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Transcript: The Search for the Rusty Patched
[Upbeat music plays]
Text reads, “TVOkids” and “Fifth Ground Entertainment” “Original.”
Child says, WEE!
[Giggling]
Text reads, “Leo’s Pollinators.”
An animated bee flies over the text. [Buzzing]
Leo, a blue and orange animated fish, says,
IT'S ME, LEO! THE EXPLORER
CLUB IS ON A NEW MISSION.
Text reads, “Leo’s Pollinators.” “TVOkids Presents.”
[Upbeat music plays, whooshing, pop]
Leo says, 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.
WITHOUT OUR POLLINATORS
FLYING, BUZZING, SLITHERING
AROUND, WE'D ALL BE GOING
HUNGRY, EVEN ME!
[Whooshing, buzzing]
Leo says, 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 says, GET YOUR DETECTIVE GEAR
READY, POLLINHEADS!
TODAY WE ARE GOING ON THE
HUNT FOR AT-RISK BUMBLEBEES,
INCLUDING ONE OF THE MOST
ENDANGERED BEES IN CANADA:
THE RUSTY-PATCHED BUMBLEBEE.
A bumblebee walks on a flower. Text beneath it reads, “Rusty-Patched Bumblebee.”
Leo says, AND IT'S AT THE TOP OF
THE 'NATOR NAVIGATOR TODAY.
THE RUSTY-PATCHED BUMBLEBEE
IS A MEDIUM TO LARGE BEE, WITH
BLACK AND WHITE COLOURING.
IT LOOKS A LOT LIKE THE COMMON
EASTERN BUMBLEBEE, BUT IT HAS
A BIG RUST-COLOURED PATCH ON
ITS ABDOMEN. IT IS SO CUTE!
Side by side photographs show the Common Eastern Bumblebee and the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee. Text beneath each bee labels it. An orange circle appears around the rusty patch on the back of the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee.
[Whoosh, upbeat music plays]
Leo says, THE RUSTY-PATCHED ISN'T
ALONE, OTHER BUMBLEBEES AT RISK
INCLUDE THE GYPSY CUCKOO, OR
BOHEMIAN CUCKOO, YELLOW BANDED,
AND AMERICAN BUMBLEBEES.
Photographs show, from left to right, blueberries, potatoes, and tomatoes. Text the photographs read, from left to right, “Blueberries”, “Potatoes”, and “Tomatoes.”
[Whooshing]
Leo says, BUMBLEBEES ARE
REALLY IMPORTANT POLLINATORS
WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOTS
OF FOOD CROPS LIKE BLUEBERRIES,
POTATOES, AND TOMATOES!
THE RUSTY-PATCHED USED TO BE
ONE OF THE MOST COMMON
BUMBLEBEES IN ONTARIO.
THEY WERE EVERYWHERE!
BUT NOW THEY HAVE ALL
BUT DISAPPEARED.
NO ONE KNOWS EXACTLY WHY
THEY DISAPPEARED, BUT
SCIENTISTS GUESS IT IS A
COMBINATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE
AND INTRODUCED DISEASES.
THE LAST RUSTY-PATCHED FOUND
IN CANADA WAS SPOTTED
BY DR. SHEILA COLLA
FROM YORK UNIVERSITY,
IN PINERY PROVINCIAL PARK
OVER TEN YEARS AGO!
A map shows the location of “Pinery Provincial Park.”
Sheila wears a wide-brimmed hat over her long black hair. She wears a blue and white shirt and a green and black backpack. Victoria wears a white wide-brimmed hat over her brown hair. She wears a sleeveless blue shirt. Chloe wears a bright green Leo’s Pollinators tee-shirt with blue jeans. She wears her red hair pulled into a ponytail.
Leo says, TODAY, CHLOE IS JOINING
SHEILA AND HER COLLEAGUE, VICTORIA,
TO DO A SURVEY IF THE BUMBLEBEE'S
STILL AROUND.
MEANWHILE, HOUSTEN IS MEETING
WITH SARAH MACKELL, FROM
WILDLIFE PRESERVATION CANADA,
TO SEE WHAT SCIENTISTS ARE DOING
IN THE LAB TO HELP SAVE
ENDANGERED BUMBLEBEES.
Sarah wears her dark blond hair loose beneath a headlamp. She wears a blue tee-shirt. Housten wears a blue shirt with grey shorts.
Leo says, THE STAKES ARE HIGH,
POLLINHEADS. I JUST HOPE WE
AREN'T TOO LATE TO HELP.
[Whoosh]
Sheila, Chloe, and Victoria walk on a dirt road. Text beneath Sheila reads, “Dr. Sheila Colla. York University. Conservation Scientist.”
[Crunching footsteps on dirt, rusting tall grass]
Sheila says, SO HERE WE ARE,
THIS IS THE LAST KNOWN PLACE
FOR THE ENDANGERED
RUSTY-PATCHED BUMBLEBEE
IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
AND I LOOKED OVER AT THE SIDE
OF THE ROAD, AND I SAW
SOMETHING THAT JUST LOOKED
A LITTLE UNUSUAL ON THIS FLOWER,
WHICH IS CALLED SPOTTED KNAPWEED.
Chloe asks, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME
YOU SAW THE RUSTY-PATCH?
Sheila says, WELL, BEFORE THAT
TIME I HAD SEEN IT IN TWO
THOUSAND AND FIVE, AND THAT
WAS TWO THOUSAND AND NINE,
SO I WENT FOUR YEARS WITHOUT
SEEING IT.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT SINCE,
BUT WE'RE ALWAYS HOPEFUL.
Text beneath Victoria reads, “Dr. Victoria MacPhail. York University. Biologist.”
Victoria says, YEAH, IT'S SO TRUE,
YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'RE
GONNA FIND SOMETHING COOL.
I ALWAYS CARRY VIALS IN MY
POCKETS WITH ME.
Chloe says, WELL, I'VE SEEN A LOT
OF BEES, SO MAYBE OUR CHANCES
ARE OKAY.
Sheila says, DEFINITELY. DO YOU
KNOW HOW TO USE A NET?
Sheila gives Chloe a large butterfly net.
Chloe says, UM, YEAH!
IT'S ONE OF MY FAVOURITE
POLLINHEAD JOBS!
Victoria says, ALL RIGHT, LET'S
GO SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND!
Sheila says, ALL RIGHT, CHLOE,
IF YOU SEE A BUMBLEBEE ON
A FLOWER, TO CATCH IT, ALL
YOU HAVE TO DO IS HOLD YOUR
NET RIGHT UP OVER IT, RIGHT
DOWN ON THE GROUND, THERE
YOU GO.
AND SEE, IT'S GONNA FLY UP.
Chloe says, ALL RIGHT!
Sheila says, AND LIFT UP, AND YOU
CAUGHT YOURSELF A BEE!
Chloe asks, SO WHAT DID YOU
FIND THERE?
Victoria says, THIS IS THE COMMON
EASTERN BUMBLEBEE. AND SHE'S
ACTUALLY CARRYING POLLEN.
Text beneath the bumblebee in a vial reads, “Common Eastern Bumblebee.” An orange circle appears around a yellow patch on the bumblebee’s leg. An orange arrow points to the circle and orange text reads, “Pollen Basket.”
[Pop]
Sheila says, HAVING POLLEN
BASKETS ON THEIR LEGS IS ONE
WAY WE CAN TELL BUMBLEBEES
FROM ALL OF THE OTHER TYPES
OF BEES.
Chloe says, WOW!
[Wind blows]
Victoria says, ONLY THE WORKERS
COLLECT POLLEN, THE MALES
DON'T. IT'S ONLY THE FEMALES
ARE OUT DOING THE WORK.
Chloe says, NICE JOB, GIRL.
Chloe searches in long grass.
[Grass rustles, upbeat music plays]
Chloe says, WAIT A MINUTE...
I SEE THE BROWN SPOT,
IS THIS A RUSTY-PATCH?
An orange circle surrounds the rusty-patch on a Rusty-Patched Bumblebee. Text beneath the bumblebee reads, “Rusty-Patched Bumblebee.”
An orange circle surrounds the brown mark on the Brown Belted Bumblebee. Text beneath the bumblebee reads, “Brown Belted Bumblebee.”
Sheila says, THIS IS A BROWN-BELTED
BUMBLEBEE. IT'S A SPECIES THAT IS
OFTEN CONFUSED FOR THE
RUSTY-PATCHED BUMBLEBEE.
THE RUSTY-PATCH HAS A PATCH
OF ORANGE SURROUNDED BY YELLOW,
WHERE THIS IS MORE OF A BROWN
HALF-MOON.
Leo says, THE HUNT IS ON AS HOUSTEN
CHECKS OUT WILDLIFE PRESERVATION
CANADA'S BEE LAB AT THE AFRICAN
LION SAFARI WHERE LOTS OF
CONSERVATION PROGRAMS ARE
TAKING PLACE!
A map shows the location of “African Lion Safari”, east of Cambridge in Ontario.
[Upbeat music plays]
Leo explains, SARAH IS TRYING TO
DEVELOP TECHNIQUES TO SAVE
ENDANGERED BEES.
IT IS A THING CALLED
"CONSERVATION BREEDING,"
AND IT'S LIKE- WELL, IT'S SORTA...
AS IF YOU-- OOH! GOODNESS ME.
MAYBE I SHOULD LEAVE THIS ONE
TO THE PROFESSIONALS.
Housten and Sarah walk beside a small trailer. On the side of the trailer, text reads, “Wildlife Preservation Canada’s Bumble Bee Conservation Lab.”
[Whoosh]
Housten asks, SO YOU'RE TELLING
ME THIS IS A SCIENCE LAB?
Sarah replies, YEAH, THIS IS OUR
CONSERVATION BREEDING LAB.
[Birds chirp]
Housten asks, WHAT IS
CONSERVATION BREEDING, AGAIN?
LEO WAS A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED.
Text beneath Sarah reads, “Sarah Mackell. Wildlife Preservation Canada. Lead Biologist.”
[Whoosh]
Sarah says, THAT'S FAIR.
CONSERVATION BREEDING
IS PRETTY SIMPLE, ACTUALLY.
SO WE JUST TAKE WILD
BUMBLEBEE QUEENS FROM
THE FIELD, AND WE BRING THEM
BACK TO OUR LAB, AND THEY GO
THROUGH THEIR NATURAL LIFE
CYCLE WITHIN THE LAB SPACE.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY ONE DAY
WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH BUMBLEBEE
COLONIES TO REINTRODUCE
AT-RISK SPECIES.
Housten says, AWESOME!
Sarah says, YEAH, SO LET'S GO IN.
ONE THING IS YOU WANT TO STEP
REALLY LIGHTLY, BECAUSE THEY
DON'T LIKE VIBRATIONS,
AND YOU'RE GONNA NEED THIS.
Sarah gives Housten a headlamp. They walk through the trailer door and close it. Red light fills the inside of the trailer.
[Door slams]
Housten says, WHOA, COOL!
IT'S LIKE WE'RE IN A
VIDEO GAME!
Sarah says, YEAH, IT KIND OF IS
LIKE THAT, YOU'RE RIGHT.
BEES ACTUALLY CAN'T SEE
RED LIGHT, SO THEY'RE
COMPLETELY IN THE DARK
RIGHT NOW, WHICH MAKES
THEM EASIER TO HANDLE.
Housten asks, SO ARE THESE
BEES ENDANGERED?
Sarah says, ACTUALLY, THESE
ARE COMMON SPECIES THIS YEAR.
THEY'RE ALL ABUNDANT IN THE
WILD, SO WE TRY TO PRACTICE
OUR TECHNIQUES ON THEM FIRST.
Labeled photographs show the “Common Eastern Bumblebee,” “Brown-Belted Bumblebee,” and “Tricoloured Bumblebee.”
Housten asks, WHAT DO WE
DO FIRST?
[Whoosh]
Sarah says, SO THE FIRST THING
WE'RE GONNA DO IS ACTUALLY
FEED THEM POLLEN, WITH THESE
LITTLE POLLEN BALLS RIGHT HERE.
WE'RE GONNA JUST PUT IN TWO
POLLEN BALLS, BECAUSE THERE'S
A FEW BEES IN HERE, SO THEY NEED
MORE THAN ONE. AND JUST PUT IN
ONE. DO YOU WANNA TRY IT?
Housten says, YEAH.
Sarah says, OKAY.
Housten says, IT'S KINDA
LIKE CHOPSTICKS.
Housten uses metal tongs to pick up a pollen ball and place if in a plastic container.
[Upbeat music plays]
Sarah says, OKAY, GOOD JOB.
Housten says, EAT UP,
LITTLE POLLINATORS!
Sarah says, NOW THAT WE'VE
FED POLLEN, WE NEED TO FEED
THEM NEW NECTAR, JUST LIKE
THEY WOULD GET IN THE WILD.
AND WE JUST WANNA GET
SOME FRESH NECTAR OUT OF
THE FRIDGE. I GOT SOME ON YOU.
Nectar spills over the side of a vial as Sarah pours the liquid.
[Liquid burbles, Sarah laughs]
Sarah says, ALL RIGHT, SO I'M
GONNA PUT THE CAP ON, QUICKLY,
SO IT DOESN'T ALL COME OUT.
AND SO YOU WANNA PUT IT IN
TO THIS HOLE RIGHT HERE?
Housten says, OKAY, I'M
VERY SCARED.
Housten lowers the vial into a hole.
Sarah says, ALL RIGHT, GOOD WORK.
Chloe swings her net over a plant.
Chloe says, I MISSED.
Sheila asks, WHAT DID IT LOOK LIKE?
Chloe says, A LOT MORE YELLOW
THAN THE OTHER ONES.
Victoria says, SEE IF WE CAN FIND
IT IN THE BOOK, HERE. DID IT
LOOK LIKE THAT BEE AT ALL?
Chloe says, EXACTLY THAT ONE.
Victoria says, COOL! THAT'S A
LEMON CUCKOO BUMBLEBEE.
A photograph shows a bright yellow and black bumblebee standing on a green leaf. Text beneath the photograph reads, “Lemon Cuckoo Bumblebee.”
[Wind blows]
Chloe asks, IS IT ENDANGERED?
Victoria says, NO, AT LEAST, NOT
YET, BUT IT'S RELATED TO THE
BOHEMIAN CUCKOO BUMBLEBEE.
[Wind blows]
Sheila says, THE CUCKOO BUMBLEBEES
ACTUALLY USE THE NESTS OF THE
RUSTY-PATCHED BUMBLEBEE.
THEY NEED THE NESTS OF ANOTHER
BUMBLEBEE SPECIES TO LAY
THEIR EGGS.
SO THAT'S WHY THE BOHEMIAN
CUCKOO BUMBLEBEE IS ENDANGERED,
BECAUSE THE RUSTY-PATCHED
BUMBLEBEE IS ALSO ENDANGERED.
Chloe say SO WHEN THE
RUSTY-PATCHED DISAPPEARED,
SO DID THE HOME FOR THE
BOHEMIAN CUCKOO?
Victoria says, EXACTLY.
Chloe says, THAT'S REALLY SAD.
Sheila says, YEAH, THE RUSTY-PATCHED
BUMBLEBEE DECLINED SO RAPIDLY,
WE DIDN'T EVEN GET TO SEE IT
ACTUALLY DECLINE. AND SADLY,
IT'S NOT ALONE.
Text reads, “Did You Know?”
A boy stands in front of a chalkboard. He wears an orange “Leo’s Pollinators” shirt and blue jeans.
[Whoosh, chalk hitting board]
The boy asks, DID YOU KNOW THAT
BUMBLEBEE SPECIES ARE DECLINING
ALL OVER THE WORLD?
Text on the chalkboard reads, “Bumblebee species are declining.”
He says, IN CANADA ALONE, EIGHT OF
FORTY-EIGHT SPECIES ARE ON THE
OFFICIAL AT-RISK LIST, SPECIES LIKE
THE RUSTY-PATCHED, BOHEMIAN
CUCKOO, AND AMERICAN BUMBLEBEE,
HAVE ALREADY LOST MORE THAN
FIFTY PERCENT OF THEIR POPULATION.
LOTS OF PEOPLE THINK OF HONEY BEES
WHEN THEY THINK OF POLLINATION,
BUT WILD BUMBLEBEES ARE SOME OF
THE MOST IMPORTANT POLLINATORS.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY THE ONLY
POLLINATORS THAT POLLINATE
POTATOES. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT
YOU, BUT I'M NOT WILLING TO
GIVE UP FRENCH FRIES!
LOSING BUMBLEBEES IS THE FIRST
PART OF A RIPPLE EFFECT THAT
CHANGES THE WHOLE ECOSYSTEM,
Text on the chalkboard reads, “Ecosystem.”
He says, AND THEY'RE IN TROUBLE.
THE BUMBLEBEES NEED US.
NOW YOU KNOW.
Leo says, I KNEW POLLINATORS
WERE IN DANGER, BUT I DIDN'T
KNOW IT WAS SO BAD.
GOOD THING THERE ARE SCIENTISTS
LIKE SHEILA, VICTORIA, AND SARAH,
WHO ARE ON THE CASE. LET'S SEE
HOW HOUSTEN IS DOING AT THE
CONSERVATION BREEDING LAB!
Sarah says, OKAY, NOW THAT
WE'VE FED THE BEES, WE'RE GONNA
ACTUALLY TAKE SOME NOTES.
THE FIRST THING WE'RE GOING
TO LOOK AT IS ACTUALLY
BROOD CELLS.
Text reads, “Brood cells are where eggs develop into a bee.”
[Slide whistle]
Sarah says, SO DO YOU SEE KINDA
LIKE A WAX STRUCTURE, THEY'RE
PRETTY ROUND, DO YOU SEE THIS?
Housten says, YEAH, IT KINDA
LOOKS LIKE MY CEREAL.
Sarah asks, SO DO YOU WANNA GIVE IT
YOUR BEST SHOT COUNTING THOSE?
Housten says, IT LOOKS LIKE ELEVEN.
Sarah says, LET ME SEE. ELEVEN...
TWELVE. SO YOU WERE VERY CLOSE.
DO YOU MIND WRITING DOWN
TWELVE BROOD CELLS, PLEASE?
Housten says, OKAY.
Housten writes in a notebook.
Sarah says, NOW THE NEXT THING
WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT IS NECTAR
POTS. SO DO YOU SEE THOSE WAX
STRUCTURES THAT ARE OPEN,
AND THEY HAVE SOME NECTAR,
AND THEY'RE GLISTENING?
HOW MANY DO YOU COUNT?
[Slide whistles]
Housten says, FIVE.
Sarah says, FIVE, GREAT JOB. SO
WRITE DOWN FIVE NECTAR POTS.
Housten says, OKAY.
Sarah says, ALL RIGHT, SO THE LAST
THING WE'RE GONNA CHECK IS HOW
MANY WORKERS THERE ARE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE QUEEN RIGHT
THERE, SHE'S REALLY BIG, RIGHT?
Housten says, YEAH.
Sarah says, THE OTHER BEES HERE
ARE ACTUALLY WORKERS. SO WE
HAVE HOW MANY WORKERS?
[Popping]
Housten says, THREE?
Sarah says, YEAH, WE
HAVE THREE.
Housten says, OKAY.
Sarah says, SO YOU'RE JUST
WANNA WRITE THAT
DOWN, GREAT.
[Whoosh, upbeat music plays, birds sing]
Housten asks, SO THE
CONSERVATION BREEDING IS
REALLY HELPING
THE BUMBLEBEES?
Sarah says, HOPEFULLY ONCE
WE GET THE TECHNIQUES DOWN
FOR THESE COMMON BEES, WE CAN
USE THEM FOR AT-RISK BEES, JUST
LIKE THE ENDANGERED
RUSTY-PATCHED BUMBLEBEE.
Chloe, Sheila, and Victoria carry their nets as they search through long grass.
Victoria says, YOU KNOW, CHLOE,
YOU CAN DO SURVEYS YOURSELF.
Chloe asks, REALLY? HOW?
[Wind blows]
Victoria says, YEAH! THERE'S AN
APP CALLED, "BUMBLE BEE WATCH."
ALL YOU'VE GOTTA DO IS TAKE
A PICTURE OF A BUMBLEBEE
ANYWHERE YOU SEE ONE ON
A FLOWER.
HERE, TAKE A PICTURE,
AND I'LL PUT IT IN THE APP.
[Camera clicks, wind blows, waves crash]
Victoria says, AWESOME.
SO YOU OPEN UP THE APP,
CHOOSE YOUR BEST PHOTO,
ADD YOUR LOCATION,
HIT "SUBMIT."
Sheila says, "BUMBLE BEE WATCH"
IS REALLY USEFUL, BECAUSE WE
CAN TRACK DIFFERENT SPECIES,
WE CAN FIND RARE SPECIES,
WE'LL USE THIS INFORMATION,
AND WE GIVE IT TO THE PUBLIC
AND THE GOVERNMENT, SO
EVERYONE CAN HELP.
Chloe says, I'M GONNA TELL MY
FRIENDS TO DO LOCAL SURVEYS
IN THEIR AREAS, TOO.
Sheila says, THAT'LL BE SUPER HELPFUL.
IT'S THE BEST WAY THAT PEOPLE
CAN HELP US SAVE
ENDANGERED BUMBLEBEES.
Chloe says, THIS CALLS FOR A HIGH FLY.
Sheila asks, A WHAT?
Chloe says, PUT THE NETS DOWN,
Chloe, Sheila, and Victoria put down their nets.
[Clicking]
Chloe says, HANDS IN THE MIDDLE...
Chloe, Sheila, Victoria, Housten, and Sarah wiggle their fingers as they raise their hands high above their heads.
Chloe, Sheila, Victoria, Housten, and Sarah say, HIIIIIGH FLY!
Chloe, Sheila, Victoria, Housten, and Sarah cheer, WOOO!
[Upbeat music plays]
Leo says, WING-TASTIC WORK
TODAY, POLLINHEADS.
THE CASE OF THE MISSING
RUSTY-PATCHED BUMBLEBEE
REMAINS UNSOLVED, WHICH
MEANS THE BUMBLEBEES
NEED EVERYONE'S HELP.
POLLINHEADS ALERT!
LEARN YOUR SPECIES!
GET TO KNOW WHICH
BUMBLEBEES ARE IN YOUR AREA,
AND KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THEM.
WITH ALL OF US ON THE LOOKOUT
SNAPPING PICTURES, AND
CONTRIBUTING TO "BUMBLE BEE
WATCH," WE'LL BE HELPING OUT SHEILA,
VICTORIA, AND OTHER RESEARCHERS,
TO DETERMINE WHICH BUMBLES NEED
THE MOST HELP, SO WE DON'T END UP
WITH ANOTHER CASE OF THE MISSING
BUMBLEBEE, LIKE WE HAVE WITH
THE RUSTY-PATCHED.
AND I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, AND I'LL SAY
IT AGAIN, GARDEN, GARDEN, GARDEN!
MAKE SURE YOUR GARDEN HAS A
VARIETY OF NATIVE PLANTS AND
SPECIES THAT WILL BLOOM ALL
SUMMER LONG, SO NO POLLINATOR
HAS TO GO HUNGRY!
[Rustling]
Leo says, AND REMEMBER, KEEP
THOSE MAGNIFYING GLASSES HANDY.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU
MIGHT FIND IF YOU JUST...
KEEP AN EYE OUT!
[Upbeat music plays]
End credits roll.
“Directed by: Melissa Peters.
Written by: Melissa Peters.
Produced by: Christopher Szarka and Raj Panikkar.
With
Naomi Melvin as ‘LEO’.
Chloe Drayton.
Housten Daghighi.
Produced in association with TVOkids.
Fifth Ground Entertainment.
TVOkids.
Text reads, “TVOkids” and “Fifth Ground Entertainment” “Original.”
Child says, WEE!
[Giggling]
Text reads, “Leo’s Pollinators.”
An animated bee flies over the text. [Buzzing]
Leo, a blue and orange animated fish, says,
IT'S ME, LEO! THE EXPLORER
CLUB IS ON A NEW MISSION.
Text reads, “Leo’s Pollinators.” “TVOkids Presents.”
[Upbeat music plays, whooshing, pop]
Leo says, 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.
WITHOUT OUR POLLINATORS
FLYING, BUZZING, SLITHERING
AROUND, WE'D ALL BE GOING
HUNGRY, EVEN ME!
[Whooshing, buzzing]
Leo says, 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 says, GET YOUR DETECTIVE GEAR
READY, POLLINHEADS!
TODAY WE ARE GOING ON THE
HUNT FOR AT-RISK BUMBLEBEES,
INCLUDING ONE OF THE MOST
ENDANGERED BEES IN CANADA:
THE RUSTY-PATCHED BUMBLEBEE.
A bumblebee walks on a flower. Text beneath it reads, “Rusty-Patched Bumblebee.”
Leo says, AND IT'S AT THE TOP OF
THE 'NATOR NAVIGATOR TODAY.
THE RUSTY-PATCHED BUMBLEBEE
IS A MEDIUM TO LARGE BEE, WITH
BLACK AND WHITE COLOURING.
IT LOOKS A LOT LIKE THE COMMON
EASTERN BUMBLEBEE, BUT IT HAS
A BIG RUST-COLOURED PATCH ON
ITS ABDOMEN. IT IS SO CUTE!
Side by side photographs show the Common Eastern Bumblebee and the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee. Text beneath each bee labels it. An orange circle appears around the rusty patch on the back of the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee.
[Whoosh, upbeat music plays]
Leo says, THE RUSTY-PATCHED ISN'T
ALONE, OTHER BUMBLEBEES AT RISK
INCLUDE THE GYPSY CUCKOO, OR
BOHEMIAN CUCKOO, YELLOW BANDED,
AND AMERICAN BUMBLEBEES.
Photographs show, from left to right, blueberries, potatoes, and tomatoes. Text the photographs read, from left to right, “Blueberries”, “Potatoes”, and “Tomatoes.”
[Whooshing]
Leo says, BUMBLEBEES ARE
REALLY IMPORTANT POLLINATORS
WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOTS
OF FOOD CROPS LIKE BLUEBERRIES,
POTATOES, AND TOMATOES!
THE RUSTY-PATCHED USED TO BE
ONE OF THE MOST COMMON
BUMBLEBEES IN ONTARIO.
THEY WERE EVERYWHERE!
BUT NOW THEY HAVE ALL
BUT DISAPPEARED.
NO ONE KNOWS EXACTLY WHY
THEY DISAPPEARED, BUT
SCIENTISTS GUESS IT IS A
COMBINATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE
AND INTRODUCED DISEASES.
THE LAST RUSTY-PATCHED FOUND
IN CANADA WAS SPOTTED
BY DR. SHEILA COLLA
FROM YORK UNIVERSITY,
IN PINERY PROVINCIAL PARK
OVER TEN YEARS AGO!
A map shows the location of “Pinery Provincial Park.”
Sheila wears a wide-brimmed hat over her long black hair. She wears a blue and white shirt and a green and black backpack. Victoria wears a white wide-brimmed hat over her brown hair. She wears a sleeveless blue shirt. Chloe wears a bright green Leo’s Pollinators tee-shirt with blue jeans. She wears her red hair pulled into a ponytail.
Leo says, TODAY, CHLOE IS JOINING
SHEILA AND HER COLLEAGUE, VICTORIA,
TO DO A SURVEY IF THE BUMBLEBEE'S
STILL AROUND.
MEANWHILE, HOUSTEN IS MEETING
WITH SARAH MACKELL, FROM
WILDLIFE PRESERVATION CANADA,
TO SEE WHAT SCIENTISTS ARE DOING
IN THE LAB TO HELP SAVE
ENDANGERED BUMBLEBEES.
Sarah wears her dark blond hair loose beneath a headlamp. She wears a blue tee-shirt. Housten wears a blue shirt with grey shorts.
Leo says, THE STAKES ARE HIGH,
POLLINHEADS. I JUST HOPE WE
AREN'T TOO LATE TO HELP.
[Whoosh]
Sheila, Chloe, and Victoria walk on a dirt road. Text beneath Sheila reads, “Dr. Sheila Colla. York University. Conservation Scientist.”
[Crunching footsteps on dirt, rusting tall grass]
Sheila says, SO HERE WE ARE,
THIS IS THE LAST KNOWN PLACE
FOR THE ENDANGERED
RUSTY-PATCHED BUMBLEBEE
IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
AND I LOOKED OVER AT THE SIDE
OF THE ROAD, AND I SAW
SOMETHING THAT JUST LOOKED
A LITTLE UNUSUAL ON THIS FLOWER,
WHICH IS CALLED SPOTTED KNAPWEED.
Chloe asks, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME
YOU SAW THE RUSTY-PATCH?
Sheila says, WELL, BEFORE THAT
TIME I HAD SEEN IT IN TWO
THOUSAND AND FIVE, AND THAT
WAS TWO THOUSAND AND NINE,
SO I WENT FOUR YEARS WITHOUT
SEEING IT.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT SINCE,
BUT WE'RE ALWAYS HOPEFUL.
Text beneath Victoria reads, “Dr. Victoria MacPhail. York University. Biologist.”
Victoria says, YEAH, IT'S SO TRUE,
YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'RE
GONNA FIND SOMETHING COOL.
I ALWAYS CARRY VIALS IN MY
POCKETS WITH ME.
Chloe says, WELL, I'VE SEEN A LOT
OF BEES, SO MAYBE OUR CHANCES
ARE OKAY.
Sheila says, DEFINITELY. DO YOU
KNOW HOW TO USE A NET?
Sheila gives Chloe a large butterfly net.
Chloe says, UM, YEAH!
IT'S ONE OF MY FAVOURITE
POLLINHEAD JOBS!
Victoria says, ALL RIGHT, LET'S
GO SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND!
Sheila says, ALL RIGHT, CHLOE,
IF YOU SEE A BUMBLEBEE ON
A FLOWER, TO CATCH IT, ALL
YOU HAVE TO DO IS HOLD YOUR
NET RIGHT UP OVER IT, RIGHT
DOWN ON THE GROUND, THERE
YOU GO.
AND SEE, IT'S GONNA FLY UP.
Chloe says, ALL RIGHT!
Sheila says, AND LIFT UP, AND YOU
CAUGHT YOURSELF A BEE!
Chloe asks, SO WHAT DID YOU
FIND THERE?
Victoria says, THIS IS THE COMMON
EASTERN BUMBLEBEE. AND SHE'S
ACTUALLY CARRYING POLLEN.
Text beneath the bumblebee in a vial reads, “Common Eastern Bumblebee.” An orange circle appears around a yellow patch on the bumblebee’s leg. An orange arrow points to the circle and orange text reads, “Pollen Basket.”
[Pop]
Sheila says, HAVING POLLEN
BASKETS ON THEIR LEGS IS ONE
WAY WE CAN TELL BUMBLEBEES
FROM ALL OF THE OTHER TYPES
OF BEES.
Chloe says, WOW!
[Wind blows]
Victoria says, ONLY THE WORKERS
COLLECT POLLEN, THE MALES
DON'T. IT'S ONLY THE FEMALES
ARE OUT DOING THE WORK.
Chloe says, NICE JOB, GIRL.
Chloe searches in long grass.
[Grass rustles, upbeat music plays]
Chloe says, WAIT A MINUTE...
I SEE THE BROWN SPOT,
IS THIS A RUSTY-PATCH?
An orange circle surrounds the rusty-patch on a Rusty-Patched Bumblebee. Text beneath the bumblebee reads, “Rusty-Patched Bumblebee.”
An orange circle surrounds the brown mark on the Brown Belted Bumblebee. Text beneath the bumblebee reads, “Brown Belted Bumblebee.”
Sheila says, THIS IS A BROWN-BELTED
BUMBLEBEE. IT'S A SPECIES THAT IS
OFTEN CONFUSED FOR THE
RUSTY-PATCHED BUMBLEBEE.
THE RUSTY-PATCH HAS A PATCH
OF ORANGE SURROUNDED BY YELLOW,
WHERE THIS IS MORE OF A BROWN
HALF-MOON.
Leo says, THE HUNT IS ON AS HOUSTEN
CHECKS OUT WILDLIFE PRESERVATION
CANADA'S BEE LAB AT THE AFRICAN
LION SAFARI WHERE LOTS OF
CONSERVATION PROGRAMS ARE
TAKING PLACE!
A map shows the location of “African Lion Safari”, east of Cambridge in Ontario.
[Upbeat music plays]
Leo explains, SARAH IS TRYING TO
DEVELOP TECHNIQUES TO SAVE
ENDANGERED BEES.
IT IS A THING CALLED
"CONSERVATION BREEDING,"
AND IT'S LIKE- WELL, IT'S SORTA...
AS IF YOU-- OOH! GOODNESS ME.
MAYBE I SHOULD LEAVE THIS ONE
TO THE PROFESSIONALS.
Housten and Sarah walk beside a small trailer. On the side of the trailer, text reads, “Wildlife Preservation Canada’s Bumble Bee Conservation Lab.”
[Whoosh]
Housten asks, SO YOU'RE TELLING
ME THIS IS A SCIENCE LAB?
Sarah replies, YEAH, THIS IS OUR
CONSERVATION BREEDING LAB.
[Birds chirp]
Housten asks, WHAT IS
CONSERVATION BREEDING, AGAIN?
LEO WAS A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED.
Text beneath Sarah reads, “Sarah Mackell. Wildlife Preservation Canada. Lead Biologist.”
[Whoosh]
Sarah says, THAT'S FAIR.
CONSERVATION BREEDING
IS PRETTY SIMPLE, ACTUALLY.
SO WE JUST TAKE WILD
BUMBLEBEE QUEENS FROM
THE FIELD, AND WE BRING THEM
BACK TO OUR LAB, AND THEY GO
THROUGH THEIR NATURAL LIFE
CYCLE WITHIN THE LAB SPACE.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY ONE DAY
WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH BUMBLEBEE
COLONIES TO REINTRODUCE
AT-RISK SPECIES.
Housten says, AWESOME!
Sarah says, YEAH, SO LET'S GO IN.
ONE THING IS YOU WANT TO STEP
REALLY LIGHTLY, BECAUSE THEY
DON'T LIKE VIBRATIONS,
AND YOU'RE GONNA NEED THIS.
Sarah gives Housten a headlamp. They walk through the trailer door and close it. Red light fills the inside of the trailer.
[Door slams]
Housten says, WHOA, COOL!
IT'S LIKE WE'RE IN A
VIDEO GAME!
Sarah says, YEAH, IT KIND OF IS
LIKE THAT, YOU'RE RIGHT.
BEES ACTUALLY CAN'T SEE
RED LIGHT, SO THEY'RE
COMPLETELY IN THE DARK
RIGHT NOW, WHICH MAKES
THEM EASIER TO HANDLE.
Housten asks, SO ARE THESE
BEES ENDANGERED?
Sarah says, ACTUALLY, THESE
ARE COMMON SPECIES THIS YEAR.
THEY'RE ALL ABUNDANT IN THE
WILD, SO WE TRY TO PRACTICE
OUR TECHNIQUES ON THEM FIRST.
Labeled photographs show the “Common Eastern Bumblebee,” “Brown-Belted Bumblebee,” and “Tricoloured Bumblebee.”
Housten asks, WHAT DO WE
DO FIRST?
[Whoosh]
Sarah says, SO THE FIRST THING
WE'RE GONNA DO IS ACTUALLY
FEED THEM POLLEN, WITH THESE
LITTLE POLLEN BALLS RIGHT HERE.
WE'RE GONNA JUST PUT IN TWO
POLLEN BALLS, BECAUSE THERE'S
A FEW BEES IN HERE, SO THEY NEED
MORE THAN ONE. AND JUST PUT IN
ONE. DO YOU WANNA TRY IT?
Housten says, YEAH.
Sarah says, OKAY.
Housten says, IT'S KINDA
LIKE CHOPSTICKS.
Housten uses metal tongs to pick up a pollen ball and place if in a plastic container.
[Upbeat music plays]
Sarah says, OKAY, GOOD JOB.
Housten says, EAT UP,
LITTLE POLLINATORS!
Sarah says, NOW THAT WE'VE
FED POLLEN, WE NEED TO FEED
THEM NEW NECTAR, JUST LIKE
THEY WOULD GET IN THE WILD.
AND WE JUST WANNA GET
SOME FRESH NECTAR OUT OF
THE FRIDGE. I GOT SOME ON YOU.
Nectar spills over the side of a vial as Sarah pours the liquid.
[Liquid burbles, Sarah laughs]
Sarah says, ALL RIGHT, SO I'M
GONNA PUT THE CAP ON, QUICKLY,
SO IT DOESN'T ALL COME OUT.
AND SO YOU WANNA PUT IT IN
TO THIS HOLE RIGHT HERE?
Housten says, OKAY, I'M
VERY SCARED.
Housten lowers the vial into a hole.
Sarah says, ALL RIGHT, GOOD WORK.
Chloe swings her net over a plant.
Chloe says, I MISSED.
Sheila asks, WHAT DID IT LOOK LIKE?
Chloe says, A LOT MORE YELLOW
THAN THE OTHER ONES.
Victoria says, SEE IF WE CAN FIND
IT IN THE BOOK, HERE. DID IT
LOOK LIKE THAT BEE AT ALL?
Chloe says, EXACTLY THAT ONE.
Victoria says, COOL! THAT'S A
LEMON CUCKOO BUMBLEBEE.
A photograph shows a bright yellow and black bumblebee standing on a green leaf. Text beneath the photograph reads, “Lemon Cuckoo Bumblebee.”
[Wind blows]
Chloe asks, IS IT ENDANGERED?
Victoria says, NO, AT LEAST, NOT
YET, BUT IT'S RELATED TO THE
BOHEMIAN CUCKOO BUMBLEBEE.
[Wind blows]
Sheila says, THE CUCKOO BUMBLEBEES
ACTUALLY USE THE NESTS OF THE
RUSTY-PATCHED BUMBLEBEE.
THEY NEED THE NESTS OF ANOTHER
BUMBLEBEE SPECIES TO LAY
THEIR EGGS.
SO THAT'S WHY THE BOHEMIAN
CUCKOO BUMBLEBEE IS ENDANGERED,
BECAUSE THE RUSTY-PATCHED
BUMBLEBEE IS ALSO ENDANGERED.
Chloe say SO WHEN THE
RUSTY-PATCHED DISAPPEARED,
SO DID THE HOME FOR THE
BOHEMIAN CUCKOO?
Victoria says, EXACTLY.
Chloe says, THAT'S REALLY SAD.
Sheila says, YEAH, THE RUSTY-PATCHED
BUMBLEBEE DECLINED SO RAPIDLY,
WE DIDN'T EVEN GET TO SEE IT
ACTUALLY DECLINE. AND SADLY,
IT'S NOT ALONE.
Text reads, “Did You Know?”
A boy stands in front of a chalkboard. He wears an orange “Leo’s Pollinators” shirt and blue jeans.
[Whoosh, chalk hitting board]
The boy asks, DID YOU KNOW THAT
BUMBLEBEE SPECIES ARE DECLINING
ALL OVER THE WORLD?
Text on the chalkboard reads, “Bumblebee species are declining.”
He says, IN CANADA ALONE, EIGHT OF
FORTY-EIGHT SPECIES ARE ON THE
OFFICIAL AT-RISK LIST, SPECIES LIKE
THE RUSTY-PATCHED, BOHEMIAN
CUCKOO, AND AMERICAN BUMBLEBEE,
HAVE ALREADY LOST MORE THAN
FIFTY PERCENT OF THEIR POPULATION.
LOTS OF PEOPLE THINK OF HONEY BEES
WHEN THEY THINK OF POLLINATION,
BUT WILD BUMBLEBEES ARE SOME OF
THE MOST IMPORTANT POLLINATORS.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY THE ONLY
POLLINATORS THAT POLLINATE
POTATOES. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT
YOU, BUT I'M NOT WILLING TO
GIVE UP FRENCH FRIES!
LOSING BUMBLEBEES IS THE FIRST
PART OF A RIPPLE EFFECT THAT
CHANGES THE WHOLE ECOSYSTEM,
Text on the chalkboard reads, “Ecosystem.”
He says, AND THEY'RE IN TROUBLE.
THE BUMBLEBEES NEED US.
NOW YOU KNOW.
Leo says, I KNEW POLLINATORS
WERE IN DANGER, BUT I DIDN'T
KNOW IT WAS SO BAD.
GOOD THING THERE ARE SCIENTISTS
LIKE SHEILA, VICTORIA, AND SARAH,
WHO ARE ON THE CASE. LET'S SEE
HOW HOUSTEN IS DOING AT THE
CONSERVATION BREEDING LAB!
Sarah says, OKAY, NOW THAT
WE'VE FED THE BEES, WE'RE GONNA
ACTUALLY TAKE SOME NOTES.
THE FIRST THING WE'RE GOING
TO LOOK AT IS ACTUALLY
BROOD CELLS.
Text reads, “Brood cells are where eggs develop into a bee.”
[Slide whistle]
Sarah says, SO DO YOU SEE KINDA
LIKE A WAX STRUCTURE, THEY'RE
PRETTY ROUND, DO YOU SEE THIS?
Housten says, YEAH, IT KINDA
LOOKS LIKE MY CEREAL.
Sarah asks, SO DO YOU WANNA GIVE IT
YOUR BEST SHOT COUNTING THOSE?
Housten says, IT LOOKS LIKE ELEVEN.
Sarah says, LET ME SEE. ELEVEN...
TWELVE. SO YOU WERE VERY CLOSE.
DO YOU MIND WRITING DOWN
TWELVE BROOD CELLS, PLEASE?
Housten says, OKAY.
Housten writes in a notebook.
Sarah says, NOW THE NEXT THING
WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT IS NECTAR
POTS. SO DO YOU SEE THOSE WAX
STRUCTURES THAT ARE OPEN,
AND THEY HAVE SOME NECTAR,
AND THEY'RE GLISTENING?
HOW MANY DO YOU COUNT?
[Slide whistles]
Housten says, FIVE.
Sarah says, FIVE, GREAT JOB. SO
WRITE DOWN FIVE NECTAR POTS.
Housten says, OKAY.
Sarah says, ALL RIGHT, SO THE LAST
THING WE'RE GONNA CHECK IS HOW
MANY WORKERS THERE ARE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE QUEEN RIGHT
THERE, SHE'S REALLY BIG, RIGHT?
Housten says, YEAH.
Sarah says, THE OTHER BEES HERE
ARE ACTUALLY WORKERS. SO WE
HAVE HOW MANY WORKERS?
[Popping]
Housten says, THREE?
Sarah says, YEAH, WE
HAVE THREE.
Housten says, OKAY.
Sarah says, SO YOU'RE JUST
WANNA WRITE THAT
DOWN, GREAT.
[Whoosh, upbeat music plays, birds sing]
Housten asks, SO THE
CONSERVATION BREEDING IS
REALLY HELPING
THE BUMBLEBEES?
Sarah says, HOPEFULLY ONCE
WE GET THE TECHNIQUES DOWN
FOR THESE COMMON BEES, WE CAN
USE THEM FOR AT-RISK BEES, JUST
LIKE THE ENDANGERED
RUSTY-PATCHED BUMBLEBEE.
Chloe, Sheila, and Victoria carry their nets as they search through long grass.
Victoria says, YOU KNOW, CHLOE,
YOU CAN DO SURVEYS YOURSELF.
Chloe asks, REALLY? HOW?
[Wind blows]
Victoria says, YEAH! THERE'S AN
APP CALLED, "BUMBLE BEE WATCH."
ALL YOU'VE GOTTA DO IS TAKE
A PICTURE OF A BUMBLEBEE
ANYWHERE YOU SEE ONE ON
A FLOWER.
HERE, TAKE A PICTURE,
AND I'LL PUT IT IN THE APP.
[Camera clicks, wind blows, waves crash]
Victoria says, AWESOME.
SO YOU OPEN UP THE APP,
CHOOSE YOUR BEST PHOTO,
ADD YOUR LOCATION,
HIT "SUBMIT."
Sheila says, "BUMBLE BEE WATCH"
IS REALLY USEFUL, BECAUSE WE
CAN TRACK DIFFERENT SPECIES,
WE CAN FIND RARE SPECIES,
WE'LL USE THIS INFORMATION,
AND WE GIVE IT TO THE PUBLIC
AND THE GOVERNMENT, SO
EVERYONE CAN HELP.
Chloe says, I'M GONNA TELL MY
FRIENDS TO DO LOCAL SURVEYS
IN THEIR AREAS, TOO.
Sheila says, THAT'LL BE SUPER HELPFUL.
IT'S THE BEST WAY THAT PEOPLE
CAN HELP US SAVE
ENDANGERED BUMBLEBEES.
Chloe says, THIS CALLS FOR A HIGH FLY.
Sheila asks, A WHAT?
Chloe says, PUT THE NETS DOWN,
Chloe, Sheila, and Victoria put down their nets.
[Clicking]
Chloe says, HANDS IN THE MIDDLE...
Chloe, Sheila, Victoria, Housten, and Sarah wiggle their fingers as they raise their hands high above their heads.
Chloe, Sheila, Victoria, Housten, and Sarah say, HIIIIIGH FLY!
Chloe, Sheila, Victoria, Housten, and Sarah cheer, WOOO!
[Upbeat music plays]
Leo says, WING-TASTIC WORK
TODAY, POLLINHEADS.
THE CASE OF THE MISSING
RUSTY-PATCHED BUMBLEBEE
REMAINS UNSOLVED, WHICH
MEANS THE BUMBLEBEES
NEED EVERYONE'S HELP.
POLLINHEADS ALERT!
LEARN YOUR SPECIES!
GET TO KNOW WHICH
BUMBLEBEES ARE IN YOUR AREA,
AND KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THEM.
WITH ALL OF US ON THE LOOKOUT
SNAPPING PICTURES, AND
CONTRIBUTING TO "BUMBLE BEE
WATCH," WE'LL BE HELPING OUT SHEILA,
VICTORIA, AND OTHER RESEARCHERS,
TO DETERMINE WHICH BUMBLES NEED
THE MOST HELP, SO WE DON'T END UP
WITH ANOTHER CASE OF THE MISSING
BUMBLEBEE, LIKE WE HAVE WITH
THE RUSTY-PATCHED.
AND I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, AND I'LL SAY
IT AGAIN, GARDEN, GARDEN, GARDEN!
MAKE SURE YOUR GARDEN HAS A
VARIETY OF NATIVE PLANTS AND
SPECIES THAT WILL BLOOM ALL
SUMMER LONG, SO NO POLLINATOR
HAS TO GO HUNGRY!
[Rustling]
Leo says, AND REMEMBER, KEEP
THOSE MAGNIFYING GLASSES HANDY.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU
MIGHT FIND IF YOU JUST...
KEEP AN EYE OUT!
[Upbeat music plays]
End credits roll.
“Directed by: Melissa Peters.
Written by: Melissa Peters.
Produced by: Christopher Szarka and Raj Panikkar.
With
Naomi Melvin as ‘LEO’.
Chloe Drayton.
Housten Daghighi.
Produced in association with TVOkids.
Fifth Ground Entertainment.
TVOkids.
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