Honeybees have been mysteriously disappearing across the planet, literally vanishing from their hives.

Known as Colony Collapse Disorder, this phenomenon has brought beekeepers to crisis in an industry responsible for producing apples, broccoli, watermelon, onions, cherries and a hundred other fruits and vegetables. Commercial honeybee operations pollinate crops that make up one out of every three bites of food on our tables.

Vanishing of the Bees follows commercial beekeepers David Hackenberg and Dave Mendes as they strive to keep their bees healthy and fulfill pollination contracts across the U.S. The film explores the struggles they face as the two friends plead their case on Capital Hill and travel across the Pacific Ocean in the quest to protect their honeybees.

Filming across the US, in Europe, Australia and Asia, this documentary examines the alarming disappearance of honeybees and the greater meaning it holds about the relationship between mankind and mother earth. As scientists puzzle over the cause, organic beekeepers indicate alternative reasons for this tragic loss. Conflicting options abound and after years of research, a definitive answer has not been found to this harrowing mystery.

Vanishing of the Bees Trailer:

Vanishing of the Bees – Trailer from Bee The Change on Vimeo.

Watch Ellen Page Discuss vanishing of the Bees with Bill Maher:

Visit VanishingBees.com to find a screening near you.

Christopher Stowell, a Boy Scout in Troop 250, Skiatook, OK, needs our help! He’s submitting a proposal to the National Boy Scout Council to reinstate the Beekeeping merit badge (discontinued in 1995) encouraging more young people to become beekeepers.

The Häagen-Dazs brand is interested in the sustainability of bees because more than 50% of its all natural flavors use ingredients that are pollinated by the bees.

Alarmingly, over the last three years more than 1 in 3 bee colonies have died nationwide. Researchers are calling this mysterious bee disappearance Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a condition that could threaten the U.S. food supply. Scientists say that the future situation for honey bees is dire since the average age of a beekeeper is 60 years old. Christopher wants to change that, by reinstating the Boy Scout Beekeeping merit badge, in order to train a younger population to help protect the honey bee. Christopher has enlisted the support of beekeeping organizations around the country that have agreed to help train the young people interested in beekeeping. We urge you to show your support for Christopher and his important mission.

Sign the petition here.

If you do not want to do a public post, you can print, sign and mail this form letter to Christopher Stowell.

Finally, if you are a member of a beekeeping club, please ask your club
to pass this resolution.