Synopsis

Bees are dying in their millions.

It is an ecological crisis that threatens to bring global agriculture to a standstill. Introduced by Martha Kearney, Who Killed the Honeybees? explores the reasons behind the decline of bee colonies across the globe, investigating what might be at the root of this devastation.

Honey bees are the number one insect pollinator on the planet, responsible for the production of over 90 crops. Apples, berries, cucumbers, nuts, cabbages, and even cotton will struggle to be produced if bee colonies continue to decline at the current rate.

Empty hives have been reported from as far afield as Taipei and Tennessee. In England, the matter has caused beekeepers to march on Parliament to call on the government to fund research into what they say is potentially a bigger threat to humanity than the current financial crisis.

Investigating the problem from a global perspective, Who Killed the Honeybees? makers travel from the farm belt of California to the flatlands of East Anglia to the outback of Australia. They talk to the beekeepers whose livelihoods are threatened by colony collapse disorder, the scientists entrusted with solving the problem, and the Australian beekeepers who are making a fortune replacing the planet’s dying bees. They also look at some of the possible reasons for the declining numbers – is it down to a bee plague, pesticides, malnutrition?

Or is the answer something even more frightening?

About the Filmmakers

Who Killed the Honey Bee? was directed by James Erksine.

Critic Reviews

“This one-hour BBC documentary will give you a good introduction to Colony Collapse Disorder — the abnormal phenomenon that occurs when the worker bees in a colony disappear, leaving behind a queen, plenty of food, and a few nurse bees to care for the remaining immature bees. The film explores the decline of bee colonies across the globe, from the farm belt of California to the flatlands of East Anglia to the outback of Australia. Narrated by Martha Kearney, the film will leave you pondering on the consequences of bee demise. And that is not so sweet.” – Rajeshwari Ganesan. Daily O. Daily Recco May 20: Who Killed the Honey Bee? 20 May 2021

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