Ellen Page, narrator. "August 2011, No 69". Includes two short films, Vanishing of the Bees, and Pollen Nation.
Contents:
Vanishing of the bees (90 min.) -- Pollen nation (2007, 25 min.).
Summary:
Vanishing of the Bees: Honeybees have been mysteriously disappearing across the planet, literally vanishing from their hives. Known as Colony Collapse Disorder, this phenomenon has brought beekeepers to crisis in an industry responsible for producing hundreds of varieties of fruits and vegetables. Commercial honeybee operations pollinate crops that make up one out of every three bites of food on our tables. Vanishing of the Bees follows two commercial beekeepers as they strive to keep their bees healthy and fulfill nationwide pollination contracts. Filming around the world, this documentary examines the alarming disappearance of honeybees and the greater meaning it holds about the relationship between mankind and mother earth. Pollen Nation: In the last 30 years, the number of honeybees in the US has been cut in half. The beekeepers say it takes more and more work to keep their bees alive as they battle new problems wrought by pesticide use, destruction of habitat, the stress of trucking them around the country, and epidemic infestations of mites and viruses. This film follows the journey of one commercial beekeeper -- third generation beekeeper Jeff Anderson -- from the honey harvest on the High Plains to the warm winter --feeding grounds of California. It also explores the history of human interaction with bees, a story that reflects the development of agriculture.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.