27x09 - Tales from the Hive

[bunniefuu]

Narrator: bees have been busy
for millions of years now

And they're not about
to stop anytime soon.

Foragers still return
from the fields with nectar

While guard bees
still watch and wait.

There's treasure in
this beekeeper's hive

And all are sworn to
protect it with their lives.

Suddenly, an intruder
comes flying in...

A wasp, hoping to capture a bee
and feed it to its hungry grubs.

The battle begins in earnest.

The wasp is larger

But the bees make up in numbers
what they lack in strength.

They sting the
invader relentlessly.

For the individual bee,
it's a suicide attack.

The bee's stinger and
part of its abdomen

Will be ripped from its
body when it pulls away

But the defense of the colony
is the only thing that matters.

Paralyzed by venom,
mortally wounded

The wasp is
unceremoniously dragged

To the edge of the hive...

And dumped.

Just an ordinary day of
birth, death, sex and violence

And it's not even noon yet.

Narrator: ah, spring.

After a long winter

It's time to get outside and
to drink your fill of nectar.

If you're a honey bee, this
is your field of dreams.

Bees get almost all of
their food from flowers.

Attracted by the bright
colors and sweet smells

The bee thrusts its body
and long, straw-like proboscis

Deep inside the flower

And sucks up the sugary
nectar at the bottom.

Pollen, the bees'
source of protein

Is also on the shopping list.

While the bee is
gathering nectar

Pollen collects on the
small hairs of its body.

To carry it safely

The bee stows it away
in sacks on its hind legs.

A bee can carry its own
weight in pollen and nectar

And still fly... Barely.

Some food will fuel
the bee's own activity

But most will be saved
for the communal hive.

As soon as they return

The foragers prepare
to unload their cargo.

Other workers are
waiting to help them.

A full load of nectar fills
nearly half of a bee's abdomen.

The foragers bring up the nectar

From their stomachs
into their mouths.

Household bees then suck it out.

As the nectar is passed
on from one bee to another

It's processed by
enzymes in the bee's body.

The nectar is then
tipped into storage cells.

It takes about five days for it
to thicken and ripen into honey.

When the process is complete

The honey cell is sealed
with wax, like a lid on a jar

To be opened when needed.

Pollen is stored
separately, in other cells.

Later, it's mixed with honey

And used, for the most
part, to feed the young.

The bees pack it down to
make room for the next load

And the next.

Together, the dark pollen
cells and lighter honey cells

Make up the bees' pantry.

The search for nectar and pollen
lasts as long as the light does.

The flowers are not
just being charitable.

By luring the bees

They get them to carry pollen
from one blossom to another.

A flowering plant
can't reproduce

Unless it gets pollen

From another flower
of the same type.

Without bees, most would die.

When a scout bee discovers
a rich new source of food

It must tell the others
how to get there.

This is the waggle dance...

Pay close attention.

To learn the
location of the nectar

Watch how fast the
bee waggles its body.

Listen to the sounds it makes

And remember the
speed, direction

And the number of
patterns in the dance.

It's the bees' version of a map.

Directions are always
given in relation to the sun...

To the right of it, the
left, or dead ahead.

Success at last.

Mmm, nice nectar.

It takes the nectar
from five million flowers

To make one pint of honey.

Each bee may visit hundreds
of blossoms in a day

And work a 12-hour shift.

They make about
ten journeys in a day

With each trip lasting
roughly an hour.

Today, just like yesterday,
there is no rest for the weary.

Most worker bees live
for only about a month...

They simply wear out.

There's a constant
need for replacements

So feeding and raising the young

Takes up much of
the hive's energy.

There are three
types of bees here:

The female workers, the
male drones, and the queen.

The workers are the smallest

But they do all
the work of the hive

From nursing the
young to foraging.

Every few days,
they take on a new job

Running through all of them
in the course of their lives.

The drones, who are medium-sized

Mate with the colony's
queen... Their one and only job.

They don't forage for food.

They don't even have stingers
to protect themselves.

The queen has only one job, too

But it's the most
important of all.

She must lay the eggs

For the next generation
of workers, drones

And even her own replacement.

But first the queen must mate

And to do that, she
must leave the hive.

She sets off on her
first mating flight

When she's about a week old.

When the queen appears

She's immediately
surrounded by the males

Who follow her unique scent.

Each of the dozen or so drones
who get to mate with the queen

Dies in the act.

The queen flies back
to the hive immediately

Her body carrying
the sign of success...

What's left of the male.

She'll make a few more mating
flights in the coming days...

And then have enough
sperm in her body

To fertilize eggs for
the rest of her life...

Which may last from
one to four years.

It's now time for the beekeeper

To pay his respects
to her royal highness.

But he comes with
an ulterior motive.

A mated queen can be
sold to another beekeeper

Who wants to
establish a new colony.

Such valuable property
needs to be marked

Like the brand on a steer.

Every day, the queen
will lay about 1,500 eggs...



It's a tough job, but
someone has to do it.

The queen's royal scent

Prevents the female workers
from laying eggs themselves.

It takes a few days for the
eggs to grow into larvae.

They are then bathed
in a special food

Brought to them by workers.

During its first day,
a larva eats so much

Its weight increases 5½ times.

In six days, its weight
increases 1,500 times.

The larvae then spin cocoons
and pupae develop inside

Until they emerge two
weeks later as adult bees.

The queen only stops laying eggs

When the weather
grows colder in november.

Each bee makes the metamorphosis
from egg to larva to adult

In about three weeks.

And there's little surprise
about the newborn's sex

Since every worker is a female

And almost every
bee is a worker.

In a colony of tens of thousands

Only a hundred
bees are born male.

The dome-shaped covers
of their brood cells

Provide extra space
for their larger bodies.

Worker bees act as
midwives to assist them.

But a worker herself

Has to fight her way out
of her brood cell unaided...

No coddling allowed here.

Soon, the worker will follow

Her well-ordered
behavioral cycle

Beginning with
cleaning her own cell.

The males, on the other
hand, receive special care.

They're helped out of their
cells and immediately fed.

In an otherwise
society of equals

The male does not have to work.

Even his name... Drone... Is
another word for an idler.

His large compound eyes
tell of his sole purpose in life:

Sighting the queen
on the mating flight.

In a honey bee colony

Every member has a
specific task to perform

And everything has its place.

When the colony grows so large

That the bees begin
to run out of room

They instinctively
know that it's time

For the old queen to leave
with half the population

And a new queen to be crowned.

First, construction
needs to begin

On special queen cells

In which a dozen or so new,
would-be queens will grow.

This is the most exclusive
neighborhood in the hive.

As eggs, all bees are equal

But by feeding grubs a
steady diet of "royal jelly"...

A mixture of milky secretions...
They're turned into queens.

But before the new queens
hatch, the old queen must leave

Accompanied by
thousands of workers

Who are close enough
to follow her scent.

They swarm out of the
hive in a mad, swirling rush.

Not far from the hive,
the old queen lands to rest

And the swarming
bees follow her.

Whenever and wherever she
lands, they collect around her

To keep her safe and at
the right temperature.

She's their future: the
only member of the colony

Who can lay eggs and
produce the next generation.

But swarming bees consume
a great deal of energy.

Whatever food they had in
their stomachs is quickly used up

So they have to stop
to gather more nectar.

Any food not used by a
foraging bee is shared.

Scouts check out
possible sites for a new hive.

But with each hour,
the danger grows.

Out in the open, the bees
are extremely vulnerable

To predators and bad weather.

Many swarms die when they
can't find a new site fast enough.

But this time, the
bees are in luck.

They immediately take
possession of a hollow fruit tree.

Every inch is
carefully examined.

Naturally, the
tree is a bit musty

So they air it out using
their wings as fans.

Then they spread a special scent
from a gland on their abdomen.

The sweet smell of home...

It makes the new
address official

And allows stragglers
to find their way.

Inside the tree, the
bees form living chains.

Not having a ruler handy

It's their way of
taking measurements

In preparation for
the construction work

Which has to begin
as soon as possible.

Bees are natural engineers.

They're also gymnasts...

Excellent at holding
on to each others' legs.

Outside, there's a steady
stream of new arrivals.

The tree seems to meet with
their unanimous approval

Especially the rustic decor.

Cell upon cell and row
upon row, the hive is built.

Each sheet of cells
is called a comb.

The worker bees have

Wax-secreting glands
in their abdomens

To produce a steady
supply of building material.

But there's a high price to pay.

To produce the energy
to make an ounce of wax

It takes a pound of honey.

Every cell is a hexagon, sharing
a wall with six adjacent cells.

The comb has two layers of
cells with a base in between them.

That way, there can be
open cells on both sides.

The wax can be incredibly thin
without weakening the structure.

A feather-light comb can
support pounds of honey.

The more cells that are
built, the more bees can be born

And the new colony's
survival ensured.

It's now midnight.

Under the penetrating gaze of
an owl, the original colony rests

While other creatures stir.

There's a visitor to
the hive tonight: a mouse

Trying to keep out of the
way of owls and bees alike.

It's not after honey, but
warmth and safety... And a snack.

The owl is none the wiser.

The mouse can smell
the danger above.

There lies the realm of the bees

Where mice are not welcome.

He makes a modest meal
of crumbs from the comb.

The bees are keeping
the brood cells

At an even 95
degrees fahrenheit...

Just the right temperature
for a chilly mouse.

The scent of honey is
carried on the night air

And some creatures will go
to great lengths to steal it.

This is the death's
head hawkmoth.

Its sinister name comes

From the shape of a skull
emblazoned on its back.

The moth's limbs are stiff
from the cold night air.

By shivering, it warms its
body up before taking flight.

The moth is risking its
life on a dangerous mission.

It lands at the entrance
surrounded by guard bees

Ready to protect the hive,
but there's no sign of defense.

The moth walks boldly past
the guards and enters the hive.

The moth's
camouflage is perfect.

It produces chemicals that
mimic the scent of the beehive.

To the bees, having
the right smell

Is more important
than being the right size.

But just in case, the moth
uses another deception.

It makes sounds that
would normally come

Only from a queen bee.

With these disguises

The moth can plunder the
honey cells unchallenged.

The hive bees notice
the loss of honey

But not the robber
in their midst.

The moth sucks four
or five honey cells dry.

But the scent of the hive
is beginning to wear off

And if he's caught, he'll
never make it out alive.

He escapes just in time.

Spring now turns to summer.

Not only is the
harvesting season short

But all sorts of
unpredictable events

Can force the bees to stop.

And what's more
unpredictable than the weather?

[ thunder rumbles]

All those who can
return quickly to the hive.

Those who remain face
the full force of the rain.

The bees are forced to seek
shelter from the downpour.

Rain poses a real threat.

The bees can become
so chilled by the water

That their muscles no
longer function efficiently.

They are grounded,
unable to fly.

Even the guard bees back at
the hive are rendered useless

Numbed by the cold.

It's a good time for
the mouse to return

Without the risk of being stung.

A cluster of sodden bees
hangs outside the entrance.

Too many foragers tried
to seek shelter in the hive

At the same time.

But the mouse still
needs to be careful.

Once the bees dry out

Their reaction will be
considerably different.

They are not generally
known for their hospitality.

The bees have reason to be wary.

There are enemies everywhere

And of these, one of
the most dangerous

Is the bird ominously
known as "the bee-eater."

With a brood of hungry
chicks in their nest tunnels

The birds need to meet a
constant demand for food.

Unfortunately for the bees

The birds are unaffected
by the venom in their stings.

A single bird can
k*ll 500 bees a day

A whole group can
wipe out a colony.

The best the bees can
do is become an irritation.

But the bee-eater's
thick layer of feathers

Renders most
attacks ineffective.

[ swarm buzzing]

Nearby, the dreaded hornets
are also rearing their young.

With hungry hornet grubs to feed

Attacks against the
bees increase in intensity.

The bees counterattack

But no individual stands
a chance against a hornet.

The invader quickly disables
the bee's flight muscles.

The hornets are
nightmare neighbors.

They'll remain a constant
menace to the bee colony

For the rest of the summer.

Out in the countryside,
the work continues.

There are thousands
of different kinds of bees

But only one kind
that produces honey.

The honeybee can
smell with her antennae.

And she can taste with
the tip of her proboscis

Not to mention each foot,
which can taste what it touches.

A forager can visit flowers up
to six miles away from the hive.

For us, that would
equal a trip of 800 miles.

It's now 16 days since the
old queen left the hive...

Time for a new queen to emerge
from the royal apartments

To replace her.

The firstborn stakes
her claim to be ruler

With a piping call.

[ queen buzzing loudly]

But that's not enough
to win the throne.

She will also have to fight
up to a dozen royal sisters.

[ loud buzzing]

One possible rival
is stung to death

Through the wall of the brood
cell before she can get out.

At the same time

Another is trying to free
herself from her cell.

The firstborn queen
must now act quickly

If she wants to remain in power.

She heads for the brood
cell of the second rival.

As soon as the rival is free,
the challenge is taken up.

She stakes her own claim
with an aggressive call.

[ queen calling out]

The battle for
the colony begins.

The larger, longer
queens are in the center

Surrounded by workers.

Each queen tries to
sting the other to death

Striking as close as possible
to the sensitive abdomen.

But this time,
quite unexpectedly

The battle ends in a draw.

The stalemate has
dramatic consequences.

A hive can only have one queen

So the colony
must divide yet again.

The departing swarm
is on a risky mission.

The newborn queen
that leads it is a virgin

And cannot guarantee the new
colony's continued existence.

Thousands of workers
follow her nonetheless

Drawn inexorably by her scent.

A precipitous
flight from the hive

Can have strange consequences.

If the scout bees
have no opportunity

To find a suitable home

They may stumble into a
dangerous neighborhood

Infested by humans and
their infernal machines.

The swarm seeks a
temporary resting place.

For bees, home is
where the queen is.

Alighting on a live
overhead tram wire

Shows a definite
lack of planning.

It could be deadly
for the swarm.

But for passersby,
it's just a diversion.

Swarming bees have no
possessions to protect

And so seldom sting...

Although they do tend to
bring the town to a standstill.

[ fire engine sirens blaring]

The fire department
comes to the rescue.

[ siren wailing]

The firemen have brought
with them some expert help

On call for just this
kind of emergency.

But it's not clear

How the beekeepers can get the
bewildered colony under control.

As one would expect of firemen

The beekeepers have
brought along their own hoses.

The cold water has the
effect of calming the bees...

At least temporarily.

At first, the bees
seem to tolerate

Being shaken into the box

But then they begin to
rebel, led by their queen

Who has been protected
from the effects of the water

By a layer of loyal followers.

The swarm, with the queen
in its midst, rises from the box

And continues its journey
to a new, unknown destination.

The scouts search for
a suitable site for a hive

In the nearby woods.

The rotted stump of
an old tree seems ideal.

A fixer-upper, to be sure,
but one with undeniable charm.

The usual inspections
are cautious at first

Then progressively
more confident.

So far, so good.

It's empty, it's dry, and it's
big enough for the colony.

Who could ask for more?

Some food would be nice, too.

Now that the bees have
settled in the woods

They search out honeydew...

A sticky liquid containing
a great deal of sugar

Which they can turn
into woodland honey.

The honeydew comes from aphids.

It's prized by many insects,
especially wood ants.

The aphids tap trees
to obtain sugary sap

Which their bodies
turn into honeydew.

The wood ants then massage
the aphids with their antennae

To stimulate production.

They act as shepherds
tending their sheep.

An ant lion greedily
watches the wood ants' flock.

But he'll face stiff resistance.

Some poachers are more
imposing than others.

[ bees buzzing]

Bears spend almost all of
their time foraging for food.

It's best not to
attract their attention.

Too late.

[ growls]

The bear is known
for its sweet tooth

And a beehive is irresistible.

To reach the prized
woodland honey

The bear uses brute force.

But honey is only one
of the attractions.

He also savors the
protein-rich grubs.

The bees desperately
defend their hive.

But they're no
match for the bear

Who shakes off their attacks.

His thick fur protects
him from the stinging bees

Long enough for him to
wreak maximum damage.

Only when the hive is devastated

Does the bear decide
it's time to move on.

[ buzzing]

Other, smaller
plunderers begin to arrive.

One bee tries to
rescue some honey.

She's driven away by the ants.

The colony is doomed.

But the original hive is
still very much intact.

As summer heat raises
the temperature inside

Workers are kept busy
bringing in cooling water.

But it's the winter

That's the hardest
time for the colony.

They have only the honey
stores set aside in the summer.

All the bees must work hard
for the survival of the colony.

The drones who didn't
mate with the queen

Are no longer needed.

They're driven out of
the hive to certain death.

The colony must now
submit to another indignity.

It's time for the beekeeper
to take his share of the honey...

A kind of rent to cover the cost
of the hive and its management.

Anything he spills
is public property.

But the rent is
invariably reasonable

For the beekeeper wants
his bees to survive the winter.

Beekeepers have been
harvesting their crop

For thousands of years.

They've faced ruin
from bad weather

Predators and bacterial disease.

And yet, year after year

A new generation of
workers has taken to the air

To bring us the taste of honey.

In the house at pooh
corner, a.a. Milne wrote:

"'What would you like
best in the world, pooh?'

"'Well, ' said pooh,
'what I like best...'

"And then he had
to stop and think.

"Because although eating
honey was a very good thing to do

"There was a moment just
before you began to eat it

"Which was better
than when you were

But he didn't know
what it was called."

Sweet anticipation.

a bee in flight...

a mid-air mating...

life inside the hive.

how did they capture
all this on film?

learn the filmmaker's
tricks on nova's web site.