Ep 7. Honey Bee-Ware

Inside Man is a popular CNN Original series that offers an in-depth look into various sectors, uncovering the inner workings of different organizations, industries, and cultures. Season 3 of Inside Man continues the tradition of its predecessors, featuring an array of informative and entertaining episodes. Among its episodes, Inside Man season 3 episode 7, called Honey Bee-Ware, stands out for its fascinating exploration of beekeeping and conservation efforts.

The episode, which runs for 41 minutes, is hosted by Morgan Spurlock, the acclaimed documentary filmmaker, and storyteller. Morgan Spurlock is known for his unorthodox storytelling style, using humor, wit, and his own personal experiences to bring complex issues to light. In "Honey Bee-Ware," Spurlock takes the viewers on a journey to discover why bees are so vital to our environment, and more importantly, why bees are dying out at an alarming rate.

The episode opens with Spurlock donning a bee suit and heading into a commercial bee farm. Here, he meets beekeeper Jacobsen, who introduces Spurlock to the workings of a bee farm. Jacobsen explains the different types of bees, how they build hives, and how they gather honey. Spurlock is fascinated by the organized chaos of the bee farm, but he quickly learns that commercial beekeeping is a critical factor in the demise of honeybees globally.

Spurlock meets with Dr. Dennis vanEngelsdorp, an entomologist, and researcher at the Honey Bee Lab at the University of Maryland. Dr. vanEngelsdorp explains how honeybees are vital to our food supply chain, and he emphasizes that one-third of our food supply depends on pollination by bees. He goes on to explain that honeybees are under threat from a variety of factors, including disease, climate change, pesticides, and habitat loss.

Spurlock travels to the almond orchards of California to investigate how commercial beekeeping practices are impacting both bees and humans. Here, he learns about the hectic migratory lifestyle of a commercial beekeeper, who transports his beehives across the country to pollinate crops. The bees are subjected to a range of stresses from pesticides and antibiotics used to maintain hive health, and many die from exhaustion and decline in health. Spurlock speaks with Brent, a beekeeper, who had to decide whether to continue the business of beekeeping or to walk away from a way of life he loved.

Throughout "Honey Bee-Ware," Spurlock also meets with honeybee enthusiasts who are actively building systems to conserve bees. He speaks with Noah Wilson-Rich, the founder of The Best Bees Company, which offers beekeeping services to people who want to take a more active role in bee conservation. He also visits with the students of the Bee Club at Washington University, who are working on ways to maintain a balance among bees, humans, and agriculture.

The final segment of "Honey Bee-Ware" takes place at a bee sanctuary in Maine, where Spurlock meets with Kristina and Tony, two bee conservationists who have created an environment to protect bees from colony collapse disorder. Here, he witnesses the magic of a Bee Sanctuary, a place where bees can live on their own terms and where humans carefully monitor their health, providing the right conditions for them to thrive.

Overall, Inside Man season 3 episode 7, "Honey Bee-Ware" is an engaging and informative episode that highlights the need for bee conservation and the importance of honeybees to our food supply chain. Through Spurlock's exploration, viewers gain insight into the multifaceted challenges facing beekeepers and conservationists, but also the hopeful investment that some people and organizations are making to save bees.