NOVA Bees Tales From the Hive

[Music] 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 [Music] there's treasure in this beekeepers 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 [Music] 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 paralysed 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 [Music] ah spring after a long winter it's time to get outside and to drink your fill of nectar if you're a honeybee this is your Field of Dreams bees get almost all of their food from flowers [Music] attracted by the bright colors and sweet smells the bee he thrusts its body and long straw-like proboscis deep inside the flower and sucks up the sugary nectar at the bottom [Music] Pollan 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 [Music] to carry it safely the bestows it away insects on its hind legs a bee can carry its own weight in pollen and nectar and still fly barely some food will fuel the bees own activity but most will be saved for the communal hive [Music] 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 Abbey's abdomen [Music] the foragers bring up the nectar from their stomachs into their mouths household bees then suck it up 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 soles and lighter honey cells make up the bees pantry [Music] 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 [Music] a flowering plant can't reproduce unless it gets palm from another flower of the same type without meas most would die [Music] 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 a 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 [Music] success at last [Music] mmm nice nectar [Music] it takes the nectar from five million flowers to make one pint of honey each beam may visit hundreds of blossoms in a day and work a 12-hour shift [Music] they make about ten journeys in a day with each trip lasting roughly an hour [Music] 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 [Music] the drones who are medium-sized mate with the colonies 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 - 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 meeting flight when she's about a week old [Music] [Music] 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 [Music] the Queen flies back to the hive immediately her body carrying the sign of success what's left of the mail 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 a Royal Highness [Music] but he comes with an ulterior motives 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 200,000 in a year [Music] it's a tough job but someone has to do it the Queen's royal scent prevents the female workers from laying eggs themselves [Music] 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 five and a half times in six days its weight increases 1,500 times [Music] 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 [Music] each beam makes the metamorphosis from egg to larva to adult in about three weeks and there's little surprised about the newborns sex since every worker is a female and almost every bee is a worker [Music] 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 - a system [Music] but a worker herself has to fight her way out of her brood cell unaided no coddling allowed here [Music] 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 are helped out of their cells and immediately fed [Music] 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 citing the Queen on the mating flight [Music] [Music] 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 [Music] [Laughter] [Music] 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 [Music] not far from the hinds the old queen lands to rest and the swarming bees follow her [Music] 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 B is shared Scout's 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 trees 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 these are natural engineers they're also gymnasts excellent at holding on to each other's legs outside there's a steady stream of new arrivals [Music] the tree seems to meet with their unanimous approval especially the rustic decor sell upon sell and row upon row the hive is built [Music] 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 cone 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 [Music] 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 [Music] there lies the realm of the bees where mice are not welcome [Music] he makes a modest meal of crumbs from the Coney the bees are keeping the brood cells that an even 95 degrees Fahrenheit just the right temperature for a chilly Mouse [Music] 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 moths limbs are stiff from the cold night air by shivering it warms its body up before taking flight [Music] 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 moths 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 rubber 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 [Music] he escapes just in time [Music] 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 [Music] all those who can return quickly to the hive those who remain faced the full force of the rain [Music] 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 [Applause] 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 [Music] 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 [Music] unfortunately for the bees the birds are unaffected by the venom in their stings a single bird can kill 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-eaters thick layer of feathers renders most attacks ineffective [Music] nearby the dreaded Hornets are also rearing their young with hungry Hornet grubs to feed attacks against the bees increase in intensity the bees counter-attack but no individual stands a chance against a Hornet [Music] the invader quickly disables the bees flight muscles the Hornets are nightmare neighbors [Music] they'll remain a constant menace to the bee colony for the rest of the summer [Music] 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 spell with her antenna and she can taste with the tip of her proboscis not to mention each foot which can taste what it touches [Music] a forager can visit flowers up to six miles away from the hive [Music] for us that would equal a trip of 800 miles [Music] it's now 16 days since the old Queen left the hive time for a new queen to emerge from the Royal Apartments to replacement the firstborn stakes her claim to be ruler with a piping call but that's not enough to win the throne she will also have to fight up to a dozen royal sister one possible rival is stung to death through the wall of the brood cell before she can get out [Music] at the same time another is trying to free herself from herself the firstborn Queen must now act quickly if she wants to remain in power she heads for the brood cell of the second rivals [Music] as soon as the rival is free the challenge is taken up she stakes her own claim with an aggressive call [Music] the battle for the colony begins [Music] the larger longer queens are in the center surrounded by workers [Music] each queen tries to sting the other today striking as close as possible to the sensitive abdomen [Music] [Music] 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 colonies continued existence thousands of workers follow her nonetheless drawn inexorably by her scent [Music] 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 [Music] the swarm seeks a temporary resting place for bees home is where the Queen [Music] alighting on a live overhead tram wire shows a definite lack of planning [Music] it could be deadly for the swarm but for passers-by 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 [Music] [Applause] [Music] the fire department comes to the rescue [Music] 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 too bewildered colony under control as one would expect a fireman the beekeepers have brought along their own hoses the cold water has the effect of calming the bees at least temporarily [Music] [Music] at first the bees seemed 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 lebackes and continues its journey to a new unknown destination [Music] the scouts search for a suitable site for a hive in the nearby woods [Music] the rotted stump of an old tree seems ideal a fixer-upper to be sure but one with undeniable charm [Music] 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 honey do a sticky liquid containing a great deal of sugar which they can turn into woodland honey [Music] the honey do comes from Athens its 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 antlion greedily watches the wood ants flock but he'll face stiff resistance [Music] [Music] some poachers are more imposing than others bears spend almost all of their time foraging for food it's best not to attract their attention too late the bear is known for its sweet tooth and a beehive is irresistible [Music] [Music] to reach the prized woodland honey the bear uses brute force [Music] but honey is only one of the attractions he also savers the protein Richmond groves [Music] the bees desperately defend their hive [Music] but there are 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 [Music] [Music] only when the hive is devastated does the bear decide it's time to move on [Music] other smaller plunderers begin to arrive [Music] one B tries to rescue some honey she's driven away by the ends the colony is due [Music] but the original hive is still very much intact a 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 to 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 his public property [Music] 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 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 mil wrote what would you like best in the world poop 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 [Music] a bee in flight a midair mating life inside the hive how did they capture all this on film learn the filmmakers tricks on Nova's website [Music] [Applause] to order this show or any other Nova program for 1995 plus shipping and handling called WGBH Boston video at one eight hundred to five five nine four to four [Music]

Channel: John White

Views: 157,505

Rating: 4.8744111 out of 5

Keywords: bees

Id: I6C9th9rO0U

Length: 53min 52sec (3232 seconds)

Published: Thu Apr 02 2020