Text reads, “tvo kids + Fifth Ground Entertainment Original”

A kid says, WEE!

(Giggling)

A bee flies over dandelions in a field.

Text reads, “Leo’s Pollinators. TVOkids Presents”

Leo says,
IT'S ME, LEO!
THE EXPLORER CLUB
IS ON A NEW MISSION.
WE'RE HELPING THE POLLINATORS,
THOSE AMAZING CREATURES
WHO MOVE POLLEN
FROM ONE PLANT TO ANOTHER.
POLLEN IS THE STUFF
THAT HELPS MAKE OUR FRUITS,
VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS.

A bee pollinates a pink flower.

Text reads, “‘Nator Navigator”

Leo continues,
WITHOUT OUR POLLINATORS
FLYING, BUZZING,
SLITHERING AROUND,
WE'D ALL BE GOING HUNGRY,
EVEN ME!
HOUSTEN AND CHLOE ARE IN THE
FIELD HELPING THE EXPERTS,
SO GRAB YOUR BOOTS
AND YOUR NET,
AND YOU CAN BE
A POLLINHEAD TOO.

Text reads, “Leo’s Pollinators Explorer Club”

Leo, a red and blue fish, swims at the bottom of a lake. A monitor behind Leo reads “Apis Mellifera”. Another monitor shows a bee crawling in a yellow flower.

Leo says,
APIS MELLIFERA,
THE OFFICIAL AND FANCY NAME
OF THE HONEY BEE.
AND THEY'RE AT THE TOP
OF THE 'NATOR NAVIGATOR TODAY.
WHEN IT COMES TO POLLINATING,
THESE GALS ARE AT THE TOP
OF THE CLASS.
HONEY BEES ARE RESPONSIBLE
FOR HELPING PLANTS
TO PROVIDE LOTS OF FOODS
YOU GUYS LOVE.

Text reads, “Pears, Plums, and Peaches”

Leo adds,
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL.
THESE POLLINATOR PALS
ARE AMAZING
IN LOTS OF OTHER WAYS.
DID YOU GET THAT?
NO?
WELL, HONEY BEES COMMUNICATE
BY DANCING.
OKAY, LET ME TRY AGAIN.

Leo does a barrel roll.

He continues,
NO? NOTHING?
WELL, THAT INTERPRETIVE DANCE
WAS TO TELL YOU
THE COOLEST FACT OF ALL;
ALL THE BEES THAT GO OUT
AND COLLECT THE NECTAR
FOR THE HONEY AND POLLINATE
ARE ALL GIRLS!
WHEN IT COMES TO HONEY BEE
POLLINATION,
IT'S ALL ABOUT GIRL POWER!
THEY'RE CALLED WORKER BEES.
THEY FORAGE,
TAKE CARE OF THE QUEEN,
AND KEEP THE HIVE CLEAN.
THE MALE BEES ARE CALLED
DRONES.
THE DRONES ARE ONLY AROUND
TO MATE WITH THE QUEEN
TO CREATE MORE BABY BEES.
AN IMPORTANT JOB,
BUT A BEE COLONY THRIVES
BECAUSE OF ALL THOSE
AWESOME GIRLS.
BUT THESE POLLINATOR PALS
ARE IN TROUBLE.
SO THE POLLINHEADS ARE HELPING
OUT PAUL AND JANET
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH
HONEY BEE RESEARCH CENTRE
WHO ARE LOOKING AT WAYS
TO HELP THEM LIVE A LONG,
HEALTHY, AND SWEET LIFE.

Guelph, Ontario is marked on a map with an orange flag. A white flower is displayed on the flag.

Chloe and Housten stand under umbrellas with two beekeepers. Chloe wears a bright green t-shirt and yellow rain boots. Her red hair is tied up in a ponytail. Housten wears a blue t-shirt and black rain boots. His dark hair is puffed up.

Chloe says,
READY AND REPORTING
FOR HONEY BEE DUTY.

Text reads, “Paul Kelly. HoneyBee Research Centre, Bee Researcher”

Paul holds an umbrella over Chloe’s head. He wears a white t-shirt and tan cargo shorts. He has a brown utility belt, glasses, and a beekeeper's hat.

Paul replies,
THAT'S GREAT. WELL,
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
HOUSTEN'S GONNA JOIN JANET
IN THE LAB,
AND THEY'RE GONNA PAINT MARK
BABY BEES,
AND YOU AND I ARE GONNA GO OUT
AND GET SOME MORE BABY BEES,
BY LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT FRAMES
WHERE WE CAN SEE BEES
EMERGING FROM THE COMB.
THAT SOUND EXCITING?

Chloe responds, YEAH!

Housten adds,
SOUNDS AMAZING, BUT WHY
ARE WE DOING THIS WORK?

Text reads, “Janet Tam. HoneyBee Research Centre, Bee Researcher”

Janet holds an umbrella over Housten’s head. She wears a white t-shirt and blue jeans. Her dark hair is tied in a ponytail and rests on her shoulder.

Janet answers,
WELL, PART OF THE WORK
THAT WE DO HERE
AT THE HONEY BEE
RESEARCH CENTRE
IS TO HELP BEES EVERYWHERE.
SO ONE DISEASE THAT'S GIVING
HONEY BEES A REALLY HARD TIME
WE HAVE A TREATMENT FOR,
AND WE WANT TO TEST IT ON THEM.

Chloe says, WELL, LET'S FLY AT IT.

Janet and Housten stand at a work table in a lab. They look down at a green box with a honeycomb inside.

Janet says,
I'M GONNA SHAKE THESE BABY
BEES INTO THIS TUB RIGHT HERE.

Janet pulls the honeycomb out of the box.

Housten asks,
HOW DO YOU KNOW THE BEES
WOULD BE BORN TODAY?

Janet answers,
WELL, WHEN WE PUT THE FRAME
IN THE HIVE,
WE LOOK FOR BEES THAT ARE
ALREADY HATCHING ON THE FRAME,
AND WE KNOW THAT THE ONES
AROUND THEM ARE GOING TO HATCH.
AND THEN WE PUT THEM
INTO THE INCUBATOR
AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT
BEEHIVE TEMPERATURE
SO THAT THEY WILL HATCH
THE NEXT DAY.

Janet shakes the honeycomb over a clear plastic container. Baby bees fall to the bottom.

Housten replies,
REALLY? I DIDN'T KNOW
THAT HONEY BEES
WERE SO SENSITIVE
TO TEMPERATURE.

Janet adds,
TEMPERATURE PLAYS A BIG PART
IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF A LOT OF INSECTS
AND ANIMALS.

Baby bees pile up at the bottom of the container.

Housten says,
TODAY IS LIKE A BIG BEE
BIRTHDAY PARTY.
HOW COOL!

Janet responds,
THIS IS MY FAVOURITE PARTS
OF WORKING WITH BEES.

Janet reaches into the container.

Housten asks,
WHOA! AREN'T YOU AFRAID THAT
YOU'RE GONNA GET STUNG?

Janet picks up a handful of baby bees.

She replies,
WELL, THESE NEWLY
HATCHED BEES,
THEIR CUTICLE,
WHICH IS THEIR SKIN,
IS STILL VERY SOFT.
SO THEIR STINGERS AREN'T HARD
ENOUGH TO PIERCE OUR SKIN.

Housten says, THAT'S INCREDIBLE!

Janet adds,
WE BETTER GET THESE BEES
MARKED,
SO WE CAN GET THEM BACK
INTO THEIR HIVE.

Housten responds,
WOW, THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST
POLLINHEAD ADVENTURES YET!

He raises his hands above his head.

Chloe puts on a pair of light blue coveralls and a beekeeper's mask under a tree. Bee boxes fill a green field behind her.

Paul holds a canister at his waist as he stands with Chloe beside a stack of bee boxes. Smoke floats out of the canister’s nozzle.

Chloe asks,
WAIT, DON'T YOU NEED
TO SUIT UP?

Paul replies,
SOMETIMES I WEAR ONE,
SOMETIMES I DON'T.
IF WE WORK SLOWLY
AND CAREFULLY WITH THEM,
AND WE USE OUR SMOKE
AT THE RIGHT TIMES,
THEY STAY NICE AND CALM.
SO YOU WANT TO TRY THAT OUT?

Paul hands Chloe the canister.

Chloe says, SURE.

Paul adds,
SO JUST SQUEEZE IT,
AND YOU'LL SEE THE SMOKE
COME OUT OF THE TOP.
BEES COMMUNICATE WITH SMELL.
IF THE HIVE BECOMES AGITATED
IT'LL PRODUCE A SMELL,
AND THAT TELLS ALL THE BEES
TO RESPOND DEFENSIVELY.
BUT IF WE PUFF SMOKE IN THERE
ALL THEY CAN SMELL IS SMOKE,
AND THEY CAN'T COMMUNICATE.

Chloe sprays smoke into a bee box.

Paul opens a purple box. Bees cover rows of honeycombs.

Paul says,
OKAY.
LET'S TRY THIS.
AND THEN YOU'LL NEED A LITTLE
BIT OF SMOKE IN BETWEEN HERE.

Chloe responds,
WHOA, THERE'S SO MANY!

Paul replies,
YEAH, A FEW MORE DOWN HERE.
OH, HEAR--DO YOU HEAR THAT?

(Buzzing)

Chloe says, YEAH!

Paul pulls a mesh cover off the honeycombs.

Paul continues,
THE ROAR OF THE BEES.
THEY'RE ALL GETTING-RUNNING
DOWN THERE.

Chloe says, WHOA!

Paul adds,
SO I'M GONNA PRY THIS FRAME,
AND I'LL PULL IT UP,
BUT WE DON'T SMOKE
ON THE FRAME.

Chloe responds, OKAY.

Paul slowly pulls a honeycomb frame out of the box.

Paul says,
ALL RIGHT, THAT JUST GETS
BEES RUNNING AROUND
A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH.

Bees cover the frame.

Chloe responds, OH MY GOSH!

Paul adds,
NOW YOU CAN SEE LOTS
OF BEES, HUH?
OH, THIS IS EXACTLY THE FRAME
I'M LOOKING FOR, TOO,
BECAUSE IF I LAY MY HAND
THERE…

Paul rests his palm flat on the bee’s frame.

Chloe says,
(Gasps) WHOA!
BUT WON'T THEY LIKE, STING YOU?

Paul replies,
NO, NO, IF YOU DO IT GENTLY,
THEY JUST MOVE OUT OF THE WAY.

Chloe says,
AW, THAT'S KINDA POLITE.

Paul adds,
AND FOR OUR RESEARCH PROJECT
THAT WE'RE DOING TODAY
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
ARE NEWLY EMERGED BEES.
THEY CHEW THEIR WAY THROUGH
THESE - THE CAPPING THERE.
AND THEN WRIGGLE THEIR WAY OUT,
AND IT'S A REALLY TIGHT FIT,
SO IT TAKES QUITE A WHILE.

Leo watches a bee escape from a capping on a monitor.

He responds, WOW!

Paul continues,
SO THESE ARE THE KIND OF BEES
THAT WE USE IN OUR EXPERIMENTS,
BECAUSE WE KNOW EXACTLY
HOW OLD THEY ARE,
BECAUSE TODAY'S THEIR BIRTHDAY.

Chloe asks,
WHAT SORT OF EXPERIMENTS?

Paul answers,
WELL MOST OF OUR WORK
IS TO DO WITH BEE HEALTH.
AND ONE SICKNESS
THAT BEES CAN GET
IS CALLED NOSEMA CERANAE.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE IF PEOPLE
DRINK DIRTY WATER
THEY GET A TUMMY ACHE,
WELL, BEES CAN GET A SIMILAR
KIND OF SICKNESS.
AND ONE BEE GETS SICK,
IT CAN SPREAD THE DISEASE
TO ALL THE OTHER BEES.
AND OUR JOB HERE IS TO LEARN
HOW TO HELP BEEKEEPERS
HELP BEES.

Chloe responds,
YIKES!
I HAD NO IDEA THAT BEES COULD
GET SICK JUST LIKE ME.
AND THE WORST PART IS,
THEY DON'T HAVE ANYONE
TO MAKE THEM FEEL BETTER.

Paul says,
SO WE NEED TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT HOW TO HELP THEM.
SO LET'S PUT THIS ONE
IN THE BOX AND COVER IT UP.
AND THEN WE'LL GO FIND A WHOLE
BUNCH MORE OF THESE FRAMES
WITH NEW BEES EMERGING,
AND THEN WE'LL TAKE 'EM
INTO THE LAB.

Chloe replies, ALL RIGHT!

Text reads, “What’s the Buzz? With Leo”

Leo says,
POLLINHEADS, IN CASE YOU'RE
WONDERING, WHAT DO HONEY
BEES HAVE TO DO WITH ME
ENJOYING MY APPLE SLICES?
WELL, LET'S REVIEW
THE WHOLE AMAZING
POLLINATION PROCESS.
IT WORKS LIKE THIS...
LONG BEFORE YOUR APPLE
WAS A SNACK,
IT WAS A FLOWER
ON AN APPLE TREE.
THAT FLOWER PRODUCED NECTAR
TO ATTRACT THE HONEY BEE
TO COME TO IT.
THE NECTAR IS THE KEY FOOD
AND SNACK OF HONEY BEES.
WHEN THE BEE COLLECTS
THE NECTAR,
IT GETS DUSTED WITH POLLEN,
WHICH IT THEN CARRIES
TO THE NEXT FLOWER,
WHERE IT GOES TO GET
MORE NECTAR.
FLOWERS NEED POLLEN
FROM ONE ANOTHER
IN ORDER FOR THAT FLOWER
TO TURN INTO AN APPLE.
ALL THAT LOVELY NECTAR
IS TAKEN BACK TO THE HIVE.
SOME OF IT IS EATEN
IMMEDIATELY.
BUT - AND THIS IS
THE SWEET PART -
HA! SEE WHAT I DID THERE?
THE REST IS TURNED INTO...
YOU GUESSED IT, HONEY!
SO NOW BECAUSE THESE MIGHTY
POLLINATORS
WERE OUT LOOKING FOR A SNACK
THEMSELVES,
YOU NOW NOT ONLY HAVE
AN APPLE TO SNACK ON,
BUT HONEY FOR YOUR TOAST.

Janet pulls a baby bee out of the container.

She says,
SO HOUSTEN, TO PICK UP
THE BEES--

Housten responds, WOW!

Janet continues,
WE GENTLY PICK THEM UP
BY THE WINGS.
AND WE HAVE TO BE VERY GENTLE,
BECAUSE HER CUTICLE,
OR HER SKIN,
HASN'T HARDENED YET,
IT'S VERY SOFT.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO DAMAGE HER.
AND WE MAKE SURE
WE CAN SEE HER THORAX,
AND THERE'S ROOM FOR ME
TO PUT THIS PAINT MARKER
RIGHT THERE,
AND DOT HER GENTLY.

Janet paints a baby bee’s thorax bright pink.

She adds,
THE THORAX IS A REALLY COOL
PART OF THE BEE,
IT HOLDS HER HEAD
TO HER ABDOMEN.
THE WINGS AND THE LEGS ALL
COME OUT OF THE THORAX.
AND ON EITHER SIDE
OF THE THORAX,
SHE HAS BREATHING HOLES
WHICH ARE CALLED SPIRACLES.

Housten replies,
THEIR NOSES ARE ON THE SIDE
OF THEIR BODY
INSTEAD OF THEIR FACE? WOW!

Janet paints the thorax of another bee pink.

She says,
HERE'S ANOTHER BEE I MARKED,
YOU CAN PUT IT IN THE TUB.

Janet hands Housten the baby bee. He places it in a clear plastic tub.

Housten asks,
WHY ARE WE MARKING THE BEES?

Janet answers,
SO WE CAN KEEP TRACK OF WHICH
TREATMENTS THEY'VE RECEIVED,
AND WHICH COLONIES
THEY CAME FROM.
AND THAT WAY WE CAN SEE
HOW WELL THE TREATMENTS
ARE WORKING.

Housten says, AMAZING!

(Laughs)

Chloe and Paul carry green bee boxes into the lab.

Janet responds,
PERFECT TIMING, GUYS!
WE JUST FINISHED MARKING
ALL THESE BABY BEES,
AND THEY'RE READY TO GO
BACK IN THE HIVES.

Paul glances at the plastic jug. He hands it to Chloe.

He says, OH, LOOK AT THEM.

Chloe responds,
IT'S SO COOL TO SEE THE BABY
BEES UP CLOSE LIKE THIS.

Housten adds,
I'VE GOT TO HOLD ONE.
AND IT FELT LIKE A LITTLE,
TINY, FUZZY BUZZY.

(All laugh)

Paul says,
WELL, LET'S GO PUT THEM
IN THEIR HOME.
AND THESE ARE READY TO GO
INTO THE INCUBATOR
SO WE CAN HATCH OUT MORE
BABY BEES.

Housten replies,
ALWAYS HAPPY TO HELP
BABY BEES BE BORN.

(All laugh)

Housten and Janet place the two green bee boxes into an incubator. Janet closes the doors.

Paul and Chloe stand under the umbrella outside.

Paul says,
SO ALL WE NEED TO DO
RIGHT NOW IS GET
THESE PROTEIN PATTIES
PUT INTO THE HIVES.

Chloe responds,
IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE GOOP.

A brown sludge is spread on stacked pieces of parchment paper. Chloe lays a piece in a bee box.

Paul replies,
IT'S ACTUALLY,
IT'S PRETTY GOOPY STUFF.
IT'S GOT A LOT OF SUGAR
SYRUP IN IT,
AND THAT MAKES IT ATTRACTIVE
FOR THE BEES TO EAT.
BUT WE HAVE A MEDICINE
IN THERE AS WELL.
IT'S ACTUALLY A NATURAL
MATERIAL,
SO IT JUST HELPS THEIR TUMMY
FEEL BETTER.

Chloe asks,
SO DO YOU THINK IT'S WORKING?

Paul lays another protein patty into the bee box.

Paul answers,
IF THE BEES ARE FED THIS,
THE PROTEIN PATTY
WITH THE MEDICINE IN IT,
THEY HAVE MUCH LESS OF
THE-OF THE NOSEMA DISEASE,
AND THEY EVEN LIVE A LITTLE
BIT LONGER,
BECAUSE THEY HAVE A GOOD,
HEALTHY TUMMY.

Chloe replies,
THAT'S AMAZING THAT
YOU KNOW THE BEES SO WELL.

She closes the bee box.

Paul says,
BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY MUCH
LIKE HUMANS IN SOME WAYS,
WE--IT'S EASIER TO RELATE
TO THEM.
THEY LIVE IN A HOME,
THEY LIVE WITH THEIR FAMILY,
AND THEY TAKE CARE OF EACH
OTHER, CLEAN EACH OTHER,
THEY EVEN FEED EACH OTHER.

Chloe asks,
WAIT, THEY FEED EACH OTHER?

Paul responds,
YEAH, THEY--ONE BEE,
IF IT'S A HUNGRY BEE,
IT COMES UP TO ANOTHER BEE
AND IT GOES,
BOP, BOP, BOP ON THE HEAD,
AND THAT'S HOW THEY ASK FOR
FOOD, AND THEY FEED EACH OTHER.
AND IT HELPS WITH THEIR
COMMUNICATION TOO,
BECAUSE THEY'RE SPREADING
THE SMELLS OF THE HIVE
FROM ONE BEE TO ANOTHER.
SO--

Chloe says, THAT'S AMAZING.

Housten and Janet meet Chloe and Paul outside.

Housten says,
WE'RE ALL DONE, THE BABIES
ARE IN THE INCUBATOR,
WAITING TO HATCH!

Paul replies,
WELL DONE, THAT'S GREAT,
POLLINHEADS!
THANK YOU FOR HELPING US
HELP HONEY BEES.

Chloe adds,
WE POLLINHEADS ARE ALWAYS
HAPPY TO LEND A WING.

Housten says,
ABSOLUTELY.
LET'S DO A HIGH FLY!

Housten, Chloe, Paul, and Janet form a circle and put their hands in the middle. They flutter their fingers.

Everyone says,
ONE, TWO, THREE…HIGH FLY!

Housten, Chloe, Paul, and Janet raise their hands over their heads.

(All laugh)

Clouds float over the lake.

Text reads, “PollinHeads Alert!”

Leo says,
POLLINHEADS ALERT,
OUR HARD-WORKING WOMEN,
THE HONEY BEES,
NEED EVERYONE'S HELP.
ONE OF THE BEST WAYS YOU CAN
MAKE SURE THE HONEY BEE HIVE
KEEP SURVIVING AND THRIVING
IS TO PURCHASE HONEY
FROM A LOCAL BEEKEEPER.
THE MONEY YOU SPEND ON LOCAL
HONEY HELPS THE BEEKEEPER
KEEP THE HIVE GOING,
WHICH MEANS YOU'VE GOT LOTS
OF APPLES,
PEARS, PLUMS,
AND GRAPES FOR SNACKS,
AS WELL AS HONEY
FOR YOUR TOAST.
SO "BEE" A HONEY,
AND BUY SOME LOCAL HONEY.
HA! AH, WELL, ON THAT
SWEET NOTE,
IT'S TIME FOR ME TO BUZZ OFF.

Credits read, “Directed by Reem Morsi. Written by Karen Hawes. Created by Karen Hawes & Christopher Szarka. Produced by Christopher Szarka & Raj Panikkar. With Naomi Melvin as ‘Leo’ & Chloe Drayton, Housten Daghighi”

Text reads, “Fifth Ground Entertainment. Tvo kids”