Vanishing of the Bees is a documentary about the phenomenon called “colony collapse disorder” and the attempt of beekeepers and entomologists to track its cause. The importance of honeybees to the agricultural industry is underestimated by many, in that one in three foods eaten by Americans contains an ingredient that was pollinated by honeybees. It is estimated that a single hive of honeybees can visit ENT#x0003EENT100,000 flowers in a day and that ENT#x0003EENT$15 billion dollars’ worth of crops are pollinated by honeybees on a yearly basis. In 2007, colony collapse disorder started infecting hives, baffling entomologists around the world.
The DVD is divided into 12 chapters and also includes a study guide for classroom use. It begins with some basic biology about honeybees, including roles of the queen and the various jobs of the workers. The film opens with a brief tour of the produce section of the grocery store...
University of California Press