Who Killed the Honey Bee?

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, this documentary 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, the programme 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?

Credits

Presenter

Martha Kearney

Director

James Erskine

Producer

James Erskine

Broadcasts

1. Thu 23 Apr 2009
   21:00
   BBC Four
2. Thu 23 Apr 2009
   23:30
   BBC Four
3. Sun 26 Apr 2009
   22:00
   BBC Four
4. Mon 27 Apr 2009
   02:15
   BBC Four
5. Mon 27 Apr 2009
   20:00
   BBC Four
6. Tue 28 Apr 2009
   02:25
   BBC Four
7. Fri 15 May 2009
   19:00
   BBC Two (England, Northern Ireland (Analogue) only)
8. Sat 11 Jul 2009
   18:30
   BBC Two (Wales only)
9. Mon 27 Jul 2009
   19:30
   BBC Four
10. Tue 28 Jul 2009
    02:35
    BBC Four
11. Sun 30 Aug 2009
    20:00
    BBC Four
12. Mon 31 Aug 2009
    01:30
    BBC Four