Season 1 • Episode 2
LatestChris Packham and Martha Kearney reveal the mysteries of that iconic insect of the British countryside, the honeybee. Chris and Martha discover which of our tagged bees have survived over the mid summer week - a frenetic nectar and pollen gathering period - and if they have collected enough food at this critical time to see them through the winter. With the help of Prof Adam Hart they will also explore the Queen's remarkably deadly mating ritual and look at how bees can help us medically and how we can help them
Chris Packham and Martha Kearney consult experts and use modern technology to examine the lives and times of honeybees.
Cinematography
Macro shots so intimate you'll feel like pollen.
Direction
Packham's deadpan narration treats bees like A-list celebrities.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released amid global bee panic, this helped mainstream 'save the bees' discourse before it became Instagram aesthetic. Packham was already BBC royalty; this cemented his nature-doc dominance pre-Blue Planet II.
The 'hive cams' used here influenced later nature docs including Apple TV's Tiny World. Some footage required 24-hour hive monitoring—bee cinematographers worked harder than the bees.
GB
