLE'S ATTENTION, AND WE THANK
HIM FOR THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> WHERE ARE THE BEES GOING, YOU
KNOW?
WHY?
WELL, ON NOVEMBER 12, 2006, AT
4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON, WE ROLLED
INTO THE YARD OF BEES IN SOUTH
OF TAMPA, FLORIDA, AT RUSKIN,
FLORIDA, TO PICK UP 400 HIVES OF
BEES, AND THEY WERE EMPTY.
THERE WAS NO BEES IN THE BOXES.
THEY WERE -- YOU KNOW, 36 OF
THEM STILL HAD ANYTHING FROM A
HANDFUL TO A GOOD-LOOKING
BEEHIVE.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, MOST OF
THEM --
AND THREE WEEKS BEFORE THAT,
THEY WERE GOOD BEEHIVES.
AND THAT ALL BECAME NEWS IN
EARLY FEBRUARY OF 2007, WHEN IT
HIT THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER.
THE NEXT DAY, I WAS IN 487
NEWSPAPERS AROUND THE WORLD.
[ CLOCK TICKING ]
>> SOME OF THE NATION'S TOP
SCIENTISTS ARE TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND THE PHENOMENON.
BUT NO ONE IS MORE IMMERSED IN
THE MYSTERY THAN THE MAN WHO IS
WIDELY CREDITED WITH DISCOVERING
IT.
THE BEES WERE ALL GONE.
>> THEY'RE GONE.
>> I MEAN, WHERE'D THEY GO?
>> DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, I LITERALLY GOT DOWN AND
CRAWLED AROUND -- I MEAN,
SERIOUSLY, I GOT DOWN ON MY
HANDS AND KNEES AND CRAWLED
AROUND, AND THERE'S NO DEAD
BEES.
THERE ARE NO DEAD BEES ANYWHERE.
I MEAN, YOU CAN'T FIND ANY BEES.
THEY FLEW OFF SOMEPLACE.
>> AND NEVER CAME BACK.
>> NEVER CAME HOME.
>> I'VE KNOWN DAVID HACKENBERG
FOR -- I DON'T KNOW -- 20-PLUS
YEARS.
WE'RE BOTH EAST-COAST
BEEKEEPERS.
WE GO TO SOME OF THE SAME FARMS
IN MAINE.
>> I'VE KNOWN DAVE AND HIS
BROTHER ELI SINCE THEY WERE
KIDS.
I MET THEM ON THE ROAD.
THEY WERE TRUCKING BEES NORTH.
>> THERE'S BEEN TIMES WHEN I'VE
NEEDED HELP, AND I'VE CALLED ON
HIM, AND THE SAME THING -- THERE
WAS TIMES WHEN HE'S NEEDED HELP.
>> WE CALL EACH OTHER, AND, YOU
KNOW, WE CALL IT THERAPY.
[ Chuckling ] WE CALL EACH OTHER
A COUPLE TIMES A DAY.
>> IT'S ALMOST THERAPY FOR US TO
TALK BACK AND FORTH, BECAUSE
IT'S DIFFICULT.
YOUR BEES ARE DYING, AND, YOU
KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT'S
YOUR FAULT.
YOU KNOW, HE'S ALWAYS BEEN A
GOOD FRIEND, BUT WHEN HIS BEES
JUST REALLY FELL APART, I
STARTED CALLING HIM ON A DAILY
BASIS.
I JOKE ABOUT THAT IT'S JUST TO
KEEP HIM OFF OF SUICIDE WATCH,
BUT IN SOME WAYS, THAT'S NOT A
JOKE.
>> SCIENTIST
DENNIS van ENGELSDORP MONITORS
BEE HEALTH IN THE STATE OF
PENNSYLVANIA.
WHEN HACKENBERG REPORTED THE
INEXPLICABLE LOSSES,
van ENGELSDORP WAS ONE OF THE
FIRST CALLED TO THE SCENE.
>> THE REST OF THE FORMIC -- WE
DIDN'T USE IT ALL.
>> OH, OKAY.
>> WE ONLY USED SIX.
>> DAVID HACKENBERG STARTED VERY
LOUDLY COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS
CONDITION IN NOVEMBER.
AND WE REQUIRED A
DAVID HACKENBERG, BECAUSE NOW
IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT SOME
OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SUFFERING
THIS CONDITION.
AND HE WAS RIGHT.
>> REPORTS OF CATASTROPHIC
HONEYBEE LOSSES ARRIVED FROM
BEEKEEPERS ACROSS THE
UNITED STATES, AS WELL AS
TAIWAN, ARGENTINA, CHINA,
FRANCE, ITALY, AND MANY OTHER
COUNTRIES.
ALL AROUND THE PLANET, BEES WERE
DISAPPEARING, AND NO ONE KNEW
WHY.
IN EARLY 2007, U.S. SCIENTISTS
FORMED A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE
VANISHING BEES.
THEY IDENTIFIED THE DISTINCT
SYMPTOMS AND NAMED THE
PHENOMENON COLONY COLLAPSE
DISORDER.
>> THE SYMPTOMS OF COLONY
COLLAPSE ARE THE FACT THAT WHEN
A COLONY IS COMPLETELY DEAD,
YOU'RE FINDING NO BEES IN THE
COLONY OR IN THE APIARY.
YOU'RE ALSO NOT FINDING ANY OF
THESE KNOWN PATHOGENS, LIKE
VARROA MITE OR HONEYBEE TRACHEAL
MITE, THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THE
LOSS.
AND IF THERE ARE BEES LEFT IN
THE COLONY, YOU ONLY FIND A
HANDFUL OF VERY YOUNG BEES AND
THE QUEEN.
AND WE KNOW THAT IT WAS A RAPID
LOSS, BECAUSE OFTEN YOU'LL FIND
LOTS OF YOUNG BEES OR BABY BEES
IN A COLONY.
AND YOU'D NEVER EXPECT BEES TO
LEAVE THEIR YOUNG BEHIND.
SO, WE SEE LOTS OF YOUNG BEES,
BUT WE DON'T FIND DEAD BEES IN
THE COLONY, AND WE DON'T FIND
DEAD BEES IN THE APIARY.
THEY'VE FLOWN AWAY.
SO, THIS APIARY IS A COLLECTION
OF COLONIES THAT WE BROUGHT HERE
TWO MONTHS AGO, AND THEY WERE
COLONIES THAT WE SUSPECTED HAD
CCD.
SO, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE WHERE WE
ONLY HAVE A COUPLE FRAMES OF
BEES AND NO OTHER BEES IN THERE.
THIS IS A COLONY AT THE END
STAGES OF COLLAPSE.
THE QUEEN ISN'T LEAVING, AND --
WELL, SHE MAY BE SICK, BUT SHE'S
NOT DYING.
LIKE, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT
SEEING --
SOME OF THE LAST BEES WE SEE ARE
THE --
HERE'S THE QUEEN HERE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT'S A NICE
PATCH OF BROOD.
SHE'S REALLY TRYING, AND YOU CAN
SEE EGGS RIGHT UP AND TO THE
OUTSIDE.
SO, SHE'S TRYING VERY HARD TO
BUILD THAT POPULATION, BUT THE
BEES ARE DYING FASTER THAN THEY
CAN BE REPLACED.
NOW, TWO COLONIES, IN FACT, HAVE
DIED, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY
MONITORING WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH
THEM.
THIS LOOKS AWFUL, BUT IN
REALITY, I WOULD'VE EXPECTED
THERE TO BE MUCH MORE
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE.
WE ACTUALLY OPENED ONE HIVE THIS
MORNING TO GRADE IT, AND WE CAME
BACK IN THE AFTERNOON, AND IT
HAD ALL GONE AWAY.
3,000 BEES -- GONE.
>> WELL, HERE'S A BEEHIVE THESE
BEE SCIENTISTS FOUND A COUPLE
DAYS AGO.
IT WAS FULL OF BEES.
THREE HOURS LATER...NOBODY HOME.
THEY JUST...TOOK OFF.
[ CHUCKLES ]
>> BEEHIVES HAVE BEEN
TRANSPORTED BY MAN TO POLLINATE
CROPS SINCE THE EARLY DAYS OF
EGYPT.
ANCIENT EGYPTIANS FLOATED HIVES
ON RAFTS DOWN THE NILE TO FOLLOW
THE BLOOM.
TODAY, HONEYBEES ARE TRANSPORTED
ON SEMI TRUCKS AND POLLINATE
$15 BILLION WORTH OF FOOD
ANNUALLY IN THE U.S. ALONE.
COMMERCIAL BEEKEEPERS LIKE
DAVE MENDES DON'T MAKE THE
MAJORITY OF THEIR INCOME FROM
HONEY -- RATHER, FROM
POLLINATION CONTRACTS FROM
FARMERS WHO RELY ON THE
BEEKEEPING INDUSTRY TO PRODUCE
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
>> IF YOU HIT HOT WEATHER,
YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO WATER THE
BEE IN THE EVENING.
IF YOU HIT COOL WEATHER, THEN --
>> DON'T.
>> RIGHT.
BELOW 50 DEGREES, IT'S NOT GOOD
FOR THEM.
BUT IF YOU ENDED UP GOING ACROSS
10 -- NOT THAT YOU WILL, BUT --
AND YOU HIT HOT WEATHER, AT THE
END OF THE DAY, JUST THINK, IF
YOU'RE THIRSTY, SO ARE THE BEES.
>> IF THEY GOT LOADED ON THE
TRUCK LAST NIGHT, THEY LEFT
FORT MYERS YESTERDAY EVENING.
IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE ABOUT
FOUR DAYS OF TRAVELING.
THOSE HIVES WILL LAND IN
LOST HILLS, CALIFORNIA ON AN
ALMOND ORCHARD THERE.
THEY WILL STAY THERE
APPROXIMATELY TILL THE MIDDLE OF
MARCH, AND THEN THEY'LL COME
BACK.
SO, THEY WILL COME SOMEWHERE
BACK TO BABCOCK RANCH.
MIDDLE OF MAY, WE'LL SHIP THEM
UP TO MAINE FOR BLUEBERRY
POLLINATION.
THEY'LL GO ALMOST TO THE
CANADIAN BORDER -- WASHINGTON
COUNTY.
FROM THERE, THEY'LL GO ON A
TRUCK, AND THEY'LL GO TO
MASSACHUSETTS FOR CRANBERRIES.
AS SOON AS THEY'RE DONE WITH
CRANBERRIES, THEY'LL COME BACK
TO FLORIDA, AND GOOD CHANCE
THEY'RE GOING TO GO BACK ON THE
RANCH.
WHEN MEDIA PEOPLE ASK ME ABOUT
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE BEES,
THEY ALWAYS ASK, "WELL, GOSH, IS
THERE GONNA BE ENOUGH BEES FOR
POLLINATION?"
WHAT I TRY TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT
THAT'S PART OF THE REASON FOR
WORRYING, BUT MORE THAN THAT IS
THAT BEES ARE AN INDICATOR OF
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
WHEN THE BEES ARE DYING,
SOMETHING'S WRONG.
AND THAT'S GONNA AFFECT ALL OF
US.
WE -- I'VE GONE TO SEVERAL STATE
CONVENTIONS WITH MY GOOD FRIEND
DAVE HACKENBERG.
[ Voice breaking ] DAVE ASKED
ME, YOU KNOW, "WHAT ARE WE GONNA
DO?"
"HOW ARE WE GONNA STOP THIS?"
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO FIGURE THIS
OUT.
I DON'T KNOW!
EXCUSE ME.
I THINK THIS IS BEYOND US.
>> WELL, THESE ARE ALL DEAD
HIVES THAT WE'VE HAD IN.
THEY'RE JUST SORTING THROUGH
EQUIPMENT.
AND THIS IS AGONIZING FOR THESE
GUYS, 'CAUSE THEY KNOW THIS IS
THEIR LIVELIHOOD, TOO.
THIS IS JUST ONE OF OUR
BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE FULL OF
DEAD EQUIPMENT.
I'VE BEEN IN COMMERCIAL
BEEKEEPING FOR -- I'M THE FIFTH
GENERATION IN BEEKEEPING.
WE'VE RUN INTO PROBLEMS THROUGH
THE YEARS, BUT THIS IS A PROBLEM
THAT WE'VE NEVER, EVER SEEN
BEFORE TO THIS DEGREE.
SINCE THANKSGIVING -- WE'RE HERE
THE SECOND WEEK OF FEBRUARY --
SINCE THANKSGIVING DAY, WE'VE
VIRTUALLY LOST THE OPERATION TO
THE BEES JUST DYING.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE
GONNA DO.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME OPTIONS
THAT WE'RE EXPLORING, BUT WE
DON'T KNOW.
>> GOING OUT OF BUSINESS,
RICK SMITH BID A SOMBER FAREWELL
TO THE FAMILY HONEYBEE
OPERATION.
>> PRETTY DEVASTATING, AND IT'S
VERY PAINFUL.
THE SOLUTION IS NOW BEYOND ME.
>> PEOPLE HAVE HAD A LONG
ASSOCIATION WITH HONEYBEES.
AND PART OF THAT ASSOCIATION IS
BECAUSE IN THE OLD WORLD, WHERE
BEES WERE AND PEOPLE WERE,
NOTHING IS SWEET.
THEY DON'T HAVE SUGAR CANE.
THE ONLY THING THAT'S SWEET IS
FRUIT.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE IF YOU TASTE
HONEY, AND YOU'VE NEVER HAD
SUGAR BEFORE, IT'S THE NECTAR OF
THE GODS.
THIS IS QUITE AN AMAZING THING.
>> HONEY WAS MAGICAL.
IT WAS MEDICINAL.
IT WAS BY FAR THE OLDEST
MEDICINE.
IN ANCIENT EGYPT, IT WAS USED AS
A PANACEA FOR PRETTY MUCH ANY
SORT OF COMPLAINT THAT THE HUMAN
BODY MIGHT SUFFER FROM.
THE SAME IN ANCIENT GREECE AND
ROME.
>> IN THE ANCIENT WORLD, BEES
WERE THOUGHT TO BE PROPHETIC.
THE BEHAVIOR OF BEES AND SWARMS
WAS SEEN AS OMENS.
IF BEE SWARMS WOULD SETTLE ON
HOUSES OR TEMPLES, THAT WAS
THOUGHT TO BE SOME KIND OF
MESSAGE OR BE SOME KIND OF A
BLESSING.
THE BEE CLEARLY REPRESENTS THE
FEMALE ASPECT OF THE DIVINE IN
THE FACT THAT THE QUEEN IS THE
CENTERPIECE OF THE BEE CULTURE.
AND IN ANTIQUITY AND GRECO-ROMAN
ANTIQUITY, THE QUEEN AND THE
BEES WERE ASSOCIATED WITH WHAT
I'M CALLING THE SACRED FEMININE
OR JUST PLAINLY THE GODDESS.
>> BEES ARE A FEMALE SOCIETY.
ALL THE WORKER BEES ARE FEMALE
AND MAKE UP 95% OF THE
POPULATION.
THEY GATHER HONEY, BUILD COMB,
PROTECT THE HIVE, AND RAISE THE
YOUNG.
THE DRONES, MALE BEES, SERVE
ONLY TO MATE WITH THE QUEEN.
IF THESE HONEY-PRODUCING
MATRIARCHIES WERE PROPHETIC IN
ANCIENT TIMES, WHAT MESSAGE DO
THEY HOLD FOR US TODAY?
>> THE BEES ARE SAYING WE NEED
TO OPEN OUR CONSCIOUSNESS AGAIN
TO THE IDEA THAT THERE IS BOTH
MASCULINE ASPECT OF DEITY AND
FEMININE ASPECT OF DEITY.
AND THESE TWO HAVE TO COME INTO
BALANCE AGAIN, HONORING THE BODY
OF THE EARTH AS MOTHER.
>> HONEY-HUNTING HAS BEEN AN
INTEGRAL PART OF HUMAN CULTURE
SINCE THE PALEOLITHIC AGE.
ROCK PAINTINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA
TO SPAIN DEPICT TRIBESMEN
CLIMBING TREES SURROUNDED BY
CLOUDS OF BEES, OR USING A
SMOKER TO CALM BEES IN THEIR
QUEST FOR LIQUID GOLD.
TO THIS DAY, HONEY GATHERERS
VENTURE INTO THE DENSE
RAINFORESTS OF MALAYSIA, WHERE
THEY SCALE THE TUALANG TREE, THE
TALLEST TREE IN ASIA.
THERE, THE GIANT BEE,
APIS DORSATA, BUILD THEIR
HIVES.
IN PREPARATION FOR A HONEY HUNT,
PAK TEH FASHIONS A SMOKER FROM
STRIPS OF REED.
THE 84-YEAR-OLD LEADS THE HONEY
HUNTS WITH HIS SONS AND
GRANDSONS, PASSING ON THIS
ANCIENT TRADITION.
[ BIRDS CHIRPING ]
>> [ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
>> [ SHOUTING IN NATIVE
LANGUAGE ]
[ BEES BUZZING ]
>> CASES OF COLONY COLLAPSE
DISORDER, OR CCD, WERE
DOCUMENTED IN 35 STATES.
SCIENTISTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
COMBINED FORCES, EMPLOYING
CSI-STYLE TACTICS TO FIND THE
CAUSE.
FROM FLORIDA TO CALIFORNIA,
SCIENTISTS TOOK SAMPLES OF BEES,
WAX, AND POLLEN, THEN SHIPPED
THEM BACK TO THE LAB FOR
ANALYSIS.
ONE CHALLENGE WAS THAT THERE
WERE NO DEAD BEES LEFT BEHIND BY
CCD.
EVEN SO, THEIR RESEARCH
UNEARTHED A WHOLE NEW SET OF
QUESTIONS.
>> I WAS SURPRISED WHEN I
STARTED LOOKING AT HOW LITTLE I
KNEW AND HOW LITTLE THERE WAS TO
LOOK AT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS
GOING ON.
THERE WAS SOME WORK DONE IN THE
'30s AND THE '50s.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WHEN I WOULD
DISSECT BEES, I WOULD DISSECT
FOR A KNOWN THING.
"OKAY, I'M LOOKING FOR HONEYBEE
TRACHEAL MITES.
THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT."
WHEN WE DID SOME OF THE INITIAL
SURVEY WORK WITH PENN STATE, WE
FOUND, IN FACT, THAT THESE BEES
HAD JUST SORT OF EVERY SORT OF
PATHOGEN OR DISEASE POSSIBLE.
AND THAT LEADS US TO BELIEVE
THAT THERE'S SOME IMMUNE
COMPROMISE GOING ON.
SO SOMETHING IS MAKING THEM
SUSCEPTIBLE TO EVERYTHING.
>> A NUMBER OF SUSPECTS WERE
INVESTIGATED, INCLUDING THE
VERROA MITE.
THESE PARASITES FEED ON THE
BEES' BLOOD, TRANSMIT VIRUSES,
AND LAY EGGS IN THE SAME CELLS
AS THE BABY BEES.
ANOTHER SUSPECT WAS THE FUNGAL
BACTERIA NOSEMA CERANAE, WHICH
MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR THE BEES
TO EAT, LEAVING THEM TOO WEAK TO
FORAGE.
ALSO STANDING ACCUSED WAS THE
NEWLY DISCOVERED ISRAELI ACUTE
PARALYSIS VIRUS, WHICH WAS FOUND
IN A LARGE NUMBER OF CCD HIVES.
HOWEVER, AFTER EXTENSIVE
RESEARCH, SCIENTISTS CONCLUDED
THAT THOUGH ALL THREE SUSPECTS
WERE HURTING THE HONEYBEES, NONE
WERE THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF COLONY
COLLAPSE DISORDER.
DURING THEIR RESEARCH,
SCIENTISTS UNCOVERED MANY OTHER
THEORIES, AS WELL, SOME WORTH
INVESTIGATING...SOME NOT.
>> SO, I HAVE HEARD EVERYTHING,
FROM THE RAPTURE TO IT BEING A
RUSSIAN CONSPIRACY, AND THE
RUSSIANS HAVE PUT GENES IN THE
BEES AND NOW ARE BEAMING
SATELLITE BEAMS DOWN TO KILL THE
BEES.
AND AS A SCIENTIST, I CAN'T SAY
THAT IT'S NOT TRUE, BUT IT
DOESN'T SEEM VERY LIKELY.
CELLPHONES WAS ONE THAT, FOR
SOME REASON, REALLY CAUGHT ON.
IT WAS A MISREPRESENTATION OF A
GERMAN PAPER, AND THE GUY WHO
DID IT, YOU KNOW, IS SAYING,
"NO, I DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE THIS
LINKAGE."
BUT THAT CONTINUES TO PERSIST.
WE DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CAUSE,
ALTHOUGH WE DON'T RECOMMEND
BEEKEEPERS GIVE CELLPHONES TO
THEIR BEES, BECAUSE THEY'RE
SOCIAL INSECTS AND WILL LIKELY
BANKRUPT YOU BECAUSE THEY'LL
CALL SO MUCH, AND THEY'LL ONLY
POLLINATE BLACKBERRIES.
[ CELLPHONE RINGING ]
WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS BEEKEEPERS
HAVE BECOME VERY GOOD AT
REPLACING DEAD HIVES.
AN AVERAGE BEEKEEPER'S GONNA
TELL YOU HE LOSES 30% OF HIS
HIVES A YEAR.
IF A COW FARMER OR A CORN GROWER
OR AN APPLE PRODUCER LOST 30% OF
THEIR CROP EVERY YEAR, THEY'D BE
GOING -- LIKE, THEY CALLED IN
THE NATIONAL GUARD WHEN COWS
WERE STARVING IN MONTANA.
BUT BEEKEEPERS -- ALL THEY HAVE
TO DO IS THEY SPLIT THEIR COLONY
IN HALF.
THEY PUT ANOTHER QUEEN IN, AND
THEY CAN FILL IN THESE HOLES
VERY GOOD.
AND IN A WAY, THEY'VE BECOME
THEIR WORST NIGHTMARE, BECAUSE
EVERY TIME THEY HAVE THESE
COLLAPSES, THEY'RE ABLE TO FILL
THE GAP.
>> DESPITE THIS QUICK-FIX
SOLUTION OF SPLITTING HIVES,
BEEKEEPERS STILL CAME UP SHORT.
>> IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, THERE
HAVE NOT BEEN ENOUGH AMERICAN
BEES TO POLLINATE THE ALMOND
CROP.
AND THE ALMOND GROWERS WENT TO
THE GOVERNMENT, TO THE USDA, AND
SAID, "WE NEED MORE BEES.
CAN WE IMPORT THEM FROM OTHER
COUNTRIES?"
AND SO, THREE YEARS AGO, I
BELIEVE IT WAS, PERMISSION WAS
GRANTED TO BRING IN BEES FROM
AUSTRALIA.
AND BEES BEGAN ARRIVING BY 747,
LANDING AT SFO AIRPORT, AND
GETTING TRUCKED TO THE CENTRAL
VALLEY.
AND THEN VERY CONFUSED BEES, YOU
KNOW, COMING FROM THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE WORLD -- THE PRECISE
OPPOSITE SEASON -- GOT TO WORK
POLLINATING THE ALMONDS.
>> BEES ARE NOW BEING SHIPPED
ACROSS OCEANS TO DEAL WITH THE
SHORTAGE, AN ACTION IN ITSELF
UNSUSTAINABLE.
AND STILL, AMERICAN SCIENTISTS
HAVE FAILED TO ISOLATE THE CAUSE
OF THE VANISHING BEES.
>> SMOKE.
WELL, NO.
THESE WE TARGETED BECAUSE THEY
LOOKED LIKE THEY HAD CCD.
AND, SO, WE HAVE SOME SORT OF
SHOT-IN-THE-DARK IDEAS.
>> SO, YOU'RE TRYING TO RESTORE
THEM, OR TRYING TO --
>> YEAH.
YEAH -- TO SEE IF WE CAN GET
THEM TO BOUNCE BACK AND NOT DIE.
'CAUSE WE WOULD'VE EXPECTED ALL
THESE COLONIES TO BE DEAD WITHIN
A COUPLE WEEKS.
>> OH, OKAY.
>> SO -- WELL, LIKE, THIS ONE'S
GONNA BE DEAD IN A COUPLE WEEKS.
LIKE, WE'RE TRYING TO SEE IF
THERE'S A WAY, YOU KNOW, OF
DEALING WITH COLLAPSING
COLONIES.
LIKE, I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE WE
HOLD MUCH HOPE FOR ANY OF THIS,
BUT...
MAJORITY OF THE CASES, THOSE
COLONIES THAT COLLAPSE FROM CCD
DID NOT HAVE AN IMMEDIATE
PROBLEM WITH VERROA MITES OR
NOSEMA DISEASE.
SO I THINK WE'VE RULED A BUNCH
OF STUFF OUT, AND WE'RE HONING
IN ON A COUPLE OF REMAINING
FACTORS.
[ BEES BUZZING ]
>> HOLISTIC BEEKEEPERS TAKE AN
OPPOSITE APPROACH TO KEEPING
BEES THAN THE LARGE, MIGRATORY
OPERATIONS.
HAVING FAR FEWER HIVES AND NOT
TRUCKING THEM FOR POLLINATION
ARE JUST A FEW OF THE CONTRASTS
IN THEIR PRACTICE.
EQUALLY STUNG WITH A LOVE OF
BEES, THESE MEN AND WOMEN
RECOGNIZE A DIFFERENT SET OF
SUSPECTS TO EXPLAIN THE PUZZLING
BEE DISAPPEARANCES.
>> IN CENTRAL WESTERN ILLINOIS,
WE ARE STARTING A BIODYNAMIC
FARM, AND IN THE HEART OF THE
FARM IS A HONEYBEE SANCTUARY, A
SANCTUARY WHERE THE HONEYBEE CAN
BE TREATED IN A WAY THAT SHE'S
NOT EXPLOITED OR LOOKED AT ONLY
AS SOMETHING TO PROFIT FROM.
WE CONSCIOUSLY CAME HERE -- I
CHOSE THE SITE HERE IN ILLINOIS
BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE HEARTLAND,
AND THAT'S WHERE THE GREATEST
DAMAGES ARE.
WE ARE SURROUNDED BY MONSANTO
CORN AND BY MONSANTO SOY.
THOSE ARE THE MAIN CROPS.
PEOPLE IN IOWA AND IN ILLINOIS
HERE CAN'T DRINK THEIR OWN WELL
WATER ANYMORE BECAUSE IT'S SO
POISONOUS.
I WOULDN'T BE DOING THE WORK
THAT I'M DOING IF I WOULDN'T
HAVE HOPE THAT WE CAN TURN
THINGS AROUND, BIT BY BIT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SALVES AND
OINTMENTS AND HEALING PRODUCTS
FROM WHAT THE BEES GIVE US --
THE WAX AND THE PROPOLIS AND THE
HONEY.
AND, OF COURSE, THEN TEACH HOW
TO TAKE CARE OF BEES IN A
DIFFERENT WAY SO WE CAN BUILD UP
THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, BUILD UP
THEIR INNATE STRENGTH.
>> ONE COMMON PRACTICE GUENTHER
FEELS COMPROMISES THE HEALTH AND
VITALITY OF HONEYBEES IS THE WAY
COMMERCIAL BEEKEEPERS TREAT THE
QUEEN BEE.
WHILE WORKER BEES AND DRONES
LIVE ONLY A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS,
A QUEEN BEE CAN LIVE UP TO FIVE
YEARS.
SHE IS THE MOTHER OF EVERY BEE
IN HER HIVE.
COMMERCIAL BEEKEEPERS ROUTINELY
KILL THE QUEEN AFTER ONLY A FEW
MONTHS AND REPLACE HER WITH A
YOUNGER, ARTIFICIALLY RAISED
ONE.
BEEKEEPERS REMOVE THE QUEEN FROM
THE HIVE, PINCH HER HEAD, AND
THEN INTRODUCE A SURROGATE IN A
CAGE.
THE CAGE PREVENTS THE COLONY
FROM KILLING THE FOREIGN QUEEN
UNTIL THEY ADAPT TO HER SCENT.
>> AND THE WAY OF
QUEEN-BREEDING -- THIS
MECHANIZED, ARTIFICIAL WAY OF
QUEEN BREEDING -- IS THE GIST OF
THE ATTACK ON THE HONEYBEE.
>> ANOTHER PRACTICE HOLISTIC
BEEKEEPERS FEEL IS UNDERMINING
THE HEALTH OF HONEYBEES IS
ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION.
THE QUEEN BEE IS KNOCKED OUT
WITH CARBON DIOXIDE AND KNOCKED
UP WITH SEMEN COLLECTED FROM
MALE DRONES.
THEY DO THIS TO SELECT FOR
SPECIFIC TRAITS, BUT CRITICS
FEEL IT NARROWS THE GENE POOL.
>> I'M JUST OPENING THE VAGINAL
CHAMBER OF THE QUEEN.
SO, I GRAB THE FORCEPS, AND IF I
PULL THE STING OVER, IT'S A
LITTLE FLAP OF TISSUE THAT YOU
HAVE TO GET AROUND SO YOU'RE
PUTTING SEMEN DIRECTLY IN THE
OVIDUCT.
AND THEN YOU MEASURE OUT -- YOU
KNOW, YOU MEASURE OUT SO MUCH
SEMEN.
YOU MEASURE OUT 8 MICROLITERS.
GIVE HER THE EQUIVALENT OF 8-10
DRONES.
AND THEN YOU JUST BACK THAT OUT
AND RELEASE THE QUEEN.
AND SHE'S READY TO BE PUT IN HER
MATING NOOK.
SHE LOOKS A LITTLE ROUGH, BUT
SHE'LL COME AROUND IN A FEW
MINUTES.
>> ANOTHER INDUSTRIALIZED
BEEKEEPING METHOD UNDER
SUSPICION IS THE PRACTICE OF
TAKING HONEY AWAY FROM THE BEES
AND FILLING HIVES WITH SUGAR
SYRUP.
>> THAT'S LIKE FEEDING YOUR KIDS
JUNK FOOD AND THEN THEM FEEDING
THEIR KIDS JUNK FOOD.
PUSH THAT OVER 100 GENERATIONS.
HOW HEALTHY ARE YOUR
GREAT-GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN GOING
TO BE?
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE
HONEYBEE.
WE'VE FED THEM EMPTY SUGARS WHEN
THEY SHOULD BE RECEIVING THE
RICH DIET OF RAW NECTARS FROM
THE FLOWER.
THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING A
BEEKEEPER IS NOT TO GENERATE AS
MUCH HONEY AS POSSIBLE.
WE KEEP BEES SO WE CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO POLLINATION.
AND, ACTUALLY, THE FUTURE OF
BEEKEEPING IS NOT IN ONE
BEEKEEPER WITH 60,000 HIVES.
RATHER, IT'S 60,000 PEOPLE WITH
ONE HIVE, ALL OF THEM
APPROACHING THE ART AND THE
CRAFT OF BEING A KEEPER OF BEES
AS A HOLISTIC PRACTICE.
>> DEE LUSBY IS CONSIDERED THE
QUEEN BEE OF THE ORGANIC
BEEKEEPING MOVEMENT.
BY EARLY 2008, HER ORGANIC
BEEKEEPING YAHOO! GROUP HAD OVER
1,000 MEMBERS, PROMPTING HER TO
HOLD THE FIRST ANNUAL ORGANIC
BEEKEEPING CONFERENCE.
ORGANIC BEEKEEPERS DO NOT FEED
THEIR BEES SUGAR SYRUPS OR
ARTIFICIAL POLLEN SUBSTITUTES
COMMONLY USED BY COMMERCIAL
OUTFITS.
THEY ALSO STAND FERVENTLY
AGAINST THE USE OF MITICIDES,
TOXIC CHEMICALS SOME BEEKEEPERS
PUT IN THEIR OWN HIVES TO COMBAT
MITES.
A DECORATED VIETNAM VETERAN, DEE
RESIDES IN THE REMOTE DESERT
OUTSIDE TUCSON AND EATS A GALLON
OF HONEY EVERY WEEK.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK CCD IS?
>> I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION
THAT WHEN A BEE IS OUT OF SYNC
WITH NATURE, NATURE'S GONNA COME
IN WITH ALL TYPES OF PARASITES,
ALL TYPES OF VIRUSES, BACTERIA,
FUNGUS, DISEASES -- AND THEY'RE
GOING TO TAKE DOWN WHAT
SHOULDN'T BELONG THERE.
IT'S A SAD STATE, BECAUSE
THEY'RE FORCED -- A LOT OF THESE
PEOPLE ARE FORCED TO GO
MIGRATORY, BECAUSE THEY CANNOT
SELL THEIR HONEY AND MAKE A
LIVING.
AND BY BEING FORCED TO GO
MIGRATORY, THEY'RE FORCED TO GO
INTO FACTORY FARMING.
AND ONCE THEY'RE ON THE ROAD,
WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS FOR
FORAGING, THEN THEY'RE FORCED TO
ARTIFICIALLY FEED THEM.
AND THEN IF THEY ARTIFICIALLY
FEED THEM, AND THEY'RE ON THE
ROAD AND SOMETHING HAPPENS --
NORMALLY, EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE,
YOU LOSE 10% OF YOUR QUEENS.
THEN YOU'RE FORCED TO BUY
ARTIFICIAL QUEENS.
AND ONCE YOU'RE FORCED INTO THE
MIGRATORY, YOU'RE FORCED INTO A
SYSTEM THAT'S LIKE GOING DOWN A
ROAD TO HELL.
>> I WOULDN'T BE HERE KEEPING
THESE BEES TODAY IF IT WOULDN'T
BE FOR POLLINATION.
I MEAN, WE CAN'T COMPETE WITH
THE WORLD HONEY PRICES, BECAUSE
CHINA AND ARGENTINA AND ALL THEM
PEOPLE HAVE GOT US JUST PINNED
UP AGAINST THE WALL.
>> FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, HONEY
CAME IN HERE WITH
CHLORAMPHENICOL IN IT.
YOU EVER HEAR OF THAT
ANTIBIOTIC?
IT CAUSES APLASTIC ANEMIA, AND
IT WAS IN THE HONEY FROM CHINA.
AND THEY FOUND IT AND STOPPED
IT.
AND NOW THE GUY IS BRINGING IN
HONEY BLENDS AND SELLING IT AS
HONEY.
THESE ARE CONTAINER LOADS OF
HONEY COMING INTO THIS COUNTRY
THEY'RE BLENDS OF HONEY.
THIS ONE RIGHT HERE IS FOUR
CONTAINER LOADS OF HONEY WITH
LACTOSE SYRUP IN IT.
YEAH. THAT'S MADE FROM MILK.
I MEAN, EVERY ONE OF THESE HAS
GOT A BLEND OF SOMETHING IN IT.
THIS ONE HERE'S GOT
HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP.
HERE'S ANOTHER ONE.
THEY BROUGHT IN THREE LOADS WITH
BEET SUGAR IN IT.
AND THAT SAME HONEY IS SITTING
RIGHT UP HERE.
>> IS THIS WHERE YOU'RE GONNA
TAKE US?
>> YEAH.
DON'T SHOW THIS ON CAMERA.
>> OKAY.
>> YOU CAN LOOK AT IT RIGHT
HERE.
MATTER OF FACT, JUST -- YOU GOT
THE CAMERA OFF?
TURN IT OFF.
WE CAN'T STAY HERE TOO LONG,
NOW, 'CAUSE HE GON' BE
SUSPICIOUS.
SEE THIS BIG PILE OF GREEN DRUMS
RIGHT HERE?
>> YEP.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THAT IS THE BLEND.
THAT'S THE FAKE HONEY.
IT'LL ALL SAY "PRODUCT OF CHINA"
ON THERE.
YEAH -- "PRODUCT OF CHINA."
BUT IT'S COMING IN AT SOME
RIDICULOUS ASSESSED VALUE WHERE
THERE'S NO DUTIES ON IT.
THEY CLEARED THE VALUE AT
18 CENTS A POUND!
AND PEOPLE AT CUSTOMS LET THEM
DO IT!
NOW, THERE AIN'T NO HONEY AT
18 CENTS A POUND!
YOU CAN'T EVEN BUY WATER AT
18 CENTS A POUND!
CAN'T DO ANYTHING!
AND THIS GUY'S JUST BEEN DOING
IT FOR YEARS AND DESTROYING THE
WHOLE INDUSTRY.
>> IF YOU TOOK OUT ALL THE FUNNY
HONEY -- WE CALL IT FUNNY HONEY,
THAT'S NOT PURE HONEY -- IF YOU
TOOK THAT OFF THE MARKET THAT'S
COMING INTO THIS COUNTRY, MAYBE
THE PRICE OF HONEY WOULD GO UP.
BUT THE PROBLEM OF IT IS, YOU
KNOW, FDA DOESN'T REALLY CARE.
>> YEAH, THAT GOES TO ALL THE
BAKERIES, LIKE GENERAL MILLS,
PILLSBURY, KELLOGG'S, WHOEVER.
BUT IT'S JUST A SHAME TO SEE HOW
THIS COUNTRY'S GON' WAKE UP ONE
DAY AND THERE'S NOT GON' BE ANY
BEES LEFT.
AND PEOPLE GON' BE ASKING,
"WELL, WHY AREN'T THERE THE
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THAT WE
NORMALLY BUY AT THE STORES?"
AND THEY'RE GON' TELL THEM --
SAY, "WELL, THE SHIP DIDN'T COME
IN FROM CENTRAL OR SOUTH AMERICA
OR SOMEWHERE, SO WE WON'T HAVE
ANYTHING THIS WEEK.
COME BACK NEXT WEEK."
AND PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE USED TO
THAT.
>> SOMEWHERE AROUND 35% OF THE
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES WE EAT NOW
ARE ALREADY IMPORTED.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A TRAIN
OF THOUGHT OUT HERE IN SOME
AREAS OF AGRICULTURE, YOU KNOW,
THAT IN ANOTHER 10 YEARS, WE'RE
GONNA BE IMPORTING MOST OF OUR
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
>> FOOD'S GONNA COME FROM CHINA
NOW.
THE FOOD'S GONNA COME FROM
MEXICO.
BUT IF WE GET IN A WORLD OF HURT
AND THEY NEED THE FOOD FOR
THEMSELVES, THEN WHO'S GONNA
FEED US?
I DON'T KNOW OF ANYBODY.
>> IN EARLY 2008, HONEYBEE
DIE-OFFS WERE STILL OCCURRING
ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND NO
COMMON LINK HAD BEEN DISCOVERED
AS THE CAUSE.
AS SCIENTISTS CONTINUED TO
SEARCH FOR A SOLUTION, MIGRATORY
BEEKEEPERS STRUGGLED TO FULFILL
THEIR POLLINATION CONTRACTS.
TENDING TO THE FIRST CROP OF THE
YEAR AND THE MOST PROFITABLE FOR
BEEKEEPERS, HACKENBERG AND
MENDES WORKED SIDE BY SIDE,
INSPECTING HIVES IN THE ALMOND
ORCHARDS OF CALIFORNIA.
>> [ SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY ]
THEY MIGHT NOT BE HEALTHY.
HERE'S THE QUEEN.
HAPPY, HAPPY. THERE SHE IS.
SHE'S PRETTY, TOO.
>> YEAH.
>> ISN'T THAT GORGEOUS?
>> YEAH. BEAUTIFUL.
>> THEY'RE LAYING EGGS.
THAT'S A POSITIVE SIGN.
THAT MEANS THEY'RE --
>> THEY'RE HAPPY.
>> YEAH, THERE YOU GO.
[ CELLPHONE RINGING ]
>> HELLO?
>> HACKENBERG AND MENDES GOT
WORD THAT THEIR FRIEND AND
FELLOW BEEKEEPER BRET ADEE HAD
JUST DISCOVERED A MASSIVE
COLLAPSE OF HIS HIVES.
THEY DROVE OVER TO WITNESS WHAT
WOULD BE THE WORST CASE OF
COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER EVER
RECORDED.
40,000 BEEHIVES HAD GONE FROM
HEALTHY COLONIES TO EMPTY BOXES
IN A MATTER OF WEEKS.
2 BILLION BEES -- GONE.
>> THIS IS A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY?
IS THIS A KODAK PHOTO SPOT?
>> I GUESS.
>> IT KEEPS GOING ALL THE WAY UP
INTO THE HILLS!
EVERY SEMI SPOT.
>> IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND, YOU
CAN IMAGINE -- YOU THINK YOU
HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THIS LOOKS
LIKE.
>> YOU CAN'T.
YOU CAN'T IMAGINE THIS.
THIS IS LIKE THE PICTURES OF THE
HOLOCAUST.
THIS IS A BEE HOLOCAUST RIGHT
HERE.
I JUST WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S
DEAD -- THERE SHOULD BE --
THIS IS WHAT'S DISTURBING.
THERE SHOULD BE DEAD -- YOU SEE
THIS MANY HIVES?
THAT'S NOT ENOUGH DEAD BEES
HERE FOR THIS MANY HIVES.
>> I HAD A BAD DAY IN THAT BEE
YARD IN RUSKIN, FLORIDA, WHEN I
LOST 400 HIVES OF BEES.
STANDING IN BRET ADEE'S BEE
YARD OUT HERE, YOU KNOW,
15 MILES WEST OF HERE...
[ Voice breaking ] THAT'S ONE OF
THE WORST DAYS OF MY LIFE, I
MEAN, STANDING THERE, LOOKING
AT, I MEAN, THE DEVASTATION.
>> I SEEN ONE HIVE SITTING
THERE.
[ SIGHS ]
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY BEES
LEFT IN IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING
HERE OR NOT.
JUST A LITTLE DRIZZLE, A FEW
BEES THERE.
THEY'RE NOT ENOUGH.
THEY'RE NOT VIABLE.
NO. THEY -- THEY'RE GONE.
THEY JUST DON'T KNOW IT YET.
THERE'S LIKE SIX BEES THERE.
THERE'S NO QUEEN, SO...
>> THIS LAST MEETING IN
SACRAMENTO, THIS BEEKEEPERS
MEETING, THERE WERE SEVERAL
BEEKEEPERS THAT WALKED UP TO
HACKENBERG AND SAID, YOU KNOW,
"I OWE YOU AN APOLOGY.
I HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT THIS A
YEAR AGO, AND I THOUGHT YOU WERE
JUST A BAD BEEKEEPER.
AND NOW I'VE SEEN THIS IN MY OWN
HIVES, AND I WAS ALL WRONG.
>> WITH COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER
STRIKING THE SECOND YEAR IN A
ROW, SCIENTISTS STILL HAD NOT
FOUND A SMOKING GUN.
SLOWLY, THE INVESTIGATION TURNED
TO THE FARMING PRACTICES THAT
HAD MADE US SO DEPENDENT UPON
BEES IN THE FIRST PLACE.
>> WE USED TO HAVE FARMS WHERE
THE FARMER HAD PIGS, AND THEY
GREW SOME CORN, AND THEY HAD A
LARGE GARDEN, AND THEY HAD
CHICKENS.
SO THE FARMS WERE DIVERSIFIED.
THAT WAS THE TYPICAL AMERICAN
FARM.
TODAY, WHAT WE HAVE ARE FARMERS
WHO GROW CORN, OR FARMERS WHO
HAVE AN APPLE ORCHARD -- ONE OR
THE OTHER.
THEY DON'T GROW CORN AND HAVE
APPLES.
[ CHUCKLES ]
IT'S LARGE, LARGE ACREAGES --
HUNDREDS, SOMETIMES THOUSANDS,
OF ACRES OF ONE THING.
THAT'S A MONOCULTURE.
>> THERE ARE NOT LIKELY TO BE A
LOT OF BEES AROUND A
MONOCULTURE.
WHY IS THAT?
BECAUSE FOR 50 WEEKS A YEAR IN
THAT MONOCULTURE, THERE IS
NOTHING TO EAT, SO WHAT BEE
WOULD EVER HANG AROUND?
YOU'D HAVE TO BE STUPID.
IT CONTRADICTS THE LOGIC OF THE
NATURAL WORLD.
YOU DON'T FIND MONOCULTURES IN
NATURE.
NATURE JUST DOESN'T WORK THAT
WAY.
NATURE DOESN'T PUT ALL HER EGGS
IN ONE BASKET.
SO IN ORDER TO KEEP A
MONOCULTURE GOING, YOU NEED A
LOT OF INTERVENTION.
ONCE YOU HAVE MONOCULTURE, YOU
NEED PESTICIDES, BECAUSE PESTS
LOVE MONOCULTURES.
YOU KNOW, EVERY PLANT, EVERY
ANIMAL, HAS ITS PESTS OR
DISEASES.
AND WHEN THAT PEST OR DISEASE
ENCOUNTERS A MONOCULTURE, IT'S A
PARTY.
[ PARTY HORNS BLOW ]
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO
MUCH FOOD THAT ITS POPULATION
EXPLODES.
>> IT MAKES IT A REAL STRUGGLE
TO CONTROL PESTS, BECAUSE ONCE
THEY GET ESTABLISHED, ALL THAT
THEY NEED IS THERE, AND THEY CAN
REALLY, REALLY TAKE OFF.
>> SO, TO UPHOLD MONOCULTURE
FARMING, WE SPRAY OUR CROPS WITH
DEADLY CHEMICALS.
BUT WHEN DID THE WIDESPREAD USE
OF PESTICIDES BEGIN?
HOW WERE THEY INVENTED?
[ HISSING ]
>> HERE IN GERMANY -- IN
LEVERKUSEN, ACTUALLY -- THERE
WAS A SCHOOL FOR CHEMICAL
WARFARE IN THE FIRST WORLD
WAR.
AND THE GERMAN ARMY WAS THE
FIRST ONE TO INTRODUCE CHEMICAL
WARFARE.
AND AFTER THE FIRST WORLD WAR,
WHEN THERE WAS NOT MUCH NEED FOR
CHEMICAL WARFARE, THEY KIND OF
CO-INVENTED PESTICIDES.
IT WAS THE CIVILIAN USE OF
NEARLY THE SAME CLASS OF WARFARE
CHEMICALS.
>> THESE WERE MUNITIONS.
THESE WERE CHEMICALS USED IN
MUNITIONS BEING TRANSFERRED TO
USE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
AND THIS WAS VIEWED BY THE
CHEMICAL COMPANIES AS A PERFECT
TRANSFORMATION OF THEIR
INDUSTRY.
>> CHEMICAL WARFARE AND
PESTICIDES ARE JUST THE TWO
SIDES OF ONE MEDAL.
IT'S CHEMICALLY NEARLY
IDENTICAL, AND IT WAS THE SAME
COMPANIES AND EVEN THE SAME
PERSONS WHO INVENTED THESE
SUBSTANCES.
>> I MEAN, WE'VE TAKEN THINGS
THAT WAS LEFT OVER FROM
WORLD WAR II AND MADE CHEMICALS
OUT OF THEM FOR AGRICULTURE TO
FEED OURSELVES.
I MEAN, WE TRIED TO KILL PEOPLE
WITH THIS STUFF.
[ Chuckling ] AND NOW WE'RE
TRYING TO KILL THE BUGS WITH IT.
AND THEN WE'RE TRYING TO EAT THE
STUFF!
SO, YOU KNOW, DOES IT MAKE A LOT
OF SENSE?
I DON'T THINK SO.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST A DUMB
BEEKEEPER.
>> AS PESTICIDES MOVED FROM THE
BATTLEFIELDS ONTO THE
MARKETPLACE, THE CHEMICALS DID
NOT ALWAYS DELIVER THE GREAT
BENEFITS THEY PROMISED.
[ DRAMATIC INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
PLAYING ]
>> WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A
SERIOUS INFANTILE PARALYSIS
EPIDEMIC, HEALTH AUTHORITIES OF
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS,
ATTACKED THE GERM CARRIER
THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WITH THE WAR-DISCOVERED DDT IN
SPECIAL SPRAYERS, SECTIONS OF
THE CITY ARE BLANKETED WITH THE
INSECTICIDE IN THE FIGHT TO STOP
THE SPREAD OF THE DREAD
POLIOMYELITIS.
TONS OF DDT ARE USED IN THIS
FIGHT AGAINST THE DREAD DISEASE,
WHOSE PRINCIPAL TARGET IS THE
YOUNG.
AGAIN, WAR HAS CONTRIBUTED ONE
OF ITS DISCOVERIES TO SAVE LIFE.
>> DDT, CHLORPYRIFOS -- CHEMICAL
AFTER CHEMICAL THAT WERE
DEFENDED.
THESE CHEMICALS WERE DEFENDED AS
REPRESENT-ACCEPTABLE RISKS IN
ONE DECADE AND BANNED IN THE
NEXT AS UNACCEPTABLE.
>> I DON'T LIKE TO USE MORE
CHEMICALS.
>> IT WOULD BE NICE NOT TO HAVE
TO USE THEM.
>> IT'D BE NICE NOT TO HAVE TO
USE THEM, BUT...YOU CANNOT RAISE
A GOOD CROP WITHOUT USING
CHEMICALS.
>> IF WE TRIED TO GO BACK TO
GROWING EVERYTHING ORGANICALLY,
THE INSECTS -- IF YOU HAVE DONE
ANY STUDYING AT ALL, YOU WOULD
FIND THE INSECTS WOULD TAKE OVER
THE WORLD IF WE DIDN'T USE MEANS
TO CONTROL THEM.
>> PESTICIDES ARE DESIGNED TO
KILL BUGS THAT DAMAGE CROPS.
BUT SPRAYING THESE CHEMICALS HAS
OFTEN CAUSED BIG PROBLEMS FOR
THE LITTLE BEE.
>> HONEYBEES AND PESTICIDES HAVE
ALWAYS HAD SOME INTERACTION --
MOSTLY NEGATIVE -- BECAUSE BEES
ARE PUT ON CROPS, AND CROPS ARE
USUALLY SPRAYED IN SOME WAY,
OFTEN WITH PESTICIDES.
THEY'VE HAD A LONG HISTORY OF
BEING IMPACTED BY PESTICIDES.
>> I'VE BEEN IN THE POLLINATION
BUSINESS RIGHT FROM THE
BEGINNING, AND I'VE WORKED
AROUND PESTICIDES ALWAYS.
AND THERE'S BEEN A STRONG MOVE
IN THIS COUNTRY TO GET AWAY FROM
THE OLD-STYLE PESTICIDES.
WHEN YOU HAD A PROBLEM, AND THE
BEES GOT INTO SOME KIND OF SPRAY
RIGHT AWAY, YOU KNEW IT.
THERE WAS DEAD BEES, A DROP IN
THE POPULATION.
>> UNTIL RECENTLY, FARMERS
APPLIED PESTICIDES TOPICALLY BY
SPRAYING THEIR CROPS.
BEEKEEPERS COULD PROTECT THEIR
BEES BY MOVING THEM AWAY DURING
SPRAYING.
IF PESTICIDES DID CAUSE A
PROBLEM, THEY COULD TELL FROM
THE DEAD BEES SURROUNDING THE
HIVES.
EVENTUALLY, THE OLDER-STYLE
PESTICIDES WERE REPLACED BY
NEWER, SUPPOSEDLY SAFER ONES.
UNLIKE THE OLD, SHORT-LIVED
CHEMICALS, THESE SYSTEMIC
PESTICIDES REMAINED WITHIN THE
PLANT THROUGHOUT ITS LIFE.
>> MOST CONVENTIONAL PESTICIDES,
YOU HAVE A -- WELL, YOU SAY, A
TOMATO PLANT.
YOU SPRAY THE MATERIAL OVER THE
PLANT.
INSECT FEEDS ON THE LEAVES, AND
IT DIES.
SYSTEMIC PESTICIDES -- YOU FEED
IT IN IRRIGATION, OR YOU PUT IT
ON THE SEED.
IT THEN GETS INCORPORATED.
IT MOVES WITHIN THE PLANT ITSELF
AND CAN EITHER BE EXPRESSED IN
THE LEAVES -- IT'S CIRCULATED IN
THE LEAVES, OR, IN SOME CASES,
IT CAN BE EXPRESSED IN THE
POLLEN AND THE NECTAR WHEN THAT
PLANT BLOOMS.
>> THESE PESTICIDES KILL INSECTS
BY INFLICTING SUB-LETHAL DAMAGE.
THEY WEAKEN IMMUNE SYSTEMS,
DISRUPT DIGESTION, IMPAIR
NAVIGATIONAL ABILITIES, AND
SUBTLY HARM THE BRAIN.
THESE EFFECTS CAN BE
PARTICULARLY DETRIMENTAL TO
COLONIAL INSECTS LIKE HONEYBEES.
IF LOST OR SEPARATED FROM THE
COLONY, A SINGLE HONEYBEE CANNOT
SURVIVE FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS
WITHOUT HER HIVE.
>> SINCE THEIR INTRODUCTION,
SYSTEMIC PESTICIDES HAVE BECOME
THE FASTEST-GROWING INSECTICIDES
IN THE WORLD.
WITH BRAND-NAMES LIKE GAUCHO AND
PONCHO, THEY CAME TO BE WIDELY
USED IN THE U.S. IN 2003, NOT
LONG BEFORE THE ADVENT OF COLONY
COLLAPSE DISORDER.
>> WITH THE NEWER-STYLE
PESTICIDES, THE SYSTEMICS, YOU
CAN HAVE EXPOSURE AND HAVE NO
SYMPTOMS FOR MANY MONTHS.
BUT WHEN THE SYMPTOMS DO OCCUR,
IT'S DEVASTATING.
PRODUCTS THAT ARE BEING USED
RIGHT NOW HAVE BEEN TESTED AND
FOUND TO BE SAFE AROUND BEES,
AND THAT'S TRUE ON A LETHAL
DOSE.
WHEN THE BEES GO TO THE FLOWER,
IT'S NOT ENOUGH PRODUCT TO KILL
THEM.
BUT THE ISSUE OF WHAT'S BROUGHT
BACK TO THE HIVE AND WHAT'S FED
TO THE BEES IN THEIR
DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES IS NOT ONLY
NOT REQUIRED TO BE STUDIED, ALL
THAT RESEARCH IS ABSENT.
IT DOESN'T EXIST.
WHAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IS
LOW-LEVEL, SUB-LETHAL DOSES OVER
A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, AND WHAT
EFFECT THAT HAS ON THE HEALTH OF
THE BEES.
>> BUT MEASURING THE SUB-LETHAL
DAMAGE DONE BY PESTICIDES WAS
CHALLENGING.
MARYANN FRAZIER, A RESEARCH
SCIENTIST AT
PENN STATE UNIVERSITY, BEGAN TO
EXPLORE WHETHER PESTICIDES, AND
PARTICULARLY THESE NEW SYSTEMIC
PESTICIDES, COULD EXPLAIN THE
NATION'S DWINDLING HONEYBEE
POPULATION.
>> IN ORDER TO LOOK AT THE
IMPACT OF PESTICIDES, WE HAVE TO
COLLECT SAMPLES.
AND SO WE COLLECT THESE SAMPLES
OF EITHER HONEY OR POLLEN, OR IN
THE FIELD, WE MIGHT COLLECT
SAMPLES OF BEES AND/OR WAX.
THE INITIAL QUESTION WAS, YOU
KNOW, ARE PESTICIDES, AND, IN
PARTICULAR, SYSTEMIC PESTICIDES,
CAUSING CCD?
WHAT WE DID WAS PARTICIPATE IN
THE LARGE CCD PROJECT.
AND FROM THAT, WE FOUND AN
INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF PESTICIDES.
AND THE QUESTION THEN BECAME
MUCH MORE COMPLICATED.
YES, THE PESTICIDES ARE THERE.
THERE'S NO DOUBT.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THOSE
PESTICIDES?
"WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO THE
BEES?" IS NOW THE QUESTION.
THIS IDEA THAT THESE PESTICIDES
THAT WE'RE SEEING AT VERY, VERY
SMALL LEVELS ARE CAUSING
SUB-LETHAL EFFECTS IS A MUCH
MORE DIFFICULT THING TO TRY TO
DIAGNOSE, TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND.
THE FACT THAT THEY, AGAIN, MIGHT
BE INTERFERING WITH THE NERVOUS
SYSTEM OF THE BEES AND, THUS,
INTERFERING WITH THEIR ABILITY
TO LEARN OR TO REMEMBER, OR
THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM --
INTERFERING WITH THEIR ABILITY
TO HAVE A STRONG, HEALTHY IMMUNE
SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO FIGHT OFF
DISEASES.
>> WITH COLONY COLLAPSE
DEVASTATING BEES FOR A SECOND
YEAR, THE PLIGHT OF THESE PRIME
POLLINATORS MOVE TO THE NATION'S
CAPITAL, WHERE A CONGRESSIONAL
HEARING WAS HELD TO DISCUSS
HONEYBEE HEALTH.
DAVID HACKENBERG AND DAVE MENDES
TRAVELED TO WASHINGTON, D.C., TO
VOICE THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR
BEES AND OUR ENVIRONMENT.
>> IN FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR, TOP
AGRICULTURE RESEARCHERS, IN
CONJUNCTION WITH THE USDA,
TERMED THIS MASSIVE DECLINE IN
HONEYBEES AS COLONY COLLAPSE
DISORDER AND SET OUT TO PINPOINT
THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM.
MANY BEEKEEPERS IN MY DISTRICT
HAVE BEEN FINANCIALLY AND
EMOTIONALLY DEVASTATED BY THE
RAPID LOSS OF THEIR BEE
COLONIES.
NEXT UP, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL ON
MR. DAVID MENDES, VICE PRESIDENT
OF THE AMERICAN BEEKEEPING
FEDERATION, FROM NORTH MYERS,
FLORIDA.
WELCOME, SIR.
THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO
TELL YOU THAT OVER THE LAST
18 MONTHS, WE HAVE FIGURED OUT
THE CAUSE OF CCD, BUT THAT WOULD
NOT BE AN ACCURATE STATEMENT.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT MANY
BEEKEEPERS HAVE A PRETTY GOOD
IDEA OF WHAT IS HURTING THEIR
BEES.
WHAT'S HAPPENED NOW -- THESE NEW
PRODUCTS, THESE SYSTEMICS, THEY
CAN BE APPLIED TO THE SOIL.
THEY CAN BE APPLIED FOLIARLY.
THEY CAN BE SEED-TREATED, ON
CORN, FOR INSTANCE.
MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND EXPERIENCE
OF SEVERAL BEEKEEPERS IS YOU
BRING YOUR BEES TO AN AREA WHERE
THESE PRODUCTS ARE BEING USED.
SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, THEY'RE
COLLAPSING.
THE BEES THAT YOU LEFT IN THE
WOODS FAR AWAY FROM THOSE
CROPS -- THEY'RE JUST FINE.
I AM SURE THAT MOST OF THE
PEOPLE AT THIS HEARING ARE AWARE
OF RECENT ACTIONS IN GERMANY TO
RESTRICT THE USE OF MANY
SYSTEMIC PESTICIDES.
THIS FOLLOWS REGULATORY ACTIONS
ORIGINALLY IMPLEMENTED IN FRANCE
TO LIMIT THE USE OF THESE
PRODUCTS UNTIL THEY CAN BE
CLEARLY PROVEN TO BE SAFE TO
HONEYBEES AND OTHER BENEFICIAL
INSECTS.
>> BEES DISAPPEARING FROM THEIR
HIVES WOULD HAVE BEEN OF GREAT
CONCERN TO NAPOLEON BONAPARTE,
WHO MADE HONEYBEES A SYMBOL OF
HIS REIGN.
THE OLDEST BEEKEEPING SCHOOL IN
THE WORLD STILL EXISTS IN THE
JARDIN DU LUXEMBOURG, AND HIVES
CAN EVEN BE FOUND LISTENING TO
THE ARIAS ON THE ROOF OF THE
PARIS OPERA HOUSE.
15 YEARS AGO, BEES IN FRANCE
BEGAN TO DISAPPEAR IN A MANNER
SIMILAR TO COLONY COLLAPSE
DISORDER, WHICH THEY CALLED
MAD BEE DISEASE.
>> DECRYING THE MASSIVE BEE
DEATHS TO BE MUCH MORE THAN A
BAD BEEKEEPING ISSUE, FRENCH
BEEKEEPERS TOOK TO THE STREETS.
THOUSANDS GATHERED TO STAGE
PROTESTS IN CITIES ACROSS
FRANCE, AT THE EIFFEL TOWER, AND
IN FRONT OF BAYER CropScience,
THE COMPANY THAT MANUFACTURES
THE SYSTEMIC PESTICIDES IN
QUESTION, LIKE GAUCHO AND
PONCHO.
>> REVIEWING THE EVIDENCE IN THE
COURTROOM AND LISTENING TO THE
CRIES OF THE PUBLIC, THE FRENCH
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE BANNED
THE SYSTEMIC PESTICIDES ON CORN
AND SUNFLOWERS.
>> TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BANS,
HACKENBERG AND MENDES TRAVELED
ACROSS THE ATLANTIC TO AN
INTERNATIONAL BEEKEEPING
CONFERENCE IN FRANCE.
HENRI CLEMENT INVITED THEM TO
SPEAK AND COMPARE NOTES WITH
EUROPEAN BEEKEEPERS AND
SCIENTISTS FIRSTHAND.
>> CAN YOU GO ALL THE WAY TO THE
TOP?
>> I GUESS YOU CAN.
>> I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
>> IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A
RELATION BETWEEN THE BEEKEEPERS
IN FRANCE, IN EUROPE, IN U.S.,
BECAUSE IT'S A BIG PROGRAM.
IT'S NOT ONLY VARROA OR...
>> NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
>> IT'S PESTICIDE.
>> WELL, WE THINK SO, TOO.
THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IN THE
STATES IS THAT WE NEED THE
SCIENCE.
WE STILL DON'T HAVE THE SCIENCE
THAT IT'S ENOUGH FOR THE
GOVERNMENT.
WHAT WE FIND IS THE PESTICIDES
START -- THEY START THE PROCESS,
AND THEN THE VIRUSES ARE A
PROBLEM.
OKAY, OKAY. YES, YES, BUT --
>> FOR ME, THE PROBLEM IS, IN
FIRST, PESTICIDES, AND THE
EFFECT OF PESTICIDES.
>> VIRUSES, NOSEMA CERANA,
VERROA'S MORE A PROBLEM.
>> WHEN YOU ARE INTOXICATED,
YOU...
>> YES. YES.
>> [ SPEAKING FRENCH ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
[ CONTINUES SPEAKING FRENCH ]
>> THE SPRING OF 2004, WE PUT
BEES ON APPLES IN UPSTATE
NEW YORK, AND THEY WERE SPRAYED
WITH ASSAIL, WHICH IS A SYSTEMIC
BAYER PRODUCT.
THE SCIENTISTS ARE FINDING IT IN
THE POLLEN.
THEY'RE FINDING IT -- YOU KNOW,
WE'RE FINDING IT --
IT'S NOT A PROBLEM OF FINDING
IT.
IT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO ABOUT
IT, BECAUSE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION FOLKS HAVE PUT IT OUT
THERE, AND IT'S NOW OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVE TO THEM
THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM.
>> ONE OF OUR GOALS IN COMING
HERE TO EUROPE IS TO LEARN WHAT
RESEARCH, WHAT SCIENCE YOU'VE
ALREADY WORKED ON, SO THAT WE
CAN BRING IT HOME AND USE IT TO
CHANGE OUR LAWS, ALSO.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM WHERE IT
HAPPENS.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING -- THE
SECOND.
NOT THE FIRST -- THE SECOND.
OKAY.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PROVE.
BECAUSE OF THE TIME.
>> YOU CAN'T LINK THE CAUSE AND
THE EFFECTS.
>> WE SUSPECT THAT WHEN IT'S IN
THE POLLEN, IT'S AFFECTING THE
BEES A DIFFERENT WAY IN THEIR
DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES -- THAT THE
BEES THAT HATCH OUT, THEIR
NERVOUS SYSTEM IS AFFECTED IN
SOME WAY SO THAT THEY DON'T SHOW
ANY PHYSICAL DIFFERENCE, BUT
SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH THEM.
AND IT SEEMS TO TAKE MORE THAN
ONE GENERATION.
>> WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT
DOWN WITH SCIENTISTS AND
BEEKEEPERS HERE AND TALK ABOUT
OUR PROBLEMS AND THEIR PROBLEMS.
AND FOR THE MOST PART -- YOU
KNOW, THERE'S SOME DIFFERENCES,
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THEY SEEM
TO BE, YOU KNOW, QUITE THE SAME.
>> BEEKEEPERS WORLDWIDE HAD
SIMILAR SUSPICIONS AND FOLLOWED
FRANCE'S LEAD, STAGING PROTESTS.
BRITISH BEEKEEPERS CALLED FOR
RESEARCH FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE
BEE CRISIS.
>> WHAT DO WE WANT?!
>> All: 8 MILLION!
>> WHEN DO WE WANT IT?!
>> All: NOW!
>> WE DON'T WANT MUCH!
YOU'VE GIVEN IT TO THE BANKS!
WE WANT 8 MILLION!
SAVE OUR BEES!
SAVE OUR AGRICULTURE!
>> CONCERNED OVER BEE HEALTH,
COUNTRIES LIKE ITALY, GERMANY,
AND SLOVENIA ALSO PLACED BANS ON
CERTAIN SYSTEMIC PESTICIDES THAT
BEEKEEPERS AND OTHERS BELIEVE
UNDERLIE THE MYSTIFYING SYMPTOMS
OF COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER.
>> MOST EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS USE
THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE WHEN
APPROVING THE USE OF PESTICIDES.
THIS PLACES SAFETY AS THE MAIN
PRIORITY WHEN REGULATING TOXIC
CHEMICALS, INTENDING FOR ERRORS
TO ALWAYS FALL ON THE SIDE OF
CAUTION.
>> [ SIGHS ]
THE OTHER THING IT'S INTERESTING
TO THINK ABOUT EUROPE IS THEY'RE
LIVING IN A DIFFERENT IDEA.
THEY'RE IN THE PRECAUTIONARY,
YOU KNOW.
"WE'RE GONNA TAKE PRECAUTIONS.
IF WE THINK IT'S A PROBLEM,
WE'RE GONNA TAKE IT OFF THE
MARKET UNTIL WE FIGURE THIS
THING OUT."
HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, WE'RE
JUST THE OPPOSITE!
WE JUST PUT IT OUT THERE, AND WE
SEE WHAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW?
>> THE EPA DECIDES WHETHER OR
NOT TO APPROVE A PESTICIDE BASED
ON WHAT IS CALLED RISK
ASSESSMENT.
THIS PRACTICE ALLOWS FOR
EXPOSING THE PUBLIC TO RISK AS
LONG AS THE EPA DETERMINES THOSE
RISKS ARE REASONABLE.
>> WE'RE LOOKING AT AN AGENCY
THAT'S REGULATING BY RISK
ASSESSMENT, DOES NOT LIKE THE
PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE AT ALL
AS A MATTER OF PRACTICE OR
PHILOSOPHY, AND ESSENTIALLY IS
SAYING, "WE CAN MITIGATE RISKS
OF CHEMICALS."
THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER, IS BECAUSE
OF OUR FAILED REGULATORY
SYSTEMS, WE'RE STILL NOT ASKING
THE FULL RANGE OF QUESTIONS THAT
NEED TO BE ASKED BEFORE WE
REGISTER THESE CHEMICALS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE NOT
ASKING ADEQUATELY ARE THE
SUB-LETHAL EFFECTS OF CHEMICALS.
>> EPA REGULATIONS DEAL WITH
LETHAL DOSES TO ADULT BEES.
THEIR PERCEPTION IS THEY'VE DONE
THEIR JOB, BUT THERE'S A BIG
HOLE MISSING.
WHEN THEY CHANGE THE NATURE OF
THE PESTICIDES, THE MODE OF
ACTION, THEY NEEDED TO CHANGE
THE REGULATION, AND THAT DID NOT
OCCUR.
>> ANOTHER PROBLEM BEEKEEPERS
HAVE WITH THE EPA's APPROVAL
PROCESS IS SOMETIMES REFERRED TO
AS THE FOX GUARDING THE
HEN HOUSE.
>> BUT WHO FUNDS RESEARCH?
DO YOU KNOW HOW EPA WORKS IN
THIS COUNTRY?
EPA DOESN'T DO ANY RESEARCH.
THE MANUFACTURER DOES ALL THE
RESEARCH.
THEY SUBMIT IT TO EPA, AND THEY
EITHER SAY YES OR NO OR "WE NEED
MORE INFORMATION."
WHEN I TALKED TO THE STATE HERE
TO ASK THEM ABOUT IT, AND I
SAID, "WELL,
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA OR USDA --
WHO'S DONE THE RESEARCH ON
THIS?" THEY REFERRED ME TO THE
TOXICOLOGIST AT BAYER.
I PICKED UP THE PHONE.
I TALKED TO HIM.
I SPOKE TO THE TOXICOLOGIST.
HE SAID, "I'LL SEND YOU THE
STUDIES."
HE SENT ME THE STUDIES.
I LOOK AT THEM.
THEY PUT IMIDACLOPRID IN SUGAR
SYRUP.
THEY FEED IT TO ADULT BEES.
THEY LOOK AT 1 DAYS, 2 DAYS, 3
DAYS, AND THAT'S THE END OF THE
STORY.
AND WHEN I SPOKE TO THE
TOXICOLOGIST, I SAID, "HOW ABOUT
THE BROOD, THE DEVELOPING?"
"WE DON'T LOOK THERE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO."
>> SO THE AGENCY WHOSE JOB IT IS
TO ACTUALLY DECIDE WHETHER
PESTICIDES ARE SAFE RELIES ON
THE DATA SUPPLIED BY THE VERY
COMPANIES WHO WOULD MOST PROFIT
FROM THEIR USE.
>> I DON'T KNOW.
THEY REALLY SHOULD TAKE
"PROTECTION" OUT OF THEIR LABEL,
BECAUSE THEY AIN'T PROTECTING
NOTHING.
I MEAN, THEY'RE JUST -- YOU
KNOW, THEY'RE NOT PROTECTING
ANYTHING.
THEY'RE JUST ENVIRONMENTAL
WHATEVER, YOU KNOW?
>> WHEN PEOPLE DISCOUNT THE
WHOLE ARGUMENT ABOUT PESTICIDES,
THEY SAY, "WELL, YOU'VE BEEN
AROUND PESTICIDES FOR YEARS."
YOU KNOW, "WHAT'S DIFFERENT
NOW?"
WELL, THIS IS WHAT'S DIFFERENT,
IS THE RESIDUALS -- HOW LONG THE
PRODUCTS LAST.
THE SYSTEMICS ARE DESIGNED TO
HAVE LONG RESIDUALS.
>> WHEN THEY'RE USED OVER A
PERIOD OF TIME, THEY LEAVE A
LONG-LASTING RESIDUE IN THE
SOIL, AND THEY ACCUMULATE WITH
TIME.
AND WHAT HASN'T BEEN LOOKED AT
VERY MUCH YET IS THAT
ACCUMULATION OVER TIME AND WHAT
THAT DOES.
WHAT IS THE LEVEL AFTER A PERIOD
OF TIME?
IS IT ENOUGH TO KILL A BEE?
PROBABLY.
>> TO US, THIS BEGS THE
QUESTION, WHAT ARE THESE
PESTICIDES IN COMBINATION DOING?
WE ALL KNOW THAT WHEN WE GO TO
THE PHARMACIST, THE FIRST THING
THEY WANT TO KNOW IS WHAT OTHER
PRESCRIPTIONS ARE YOU TAKING,
BECAUSE THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT
THE POTENTIAL INTERACTION OF
COMPOUNDS.
WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE
THINGS SYNERGIZE -- THAT
TOGETHER, TWO OF THESE THINGS
CAN BE MORE TOXIC THAN EITHER
ONE CAN BE ON ITS OWN.
>> IT'S LIKE GOING BACK TO
CHEMISTRY CLASS, YOU KNOW?
YOU TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF THIS, A
LITTLE BIT OF THAT, IT WAS FINE.
YOU DUMPED IT OUT.
EVERYTHING IS FINE.
YOU POUR IT TOGETHER, AND IT'S
STILL OKAY.
THEN YOU GET A THIRD THING, AND
YOU DUMPED IT IN, AND IT STARTED
TO SIZZLE A LITTLE BIT.
YOU FOUND SOMETHING ELSE WHERE
YOU DUMPED IT IN.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, BOOM!
YOU BLOW THE WHOLE PLACE UP!
SYNERGISM HAS NEVER BEEN REALLY
LOOKED AT.
NOBODY HAS EVER TESTED IT.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO, BECAUSE
THAT'S NOT WHAT THE RULES AT EPA
SAY.
>> THE REAL ANSWER TO WHY A
FEDERAL AGENCY LIKE EPA IN THE
U.S. IS NOT ASKING WHAT IS
OBVIOUS OR WHAT ANY SCIENTIST
WOULD THINK IS LOGICAL IS THE
CHEMICAL COMPANY INFLUENCE.
>> WE PUT AGENCIES LIKE THE EPA
IN PLACE TO MODERATE THE AVARICE
OF CORPORATIONS, AND THEY HAVE
NOT DONE IT.
INSTEAD, THEY'VE BEEN CORRUPTED.
I CYNICALLY SAY THAT THEY'VE
BECOME A BUNCH OF "PESTITUTES."
>> I TELL PEOPLE, WHEN THEY ASK
ME ABOUT SOMETHING, I SAY,
"WELL, I GOT TO ASK THE BEES."
AND THEY SAY, "WELL, WHAT ARE
YOU -- DR. DOLITTLE?
DO YOU TALK TO THE BEES?"
AND I SAY, "YEAH."
I MEAN, IT'S NOT A VERBAL
EXCHANGE, BUT IF YOU WANT --
YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE THEORIES IN
THE WORLD, BUT YOU HAVE TO GO
OUT AND ASK THE BEES.
>> THE BEES ARE TELLING US THAT
THIS IS A COMPLEX ISSUE.
BUT THE HUMAN BRAIN, I THINK,
BELIEVES THAT WE KNOW BETTER,
AND WE CAN IDENTIFY THE ONE
CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, WHEN, IN
FACT, THERE ARE A CONSTELLATION
OF COMPLEX FACTORS THAT
INTERRELATE, COEXIST, CREATE
SYNERGIES, ADDITIVE AND
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS THAT THE
SCIENTIFIC PROCESS DOES NOT
MEASURE.
>> IN ONE SENSE, IT'S A MYSTERY.
WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S
RESPONSIBLE.
IS IS A PARTICULAR VIRUS?
IS IT A PARTICULAR PESTICIDE?
AND THERE ARE MANY CONFLICTING
THEORIES.
BUT IN THE LARGER SENSE, WE KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT'S RESPONSIBLE, AND
THAT IS THESE HUGE MONOCULTURES
IN AMERICAN AGRICULTURE AND
WORLD AGRICULTURE THAT ARE
MAKING BEES' LIVES VERY
DIFFICULT AND CREATING
CONDITIONS WHERE THEY'RE
VULNERABLE TO DISEASE AND
EXPOSED TO PESTICIDES.
IN OUR CULTURE, SCIENTISTS HAVE
THE LAST WORD, THE ULTIMATE
AUTHORITY, IN COMMENTING ON
MATTERS HAVING TO DO WITH
BIOLOGY.
THERE ARE OTHER FORMS OF
KNOWLEDGE, VERY POWERFUL FORMS
OF KNOWLEDGE, ABOUT BIOLOGY.
THERE IS LOCAL KNOWLEDGE.
THERE IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF
BEEKEEPERS AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF
PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, ARE JUST
REALLY GREAT OBSERVERS OF THE
NATURAL WORLD.
>> THE PESTICIDE SCIENTISTS SAY,
"WELL," YOU KNOW, "THE SCIENCE
DOESN'T SAY THIS."
WELL, THEIR SCIENCE MAY NOT SAY
THIS, BUT I'M LIVING IN A WORLD
OF REAL REALITY.
THESE BEES ARE REALITY.
>> WE SHOULD LISTEN, BECAUSE
VERY OFTEN, TRADITIONAL
KNOWLEDGE GETS THERE BEFORE THE
SCIENTISTS.
>> WE DO KNOW THAT IN THESE SAME
AREAS, EVERY TIME WE ENCOUNTER
CORN, SOYBEANS, AND ALL THESE
CROPS THAT HAVE BEEN TREATED
WITH SYSTEMIC PESTICIDES, THE
BEES FALL APART.
>> IN AMERICAN AGRICULTURE, MORE
THAN 95% OF THE FOOD WE EAT IS
TREATED WITH PESTICIDES.
OVER A BILLION POUNDS OF THESE
TOXIC CHEMICALS ARE USED ON
CROPS ANNUALLY.
WHAT COULD BE DRIVING THE U.S.
TO PRODUCE FOOD IN SUCH A WAY?
>> I DON'T THINK THE FARMER IS
LOOKING FOR THE QUICK FIX.
THE FARMER IS PART OF THE WHOLE
SYSTEM THAT'S BASED ON
PRODUCTION QUANTITY, CHEAP FOOD.
>> CHEAP FOOD IS NOT AS CHEAP AS
IT LOOKS.
YOU PAY THE PRICE EVENTUALLY.
YOU PAY IT IN TERMS OF
ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE.
YOU PAY IT IN TERMS OF FUTURE
HEALTH DAMAGE.
AND FOOD THAT LOOKS EXPENSIVE
TODAY MAY NOT BE IN THE LONG
TERM IF IT HELPS KEEP YOU
HEALTHIER.
>> WELL, BIG AGRICULTURE, YOU
KNOW, AND THE PEOPLE THAT DRIVE
BIG AGRICULTURE -- YOU KNOW, THE
CHEMICAL COMPANIES, THE SEED
COMPANIES, AND EVERYBODY ELSE,
YOU KNOW, HAVE GOT THIS
MENTALITY THAT THE FACT IS, YOU
KNOW, ANOTHER 10 YEARS, WE'RE
NOT GONNA GROW FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES -- THAT WE'RE GONNA
BE THE CORN-, SOYBEAN-, COTTON-,
CANOLA-PRODUCING COUNTRY OF THE
WORLD, AND LET EVERYBODY ELSE
PRODUCE THE FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES.
>> 20 YEARS AGO, THE AVERAGE
CROP OF CORN, THE AVERAGE YIELD
PER ACRE, WAS 75 BUSHELS TO THE
ACRE.
TODAY, IT'S 150 BUSHELS.
GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS,
SYSTEMIC PESTICIDES -- THEY'RE
PREDICTING TO GO TO 300 BUSHEL
PER ACRE IN ANOTHER 20 YEARS.
THIS IS SEEN AS SUCCESS.
WHETHER THE QUALITY OF THAT CORN
IS THE SAME, WHETHER IT MAKES US
SICK, OR WHAT IT DOES TO US, IS
SECONDARY.
>> MY TAKE ON COLONY COLLAPSE IS
IT IS ONE OF THE SIGNS, THE
REALLY UNMISTAKABLE SIGNS, THAT
OUR FOOD SYSTEM IS
UNSUSTAINABLE -- THAT WORD THAT
WE ALL THROW AROUND BUT MEANS
SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC, WHICH
IS TO SAY IT'S DESTROYING THE
CONDITIONS UPON WHICH IT
DEPENDS.
IT HAS INTERNAL CONTRADICTIONS
THAT WILL LEAD TO BREAKDOWN.
>> THE QUESTION OF WHETHER WE
CAN ACTUALLY FEED THE WORLD
WITHOUT TOXIC CHEMICALS I THINK
HAS LONG BEEN ANSWERED.
DESPITE ALL OUR MODERN
INGENUITY, WE HAVE THE SAME
DEGREE OF CROP LOSS TODAY THAT
WE HAD BEFORE THE PESTICIDE
REVOLUTION.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL LOSING
ABOUT 1/3 OF OUR CROP IN
CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE TO
INFESTATIONS.
THAT'S A BIG LOSS.
AND WE NEVER LOST MORE THAN
THAT, AND WE NEVER WILL LOSE
MORE THAN THAT IN NON-CHEMICAL
SYSTEMS.
>> WHILE SAFER ALTERNATIVES
EXIST, THE CURRENT AGRICULTURAL
LANDSCAPE IMPACTS MORE THAN JUST
THE HONEYBEE.
MANY FEEL OTHER LIFE ON EARTH
HAS ALSO BEEN ADVERSELY IMPACTED
BY PESTICIDE RESIDUALS MOVING
THROUGH OUR ECOSYSTEM.
>> YOU KNOW, THIS ISSUE WITH
SYSTEMIC PESTICIDE JUST ISN'T
HONEYBEES.
THIS IS ALL OF THEM, YOU KNOW,
ALL THE NATIVE POLLINATORS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE BATS, THE
HUMMINGBIRDS, THE OTHER SOLITARY
BEES.
>> NOT ONLY BIRDS, FISH, AND
INSECTS ARE PUT AT RISK FROM THE
WIDESPREAD USE OF PESTICIDES.
>> THE REALITY ITSELF, ASIDE
FROM WHAT'S MORAL OR NOT, SHOULD
BE DRIVING US TO STEP BACK AND
QUESTION WHETHER ALL THE MONEY
IN THE WORLD CAN BUY US AN
ENVIRONMENT OR GOOD HEALTH.
AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, THE
ANSWER IS IT CAN'T.
WE'RE NOT KILLING PEOPLE WITH
PESTICIDES, PER SE.
WE DON'T SEE THE DEAD BODIES BY
THE HIVES OR IN THE STREETS.
BUT WE'RE CAUSING ENOUGH
DETERIORATION OF SYSTEMS IN THE
BODY -- CAUSING AUTISM IN
HUMANS, OR WE'RE CAUSING
LEARNING DISABILITIES.
AND WE'RE CAUSING MECHANISMS IN
BEES TO ERODE TO THE EXTENT THAT
THEY CAN'T FORAGE CORRECTLY OR
NAVIGATE CORRECTLY.
>> IN 2010, LATE FALL OF 2009,
2010, LOOKS LIKE THIS IS GONNA
BE THE WORST LOSS OF BEES SINCE,
YOU KNOW, CCD HAS STARTED.
>> WHAT I'VE DONE, AND OTHER
BEEKEEPERS HAVE DONE, IS I'M
GONNA BE 400 MILES AWAY FROM
HOME THIS SPRING TO KEEP MY BEES
AWAY FROM AREAS THAT I THINK ARE
GONNA HURT THEM.
YOU HAVE TO BE ACCEPTING OF THE
FACT THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOU
DO -- YOU DO ALL THE RIGHT
THINGS -- 1/3 OF THEM ARE GONNA
DIE.
WE'RE IN A WAR, SOMEWHAT, HERE,
AND WE'RE GONNA LOSE A
PERCENTAGE OF OUR TROOPS
CONSISTENTLY.
WE'RE GONNA KEEP FIGHTING.
>> TO HELP BEEKEEPERS IN THEIR
FIGHT, ONE OF AMERICA'S LEADING
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS HAS COME TO
THE AID OF THE HONEYBEES.
>> NRDC SUED EPA IN FEDERAL
COURT IN NEW YORK BECAUSE EPA
HAD MESSED UP THE REGISTRATION
OF THE SYSTEMIC PESTICIDE
MOVENTO.
OUR ATTENTION AT NRDC WAS CALLED
TO THIS ISSUE BY BEEKEEPERS WHO
NOTICED THAT THEIR HIVES WERE
LITERALLY DEPOPULATED.
AND ONE OF THE ODD THINGS ABOUT
THIS PARTICULAR CHEMICAL IS THAT
YOU DIDN'T SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, A
PILE OF DEAD BEES OUTSIDE THE
HIVE.
THEY JUST DISAPPEARED.
NRDC HAS WON EVERY STEP OF THE
WAY AND HAS STOPPED THE RETAIL
SALE OF THE SYSTEMIC PESTICIDE
MOVENTO.
>> WORLDWIDE, BEEKEEPERS,
SCIENTISTS, AND CONCERNED
CITIZENS HAVE RECOGNIZED
SYSTEMIC PESTICIDES AS A
PROBLEM.
AND NOW MANY ARE LOOKING TO
FRANCE TO SEE IF THE BANS HAVE
LED TO ANY IMPROVEMENTS.
>> INITIALLY, GUENTHER HAUK
HOPED TO BRING HEALING TO THE
HEARTLANDS.
BUT AFTER WITNESSING THE ILL
EFFECTS OF BIG AGRO BUSINESS, HE
DECIDED TO RELOCATE FAR AWAY
FROM MONOCULTURE FARMING.
>> WE HAD TO MOVE FROM THE FARM
IN ILLINOIS, THE 610-ACRE FARM.
AND WE FOUND THIS WONDERFUL
PLACE IN VIRGINIA, IN FLOYD,
WHERE WE ARE NOT SURROUNDED BY
MONSANTO CORN AND SOY, BUT BY
PASTURES AND FIELDS AND HAY
FIELDS.
THE BEES ARE THE LIFE GUARANTORS
OF NATURE ITSELF, SO WE HAVE TO
TRY -- WE HAVE TO TRY TO TAKE
CARE OF THEM.
BY TAKING CARE OF THEM, WE TAKE
CARE OF OURSELVES.
EINSTEIN SAID A BEAUTIFUL WORD.
HE SAID, "WE CANNOT CHANGE THE
PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE
SAME MIND-SET THAT HAVE CAUSED
THEM."
OUR MIND-SET HAS TO UNDERGO A
GREAT TRANSFORMATION.
>> I THINK THIS APPROACH TO MORE
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, WHERE
YOU'RE INCORPORATING PLACES FOR
NATIVE POLLINATORS AND NATIVE
WILDLIFE AND OTHER PLANTS AND
PESTICIDE-FREE AREAS FOR
INSECTS -- I THINK THAT'S THE
FUTURE.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING BACK TO
HOW WE FARMED 100 YEARS AGO.
I THINK IT'S LOOKING AT MODERN
FARMING AND MAKING SURE MODERN
FARMING LIVES IN HARMONY WITH
THE ENVIRONMENT.
>> RIGHT NOW, IN 2010, THE
ORGANIC BEEKEEPERS IS UP TO
ABOUT 3,400 MEMBERS, GOING FOR
4,000.
AND YET, WHEN I STARTED, IT WAS
LIKE, LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN GET
300.
SO, IT'S GROWN.
>> ACCORDING TO ONE PERSPECTIVE,
COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER IS A
BLESSING IN DISGUISE.
NOT ONLY HAS IT PLACED BEES AT
THE FOREFRONT OF OUR
CONSCIOUSNESS, THE WIDESPREAD
CONCERN HAS SPARKED A SURGE OF
HOBBY BEEKEEPERS.
FOLKS ARE HELPING BEES AND
EVERYTHING ELSE BY BRINGING
THESE FUZZY POLLINATORS INTO
THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE BUZZ PROMPTED THE CITY OF
NEW YORK TO LEGALIZE BEEKEEPING
IN THE FIVE BOROUGHS.
ON MARCH 24, 2010, THE BIG APPLE
CHANGED LEGISLATION, FOLLOWING
THE LEAD OF CITIES LIKE SEATTLE,
CHICAGO, AND SAN FRANCISCO.
>> IN FRANCE, THEY MARCH IN THE
STREETS WITH THEIR TRACTORS, AND
THE GOVERNMENT CHANGES THINGS.
IN THE UNITED STATES, IT DOESN'T
WORK THAT WAY.
>> PEOPLE NEED TO CALL THEIR
CONGRESSMAN AND SENATORS AND
COMPLAIN.
TELL THEM, "HEY, I DON'T LIKE
THE WAY THINGS ARE.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT I'M
EATING.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE BEES.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT ALL OTHER
INSECTS THAT ARE DISAPPEARING."
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE
REALIZED IN AMERICA IS THAT
POLITICIANS RESPOND TO LETTERS.
AND I ALSO KNOW THAT THEY
RESPOND TO THE MEDIA.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU
GUYS HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS
ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES.
WELL, APPARENTLY, HONEYBEES ARE
DISAPPEARING ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY, TENS OF MILLIONS OF
THEM JUST DISAPPEARING.
THERE'S NO BODIES, NO SIGN OF
THEM.
THEY'RE JUST MYSTERIOUSLY GONE.
IT'S SCARY, HUH?
>> NO BEES MEANS NO HONEY.
>> IT'S NATURE'S WAY OF SAYING,
"CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?"
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
[ ELECTRONIC HIP-HOP MUSIC
PLAYING ]
>> YO, WHERE MY BEES AT?
>> SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ORGANIC
FARMER.
PLANT A SEED.
MAKE THE PLANET A HEALTHY PLACE
WHERE THE BEES CAN THRIVE!
>> BY SAVING THE BEES, WE SAVE A
LOT MORE THAN THE BEES.
>> THERE ARE PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS
YOU AND I CAN DO EVERY DAY TO
SAVE THE BEES.
THE FIRST PLACE TO START IS AT
HOME, BY CUTTING THE USE OF
TOXIC CHEMICALS IN OUR HOUSES
AND ON OUR LAWNS.
[ THUNDER RUMBLES ]
SAFE ALTERNATIVES TO PESTICIDES
AND HOLISTIC GARDENING PRACTICES
ARE OFTEN MORE EFFECTIVE THAN
THE POISONS, WHICH HAVE RUN AMOK
IN THE SUBURBS AS WELL AS THE
CORNFIELDS.
>> WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE
GOVERNMENT TO ACT ON SOME OF
THESE ISSUES.
EVEN THOUGH IT'S IMPORTANT THE
GOVERNMENT DO ACT, WE CAN DO
SOMETHING TODAY.
WE GET TO VOTE THREE TIMES A DAY
FOR WHAT WE'RE GONNA EAT AND
WHAT WE'RE NOT GONNA EAT.
AND BOTH DECISIONS ARE EQUALLY
IMPORTANT, SO THAT VOTING WITH
YOUR FORK IS, YOU KNOW, A VERY
POWERFUL THING.
AND BY DOING SO, YOU CAN NURTURE
THE FOOD SYSTEMS THAT WILL TAKE
BETTER CARE OF THE BEES.
>> CHOOSING ORGANIC PRODUCE IS
ANOTHER EFFECTIVE WAY TO HELP
THE BEES AND KEEP YOU AND YOUR
PLANET HEALTHY.
MORE BEE SAVING CAN BE DONE BY
SHOPPING AT THE LOCAL FARMERS
MARKET, WHICH PROVIDES BOTH A
FUN OUTING AND DELICIOUS,
HEALTHY FOOD.
IF THESE OPTIONS AREN'T
AVAILABLE OR ORGANIC FOOD SEEMS
TOO EXPENSIVE, YOU CAN PLANT A
GARDEN AND GROW YOUR OWN ORGANIC
PRODUCE.
EVEN PEOPLE LIVING IN APARTMENTS
CAN KEEP WINDOW GARDENS.
>> YOU KNOW, DO YOU HAVE A LAWN?
LAWNS DON'T OFFER MUCH TO BEES.
THEY DON'T OFFER MUCH TO US,
EITHER.
RIP OUT YOUR LAWN AND PUT IN A
GARDEN.
PUT IN FLOWERING PLANTS.
CREATE HABITAT FOR BEES.
IT'S NOT VERY HARD TO ATTRACT
BEES TO YOUR PROPERTY.
>> WE WANTED TO HAVE A VEGETABLE
GARDEN, BECAUSE THIS IS THE
FIRST TIME THAT WE LIVED IN A
HOUSE WITH HOW WE COULD HAVE A
GARDEN.
AND I HAD BEEN HEARING A LOT
ABOUT BEES NOT HAVING ENOUGH
FOOD BECAUSE OF URBANIZATION.
AND WE DECIDED --
>> TO PLANT SOME.
>> YEAH.
SO WE GOT A GARDENING BOOK.
>> WE "BUILDED" THIS.
>> WE DID BUILD THIS.
>> [ IMITATES BEE BUZZING ]
HELLO?
[ IMITATES BEE BUZZING ]
>> [ LAUGHS ]
AND I JUST LOVE THAT MY
DAUGHTER'S LEARNING, LIKE, TO
HAVE A LOVE OF NATURE.
TO HAVE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF
NATURE IN YOUR YARD IS NICE.
>> THE PLIGHT OF THE LITTLE BEE
HAS ALSO INSPIRED GARDENS IN BIG
PLACES.
IN THE SPRING OF 2009,
FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA
PLANTED AN ORGANIC GARDEN AT THE
WHITE HOUSE.
AND TO HELP THE FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES GROW, THE GARDEN
HOLDS A BEEHIVE.
>> AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE
CAN MAKE A CHANGE IN THIS THING
FOR THE GOOD OF NOT ONLY THE
HONEYBEES, BUT FOR EVERYBODY
ELSE!