Video

5 insightful TED talks on Honey Bees

18 Nov

We have selected 5 insightful TED talks on Honeybees, from beekeepers to scientists, all bee lovers, and all speaking about the importance of the honey bees. By watching these 5 short videos, you will learn about their origins, their relationship with human, why they are disappearing and how you could help them.

John Miller: No bees, No food – March 2014

John Miller is a commercial beekeeper who you might have caught a glimpse of in the documentary ‘More than honey.’ His grandfather was making his living by selling honey, but times have change and Miller makes his living not by selling honey any more but by offering the service of pollination. He travels with his 12,000 colonies all over USA and pollinates fields. This unique approach makes him standout among a crop of commercial American beekeepers. He is telling us more in this TED talk:

 

Marla Spivak: Why bees are disappearing? – September 2013

This TED talk is led by Marla Spivak, a distinguished McKnight University Professor in Apiculture and Social Insects. She is explaining us how bees are disappearing due to diseases and parasites, pesticides, monoculture and a flowerless landscape devoid of any biodiversity. It’s no secret that the honeybee population is on the decline and the main reason for this is the change in our farming practices. For example, we stopped planting cover crops and start using chemicals fertilizers. Monocultural practice and relentless use of fertilizer and weed killer have ensured that our landscape is gradually turning into a desert for bees.

 

Dino Martins: The human and the honeybees – June 2013

“Both honeybees and humans originated in East Africa and the connection between us has survived the ages.”

Dino Martins, entomologist and teacher at Turkana Basin Field school and explorer at National Geographic gives us a short but really fascinating talk. He shows how insects and in particular honey bees are connected to human beings. Showing examples of bees pollination all over the world and their importance for the livelihoods of people.

 

Noah Wilson Rich: Every city needs healthy honey bees – April 2013

This TED talk is done by Noah Nilson Rich, Doctorant in Biology and founder of Best bees, a company which delivers, installs, and manages honey bee hives for residents and businesses throughout eastern Massachusetts. He promotes urban bee keeping and its benefits. Imagine all roof tops everywhere, creating food crops in the city.The pilot project started in Paris and it is now catching on all over the world.

 

Dennis Vanengelsdorp: Where have the bees gone? – December 2008

Dennis Van Engelsdorp, assistant Professor in the department of entomology at the University of Maryland was one of the early advocates of the health of honey bees and has spoken extensively about bees disappearing and what could be the root cause of this problem. Yearly, around 30% of the population of bees vanish in America.  After spending time with local and commercial beekeepers, he goes through all the possibilities of why and where the bees could have gone.

 

 

 

Video

5 must-see documentaries about Honey bees

11 Jul

We noticed there was not enough quality Apiculture resource banks on the net. The lack of awareness around Colony Collapse Disorder and the plight of the honey bee is startling. Here’s our list of 5 of the best honey bee documentaries we found out there. Hope everybody enjoys watching them as much as we did, do feel free to leave comments.

More than Honey (2012) by Markus Imhoof

rated 7.6/10 on ImDb

This documentary focuses on the relationship between honeybees and small family beekeepers as well as commercial beekeepers from Australia, China, Switzerland and America. A beautiful film featuring stunning close ups of bees in their natural element. This documentary gives you a lenseye perspective of life in a honey bee colony.

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Queen of the Sun: what are the bees telling us? (2010) by Taggart Siegel

rated 7.6/10 on ImDb

Perhaps one of the most unconventional documentaries on honeybees. This documentary made me laugh and cry. After watching this movie you’ll think twice before munching on an almond. You’ll learn in-depth about the innovative design of the Sun hive. A beautiful biodynamic hive made in rye straw that respects the well-being of the colony. An informative and defining documentary, ‘Queen of the Sun’ is a must for apiculturists across the board.

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Vanishing of the Bees (2009) by George Langworthy and Maryam Henein

rated 6.9/10 on ImDb

The movie highlights the challenges bees are facing in this fast modernizing world. With a special focus on “Colony Collapse Disorder,” it presents us the economic, political and ecological implications of the worldwide disappearance of the honeybee. This documentary follows organic and commercial beekeepers fighting against big corporation and trying to save their bees.

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Who killed the honey bees? (2009) by James Esrkine

rated 7/10 on ImDb

Introduced by Martha Kearney, this BBC documentary, full-length available on YouTube, explores the reasons behind the decline of bee colonies across the globe, investigating the key contributors to the devastation. This simple documentary is a good introduction to Colony Collapse Disorder. A 50-minute documentary explaining tracing the history of commercial beekeepers.

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The Last Beekeeper (2008) by Jeremy Simmons

rated 7.6/10 on ImDb

In 1950, the United States had a work force numbering 200,000 beekeepers, in 2008, there were less than 1,600! One of the eldest professions in the world faces extinction. The movie follows the struggles of three American beekeepers as their colonies are threatened by a mysterious illness. A unique perspective on commercial beekeeping,