Queen of the Sun is a documentary floating around independent theaters in the US this summer that addresses the disappearing bee colonies all over the world. Joelle and I went to see it last night at Varsity Theatre in Davis. The film is guided by a handful of beekeepers, scientists, authors, including Michael Pollan, Gunther Hauk, and our favorite Yvon Achard, a Frenchman who uses his bristly mustache to brush the beehive frames :)
It was beautifully filmed and presented facts in a way that held my attention and further increased my love of honeybees. There were also fun animations and collage-y moments in between the interviews.
Bees pollinate so many things that we need in order to be healthy (check out this super long list!). Large beekeeping industries try to speed up the process and create efficiency by messing up the natural order of things. They even put high fructose corn syrup in the beehives!
Bees pollinate so many things that we need in order to be healthy (check out this super long list!). Large beekeeping industries try to speed up the process and create efficiency by messing up the natural order of things. They even put high fructose corn syrup in the beehives!
And while independent beekeepers are taking careful steps to care for their bees, crops, and fellow human beings, there is nothing they can do when a big plane sprays pesticides across a neighboring field. A gust of wind will just blow the pesticides right over to the natural beehives.
The narrators highlight the rising trend of backyard beekeeping and rooftop beekeeping. I really want to have a hive in my backyard one of these days. This movie shows the struggles that go along with beekeeping, but still makes it seem doable. I have to keeping crossing books off of my reading list until I finally get to Keeping Bees with Ashley White.
Plant bee-friendly flowers and flowering herbs in your garden and yard.
Ways that you can help our bees:
Plant bee-friendly flowers and flowering herbs in your garden and yard.
Don’t use chemicals and pesticides to treat your lawn or garden.
Buy local, organic food from a farmer that you know.
Please check out the film, or at least the trailer for now. I thought it was wonderful :)
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