BEE'S....MILLION YEARS OF EVOLUTION (+playlist)

For millions of years bee's have been crucial to the survival of our planet and all living things. Today bee populations have collapsed, bee colonies have vanished.

Plants are genetically altered like the round up resistant canola, plants with 'terminator' genes so the seeds are useless. Bees are dying from a toxic soup of pesticides and fungicides in the pollen.

Modern technology is changing the planet for good, there will be no putting the genie back in the bottle. Still there is something special about watching bees on a flower like it is meant to be.

All sequences were filmed on September 20 and 22 at the Summerhill Pyramid Winery in Kelowna, the winery is government certified ORGANIC. The bee's like it that way.

Music:  by Elixirion http://www.elixirion.com

Wild Clematis in the forest after the rain

Filmed May 4, 2012 at Mission Creek Park...

The Wild Clematis was the first delicate flower we came upon. This one is mauve, but apparently there are also yellow ones. They grow in predominantly shaded areas in the forest, using other trees for structure. They do not have tendrils like most vines.

music by 03 - zero-project - 03 - Twilight poem

Bumblebee Apinae Bombus has a tongue!

The bumblebee is any member of the the bee genus Bombus. There are 250 known species. They exist primarily in the Northern Hemisphere but are also common in New Zealand and the Tasmania, Australia.

The soft long hair on their bodies is called 'pile'. It covers their entire body, making them appear soft and fuzzy. Like their relatives the honey bees, bumblebees feed on nectar and gather pollen to feed their young.

Like all bee tongues, the bumblebee tongue (the proboscis) is a long structure.  It extends from a sheath-like modified maxilla. The action of the tongue is lapping, i.e. repeated dipping of the tongue into liquid. During lapping, nectar is drawn up the proboscis by capillary action. When at rest or flying, the proboscis is kept folded under the head.

I had never seen the probiscus of a bumblebee before. It quite amazing! 

Earth Day 2012

Dear Earth,

We had a great day celebrating you but to be honest I don't just want a one day stand. I would like us to come together and form a long lasting relationship where we love one another, appreciate what we have and form a bond that transcends time.

I know it won't be easy. You are beautiful with a lot of treasure that unscrupulous suitors will try to take. They will abuse you at every opportunity; treat you with no respect as their personal playground. Others are willing to rape you for their own shortsighted gains, but as long as I can, I will stand by you, fight for you, because together the future is better for both you dear earth, and me.

Your humble guest.

It should be Earth Year.
Our world is too unique and precious to just celebrate it one day out of a year.  If you look around and see all the beauty then it's easy to understand why we all have to work together to save Mother Earth and make it better then previous generations.

All forms and manner of pollutants in the sea, on the land and in our air is threatening animals, nature and us humans.

music by Smiley 73 01 - Cry Freedom




Our earth is unique
As far as we know there is no life on any other planet close to Earth. That makes the biodiversity and beauty of life on our Earth all the more important.

The hoover fly at the end of the video was one of those 'being at the right place at the right time' things.  Filmed at 240fps with Sony HDRAX2000.

music by 03 - zero-project - 03 - Eden