National Geographic's The Swarm - India's Killer Bees [VHS]

Description

.com This National Geographic Explorer video follows a clan of "killer" bees on their annual 100-mile migration from one part of India to the footsteps of the Himalaya Mountains. Because they have only a 50-day life span, half of them die along the way, and the fact that some colonies never make it to their destination gives this 50-minute documentary some suspense. Although much is made of their aggressive tendencies and fearsome attacks on humans, the only injuries viewers see are several stings to a scientist when a few bees get inside his netted hat. In fact, the bees face plenty of predators of their own, from spiders that spin webs strong enough to trap small birds to bee-eating birds that cannot be stung. The close-up cinematography provides marvelous views of the habits of and communication between these venomous creatures. And the sight of 100 buzzing colonies in a single tree or the scientist being hoisted into their midst isn't commonplace either. --Kimberly Heinrichs