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. Monitors at the bottom of the lake read “Leo’s Pollinators Explorer Club”

Leo sings,
DOO, DOO, DOO, DOO,
DOO, DOO, DOO, DOO

Leo says,
POLLINHEAD PARTY, YEAH
TODAY, THE POLLINATOR TEAM
IS GETTING TO KNOW A BEE
WHO IS NOT AT RISK.
IN FACT, THIS WILD BEE
IS DOING GREAT!
POLLINHEAD PARTY, YA-HOO!
THE BIG EASTERN CARPENTER BEE
IS AT THE TOP OF TODAY'S
'NATOR NAVIGATOR,
AND BIG, THEY ARE,
FOR A BEE, THAT IS.
THEY'RE TWELVE TO TWENTY-FIVE
MILLIMETERS LONG,
ABOUT THE SIZE OF A QUARTER.
CARPENTER BEES ARE SIMILAR
TO A BUMBLEBEE.
IT'S SUPER FUZZY ON TOP,
BUT YOU CAN TELL IT APART
BECAUSE OF IT'S LONG,
AND SUPER SMOOTH,
BLACK ABDOMEN.
CARPENTER BEES DO
THEIR POLLINATION WORK
BY USING BUZZ VIBRATION.
THEY VIBRATE THEIR MUSCLES,
WHICH CAUSES THE POLLEN
TO SHAKE OFF THE FLOWER,
AND THIS IS A GREAT FORM
OF POLLINATION FOR PLANTS,
LIKE CRANBERRIES AND EGGPLANT.
THERE'S LOTS TO CELEBRATE WHEN
IT COMES TO CARPENTER BEES -
THE POPULATIONS ARE DOING
AWESOME,
EVEN WITH ALL THE CHANGES
TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO, IF SCIENTISTS DON'T HAVE
TO WORRY ABOUT
TRYING TO SAVE A SPECIES,
THEY CAN FOCUS ON
JUST FIGURING OUT
WHAT MAKES THEM SO AMAZING.
THE POLLINHEADS ARE MEETING UP
WITH DOCTOR MIRIAM RICHARDS
AND HER TEAM FROM
THE BROCK UNIVERSITY BEE LAB.
MALE CARPENTER BEES ARE TOUGH.
THEY DON'T LIKE ANY OTHER BEES
IN THEIR TERRITORY
AND THEY'RE NOT AFRAID
TO DUKE IT OUT.
MIRIAM AND HER TEAM
ARE RESEARCHING TO SEE
IF IT'S REALLY BETTER
LONG TERM,
TO BE THE TOUGHEST BEE
ON THE BLOCK.
PARTY ON, POLLINHEADS!

Geese float in a pond. Chloe and Housten approach them. Chloe wears a pink t-shirt. Her red hair is braided and falls over her shoulder. Housten wears a white and blue long-sleeved shirt with blue jeans. His curly dark hair is puffed up.

Text reads, “Dr. Miriam Richards. Brock University Bee Lab, Researcher”

Miriam holds a bee net as she stands with Housten and Chloe near the lake. She wears a bright blue collared shirt over her yellow t-shirt. Her dark hair is tied up in a ponytail and flows out the back of her orange baseball hat.

Miriam says,
WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED
THAT YOU'VE COME TO HELP US
WITH OUR RESEARCH ON BIG,
MALE CARPENTER BEES.
THESE BEES HAVE HUGE
PERSONALITIES.

Chloe replies,
WAIT, BEES HAVE PERSONALITIES?

Miriam states,
THEY DO!
THEY CHASE THINGS,
THEY EVEN CHASE AIRPLANES
SOMETIMES.

Chloe asks, CHASE AFTER A PLANE?

Housten responds, NO WAY!

Miriam says,
YEAH, THEY DO FUNNY THINGS
LIKE THAT,
BECAUSE THEY'RE TERRITORIAL.
SO, ARE YOU READY?

Housten answers, YEP, I'M READY.

Chloe adds, YEAH!

Miriam says, OKAY, LET'S GO!

Miriam responds, COOL!

Bees hover over a wooden path near the water. A woman with curly dark hair collects them in a plastic container. She wears a blue flannel shirt and khakis.

Miriam leads Housten and Chloe to the woman. They hold nets.

Text reads, “Lyllian Corbin. Brock University Bee Lab, Research Student”

Miriam says,
WELL, HERE WE ARE THE BIG
CARPENTER BEE SITE,
AND THIS IS LYLLIAN.

Lyllian, the dark-haired woman, waves.

She responds, HI.

Miriam adds,
SHE'S A GRAD STUDENT WHO'S
IN CHARGE OF OUR RESEARCH
THIS YEAR ON MALE CARPENTER
BEES.

Chloe replies, COOL!

Housten asks,
SO, IS THIS THE BEE'S NEST,
UNDER THE BRIDGE?

Lyllian responds,
MORE LIKE IN THE BRIDGE.

Miriam adds,
THEY USE THEIR MANDIBLES
TO CUT HOLES IN THE WOOD,
AND THEN, TO CUT GALLERIES.
SO, THE NESTS ARE IN THIS
BOARD ALONG HERE,
AND THE CARPENTERS
MAKE THIS GALLERY.
IT'S A LITTLE TUNNEL
THAT GOES TO EITHER SIDE
OF THE NEST ENTRANCE.

Housten says,
SO, THEY REALLY ARE
LIKE LITTLE CARPENTERS.

Miriam replies, THEY REALLY ARE.

Chloe asks,
AND THEY'RE ALL INSIDE
THE WOOD RIGHT NOW?

Miriam answers,
YES! THEY ARE,
THEY'RE THERE
BECAUSE THEY WERE WINTERING
INSIDE THEIR NESTS
AND THEY'RE GONNA START
COMING OUT IN THE SPRING
TO DO THEIR POLLINATING
ACTIVITIES
AND DO THEIR NESTING.

Sections of the bridge are labeled “5”, “6”, and “7”. A bee flies under the bridge.

Lyllian adds,
SO, WE'RE GONNA SET UP
CUP TRAPS ON THESE NESTS.
IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE. YOU JUST
TAKE THESE PLASTIC CUPS,
HAVE SOME SARAN WRAP ATTACHED
TO IT,
AND SOME VELCRO TAPED ON,
AND WE'RE JUST GONNA KNEEL DOWN
AND PICK A NEST ENTRANCE,
AND ATTACH THE CUP RIGHT ON
TO THE VELCRO
THAT'S ALREADY ON THE BRIDGE.

Chloe and Housten attach cups to the bottom of the bridge.

Housten says, DONE AND DONE!

Chloe asks,
HOW DO YOU KNOW THEY'D BE
NESTING HERE?

Lyllian replies,
SO, THEY REUSE THE SAME NESTS
YEAR AFTER YEAR,
AND WE'VE BEEN WATCHING
THIS BRIDGE
FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW,
SO WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE HERE.
AND FOR THE FEMALES,
IT'S VERY TIME-CONSUMING
TO MAKE A NEW NEST
AND IT ALSO A LOT OF HARD WORK,
SO, IT'S, IT'S MUCH EASIER
FOR THEM
IF THEY JUST REUSE
AN OLD NEST INSTEAD.

Chloe responds,
IT SOUNDS LIKE NESTING DEEP
IN THE WOOD IS THE PLACE TO BE.

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

Leo looks at a video of a bee flying under the bridge on a monitor at the bottom of the lake.

Leo says,
WELCOME TO "WHAT'S
THE BUZZ?" WITH LEO.
TODAY, WE'RE BUZZING
ABOUT WOOD,
ONE OF THE HOTTEST TRENDS IN
THE INSET REAL ESTATE MARKET.
WOOD IS THE PERFECT PLACE
FOR A HOME.
IT'S A STRONG MATERIAL THAT
REALLY PROTECTS ITS INHABITANTS
FROM THE ELEMENTS.
AROUND THIRTY PERCENT OF ALL
BEES ARE CAVITY NESTERS.
WOOD IS ONE OF THE TOP PICKS
FOR A CAVITY BEE'S
NESTING SITE.
VESPID WASPS, OR PAPER WASPS,
ARE ALSO IN ON THE TREND.
THEY SCRAPE AT WOOD TO TURN
IT INTO A PAPERY SUBSTANCE
TO BUILD THEIR NESTS WITH.
HUH, IMPRESSIVE.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, THIS HOUSING
TREND ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE.
WOOD IS WHERE IT'S AT!
AND THAT'S THE BUZZ.

(Bee buzzes)

A bee is trapped in one of the cups. Housten points at it. Chloe looks excited.

Housten says,
HEY, LOOK! THERE'S A COUPLE
OF BEES IN THE TRAP!

Miriam replies,
SO, NOW WE HAVE TO GET THEM
OUT OF THE TRAP,
SO THAT WE CAN START STUDYING
THEM.

Chloe asks,
DON'T WE NEED SOME PROTECTIVE
GEAR, OR SOMETHING?

Housten responds,
GOOD CALL, CHLOE,
MAYBE SOME GLOVES!

Lyllian says,
DON'T WORRY, POLLINHEADS,
ONLY THE FEMALES CAN STING,
AND THESE ARE MALES
IN THE CUPS HERE.
IT'S VERY EASY; JUST WATCH.
SO, YOU TAKE A REGULAR CUP,
YOU TAKE YOUR CUP TRAP, AND
THEN, YOU PLACE THE CUP ON TOP,
AND THEN, YOU PUT IT ON ICE.
JUST LIKE THAT.
YOU GUYS WANNA GIVE IT A GO?

Lyllian places the cup in a blue and white cooler.

Housten answers, SURE!

Chloe adds, ALL RIGHT.

Housten and Chloe place multiple cups filled with bees in the cooler.

Lyllian says,
SO, THE REASON WE PUT THEM ON
ICE IS TO COOL THEM DOWN.
IT DOESN'T HARM THEM,
IT JUST COOLS THEM DOWN
SO THAT THEY STOP MOVING
AND GET A LITTLE SLEEPY,
AND THEN WE CAN MEASURE
AND MARK THEM WITH PAINTS.

Chloe replies, DID YOU SAY...
Housten shouts, PAINT THEM??

Lyllian answers, I DID!

Leo watches Lyllian on the monitor.

He says, WOW.

Miriam adds,
IT DOESN'T HURT THEM,
BUT IT'S DEFINITELY ONLY
SOMETHING THAT SCIENTISTS
DO.

Chloe says,
NO PAINTING BEES AT HOME.
GOT IT.

A small snake slithers out from a patch of grass. Housten looks at it with a magnifying glass.

Lyllian pulls a bee out of the cooler and holds it in her hand.

She says,
SO, HERE'S WHAT A CARPENTER
BEE LOOKS LIKE.

Chloe replies, HE'S SO CUTE!

Lyllian adds, YEAH, HE'S VERY CUTE.

Housten asks,
UH, WHAT'S UP WITH THE YELLOW
THING ON ITS FACE?

Lyllian answers,
SO, THAT YELLOW PATCH,
ONLY THE MALES HAVE THAT
ON THEIR FACE;
THE FEMALES DON'T.
SO, WE'RE GONNA TAKE HIS MASS.
I'M GONNA PLACE HIM
ON THE SCALE, OKAY.

Chloe watches as Lyllian weighs the bee.

Chloe reads, IT SAYS 0.386.

Miriam says, NICE. PERFECT.

Housten adds,
I'M GONNA WRITE THAT DOWN.

He marks the weight in a journal.

Leo watches the bee on the monitor.

He states,
DON'T WORRY, THE BEE IS
JUST SLEEPY FROM THE ICE.
HE'LL BE ACTIVE AGAIN
ONCE HE WARMS UP.

Miriam examines the bee.

She says,
SO, WE'RE GONNA USE
THE CALIPERS
TO MEASURE HIS WINGS
AND HIS HEAD.
ALL RIGHT,
WHAT MEASUREMENT DID I GET?

Housten answers, YOU GOT 782.

Miriam replies,
ALL RIGHT.
I WANT YOU TO TAKE A LOOK
AT THEIR WINGS.
CAN YOU SEE THE WING VEINS?

Housten says, YEAH!

Miriam notes,
SO, THOSE STRENGTHEN
THE WINGS,
SO THAT THEY DON'T WEAR OUT
TOO QUICKLY.
THERE'S SOMETHING QUITE
INTERESTING.
CAN YOU SEE SOMETHING ON THIS
WING, HERE?
LET ME POINT WITH THE STICK.

Chloe responds, YEAH.

Miriam says,
CAN YOU SEE? SOMETIMES IT
HITS ITS WINGS ON THINGS,
ESPECIALLY BIG BEES, AND EVERY
TIME IT HITS ITS WINGS,
A LITTLE CHUNK FLIES OUT
OF THE WING AT THE BACK.

Chloe asks,
WHAT DO THEY USE THEIR
ANTENNAS FOR?

Miriam answers,
SO, THEIR ANTENNAE ARE
BASICALLY CHEMICAL SENSORS
AND THEY'RE FOR TASTING
AND RECOGNIZING EACH OTHER.
IF WE WERE TWO BEES MEETING
IN A TUNNEL,
I WOULD COME UP TO YOU
AND I WOULD GO LIKE THIS WITH
MY ANTENNAE.

Miriam taps Housten on the sides of his head with her palms.

(Laugh)

Miriam continues,
SAY, WHO ARE YOU?
WHO ARE YOU? OH, YOU'RE
HOUSTEN, THAT'S OKAY.
EVER TRIED PAINTING BEES?

Chloe answers, NO.

Housten says, NO, PAINTING BEES?

Lyllian states,
IT'S SO MUCH FUN, GUYS!

Paints and brushes are laid out on a table beside two sleeping bees.

Lyllian says,
SO, THESE PAINTS ARE
NON-TOXIC.
THEY DON'T HARM THE BEES,
BUT WE GIVE EACH BEE
A UNIQUE COMBINATION LIKE RED
AND LIGHT BLUE,
SO WE CAN SAY RED-LIGHT BLUE
WAS OUT HOVERING
AND DOING TERRITORIAL
BEHAVIOURS, AND WHATNOT.

Housten says,
THEY'RE SO CHILLED OUT.

Leo watches the sleeping bees on the monitor.

He says,
HA! GOOD ONE, HOUSTEN.

Housten adds,
IT'S AMAZING THAT SCIENTISTS
USE EVERYDAY OBJECTS
FOR ALL OF THIS RESEARCH.

Lyllian responds,
YEAH, IT'S VERY COOL, HUH?
AND IT'S VERY CONVENIENT, TOO.

Miriam opens a small container of brown paint.

She says,
SO, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO
IS VERY CAREFULLY PUT LITTLE
DOTS OF PAINTS
ON THE BEE'S THORAX.
OKAY, THAT'S PERFECT, HOUSTEN.

Housten paints one bee brown while Chloe paints the other light blue.

Lyllian adds,
IT'S LIKE YOU'VE DONE
THIS BEFORE!

Lyllian reaches back into the cooler.

She says,
OKAY, NOW THAT WE'VE
PAINTED THE BEES,
IT'S TIME TO LET THEM GO BACK
TO THEIR TERRITORIES.
PUT YOUR HAND OUT LIKE THAT.

Lyllian places a sleeping bee in Chloe’s hands.

Lyllian adds,
SO, THEY'RE VERY COLD,
AND NOW,
WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO
IS LET THEM WARM UP.

The bee crawls around Chloe’s hand.

Chloe says,
I CAN FEEL LIKE,
A LITTLE VIBRATION.

Miriam responds,
HE'S BUZZING A LITTLE BIT.

Housten, Chloe, Lyllian, and Miriam count,
ONE, TWO, THREE!

The bee flies off Chloe’s hand.

She shouts, GO, BEE, GO!

A bee flies off Housten’s hand. He smiles.

He says, YAY!

(Clapping)

Leo says,
ALL RIGHT, BIG BEES,
TIME TO SEE WHAT ALL THE BUZZ
IS ABOUT.
LET'S SEE THOSE DEFENCES
IN ACTION.

A bee hovers under one of the cups.

Miriam responds,
WATCH REALLY CLOSELY,
BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA SEE SOME
GREAT DEFENSIVE BEHAVIOURS.
THE MOST IMPORTANT, I THINK,
IS CALLED HOVERING,
AND THAT'S WHEN A BEE
JUST STAYS STILL,
HOVERING IN ONE SPOT,
ON THE WATCH FOR ANY FEMALE
HE CAN FIND.
THE GRAPPLE IS WHEN YOU HAVE
TWO MALES
GOING AROUND LIKE THIS.
OKAY, SNEAK UP ON HIM.

Chloe crouches as she approaches two grappling bees.

She says,
AH! AH!
OH, HE'S RIGHT, HE'S LIKE,
LOOKING AT ME RIGHT NOW.

Lyllian replies,
YEAH, YOU SHOW HIM
WHO'S BOSS, CHLOE!

Chloe states, I'M BOSS HERE.

A bee hovers near the bridge.

Lyllian says,
SO, WE'LL KEEP PAINTING
THESE BEES YEAR AFTER YEAR,
BECAUSE CARPENTER POPULATIONS
ARE THRIVING,
SO WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME
TO DO OUR RESEARCH.

Miriam adds,
AND THAT MEANS, AFTER A FEW
MORE YEARS OF WORK,
MAYBE WE'LL REALLY FIGURE OUT
EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW
ABOUT THOSE BIG,
MALE CARPENTER BEES.

Chloe responds,
I'M SO GLAD THESE BIG
CARPENTER BEES
AREN'T THREATENED.

Housten replies,
SAME.
AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THEM
IN MY OWN BACKYARD, IF I CAN.
AND BY THE WAY, WE HAVE THIS
HANDSHAKE CALLED
"THE HIGH FLY."
YOU GUYS WANNA TRY IT?

Miriam answers, YEAH!

Lyllian says, SURE.

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

Housten says,
SO, WE GO IN THE AIR
IN THREE, TWO, ONE…

Housten, Chloe, Lyllian, and Miriam raise their hands over their heads.

They shout, HIGH FLY!

Clouds float over the lake.

Text reads, “PollinHeads Alert!”

Leo says,
POLLINHEADS ALERT,
WHAT A REASON TO CELEBRATE!
YOU CAN SEE THESE TOUGH BEES
FOR YOURSELF
BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING
ANYWHERE, ANYTIME SOON.
UH-UH.
THERE'S PLENTY YOU CAN DO
TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES
OF CATCHING A GLIMPSE.
CARPENTER BEES LOVE FLOWERS
WITH LOTS OF NECTAR,
LIKE WISTERIA,
SEDUM, AND BERGAMOT.
DON'T DESTROY A NEST IF YOU
FIND ONE IN YOUR DECK OR SHED.
BETTER YET, FIND SOME SPARE
BOARDS OR LOGS,
AND PLACE THEM IN A SAFE SPOT.
NOT ONLY WILL THE CARPENTERS
HAVE A CONVENIENT HOME,
BUT YOU'LL BE ABLE
TO OBSERVE THEM SAFELY.
WITH POLLINHEADS FAR AND WIDE
DOING THEIR JOB
TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY
ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL CREATURES,
WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE A REASON
TO CELEBRATE.
AND LET'S FACE IT,
THERE AIN'T NO PARTY
LIKE A POLLINHEAD PARTY.
WOO-HOO!

Credits read, “Directed by Reem Morsi. Written by Melissa Peters. 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”