JENNIE: IN THIS EPISODE OF ECO SENSE FOR LIVING... >> I COULD NEVER RAISE SHARKS IN BACKYARD.

THAT JUST DIDN'T WORK.

BUT MONARCHS I COULD DO, AND THEY NEEDED ME.

JENNIE: SO, WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE CALL WEEDS, WHAT DO YOU CALL THEM?

>> BUTTERFLY FOOD.

>> WE CAN DISPEL ALL THIS NOTION OF IF YOU'RE BLACK, YOU DON'T DO THIS OR IF YOU'RE ASIAN, YOU DON'T THIS.

EVERYBODY DOES THIS.

EVERYBODY NEEDS TO DO THIS BECAUSE WE'RE ALL, AT THE END OF THE DAY, HUMAN AND WE LIVE ON EARTH.

♪ ♪ JENNIE: AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT POLLINATORS DO FOR US, WE'RE ALSO LEARNING WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THEM.

♪ ♪ >> THIS IS ONE OF OUR HOT SPOTS HERE AT THE NORTH CAROLINA ARBOREUM, OUR FOREST MEADOW, AND IT SERVES LOTS OF PURPOSES.

JENNIE: OH, THIS IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.

IT GROWS ALL OVER OUR FARM.

>> YEAH, THIS IS IRON WEED.

IT IS A BEAUTIFUL DARK PURPLE FLOWER, GROWS VERY, VERY TALL.

JUST SORT OF A NICE WAY OF KIND OF CHANGING UP THE LOOK OF AN ECOSYSTEM OR A GARDEN.

A HOTBED FOR POLLINATORS FOR SURE.

♪ ♪ JENNIE: SO, IF WE TOOK A PATCH OF OUR YARD AND JUST LET IT GO, THIS IS PROBABLY WHAT WE WOULD SEE, BUT WE COULD ALSO HELP IT A LITTLE BIT.

>> THIS IS WHAT YOU WOULD END UP WITH.

NOW, THIS IS NOT GONNA STAY THIS WAY.

IF WE LET IT GO, WE'D BE LOOKING AT SOMETHING MORE LIKE THIS.

EVENTUALLY TREES WILL COME IN, TAKE ROOT, START GROWING UP AND SHADE OUT ANY OF THESE FOREST PLANTS.

THIS IS NOT A NATURAL MEADOW.

THIS WAS ACTUALLY DESIGNED.

THIS IS PART OF OUR LANDSCAPE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF FOREST IN THIS AREA.

WHAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF WAS OPEN MEADOW, AND YOU WILL NOT FIND THINGS LIKE GOLDEN ROD AND IRON WEED GROWING BELOW A SHADY CANOPY OF A FOREST.

SO, BY OPENING THIS AREA UP, WE HAVE CREATED SO MUCH MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR POLLINATORS TO GO ABOUT THEIR IMPORTANT WORK HERE.

JENNIE: WHEN WE THINK ABOUT POLLINATORS, WE USUALLY THINK ABOUT BEES.

>> SURE.

JENNIE: WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE BE THINKING ABOUT?

>> IT'S KIND OF AMAZING THE DIVERSITY OF SPECIES THAT DO PERFORM THIS REALLY VALUABLE SERVICE OF POLLINATION.

WE ALL UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT HONEYBEES ARE TO AGRICULTURE, HOWEVER THAT'S A REALLY SMALL FRACTION OF THE POLLINATION THAT HAPPENS, BOTH AGRICULTURALLY AND ALSO IN NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS.

WE ALSO HAVE HUMMINGBIRDS, OTHER SPECIES OF BIRDS SOMETIMES DO AS WELL.

FLIES CAN BE POLLINATORS.

SOMETIMES, YOU'LL FIND FLOWERS THAT HAVE SORT OF A RANK SMELL LIKE, THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF SMELL I THINK OF A FLOWER, BUT IT MAY BE ATTRACTING A FLY THAT'S ATTRACTED TO THAT KIND OF SCENT.

THERE ARE MANY, MANY, MANY MORE BEES THAN THE HONEYBEE THAT CONTRIBUTE TO POLLINATION.

AND IN FACT, THE HONEYBEE THAT WE THINK OF IS ACTUALLY NOT FROM THIS AREA.

IT'S FROM EUROPE.

JENNIE: SO, HOW MANY DIFFERENT SPECIES OF BEES ARE THERE?

>> SO, THERE IS OVER 20,000 SPECIES OF BEES ACROSS THE WORLD AND OVER 4,000 HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

LEAF CUTTING BEES, MASON BEES, BUMBLEBEES, CARPENTER BEES.

BUT THEN, ASIDE FROM THOSE IMPORTANT POLLINATORS, THERE'S ALSO OTHER INSECTS, LIKE WASPS.

A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE REALLY FEARFUL OF WASPS, AND IT IS SOMETHING, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE AN ALLERGY THAT YOU NEED TO BE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE OF.

BUT OF COURSE, THEY'RE NOT THERE PLOTTING OUR DEMISE.

THEY ARE OUT THERE PROVIDING IMPORTANT SERVICES BY POLLINATING.

JENNIE: SO, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST THREATS TO OUR POLLINATORS?

>> ONE OF THE BIGGEST THREATS TO ALL SPECIES IS DEFINITELY HABITAT LOSS, HABITAT DEGRADATION, HAVING HABITATS BE, SORT OF, SEGMENTED RATHER THAN CONNECTING AND ALLOWING THOSE ORGANISMS TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO OVER LARGE EXPANSES.

AND SO, THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO TO CREATE HABITATS IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD, IN YOUR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS HAVE A CONTAINER.

IT COULD EVEN BE SOMETHING THAT SITS ON A WINDOWSILL.

SO, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LARGE GARDEN, THERE'S STILL A PART THAT YOU CAN PLAY IN CONSERVING THESE POLLINATORS.

ANOTHER CHALLENGE TO POLLINATORS IS MONOCULTURE AGRICULTURE.

SO, WHEN WE'RE TAKING WHAT USED TO BE A FOREST OR A MEADOW WITH A LOT OF DIVERSITY OF DIFFERENT NECTAR SOURCES, DIFFERENT FLOWERS, DIFFERENT TREES, AND YOU'RE CONVERTING THAT TO SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE GROWING A SINGLE CROP, YOU'RE THEN TAKING AWAY A LOT OF THE HABITAT THAT THOSE POLLINATORS WOULD'VE BEEN RELYING ON.

JENNIE: DO PEOPLE ACTUALLY TAKE THEIR HONEYBEES TO DIFFERENT FARMS TO POLLINATE?

>> IT'S A STRANGE THING TO THINK OF, SOMEBODY LOADING UP A TRUCK FULL OF HONEYBEES AND DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR AGRICULTURE SYSTEM RELIES ON.

SO, VERY OFTEN, YOU'LL SEE ON THE HIGHWAY THIS LONG FLATBED TRUCK WITH A LOT OF HONEYBEES ON THEM TO BE ABLE TO POLLINATE PARTICULAR CROPS.

NOW, EVERYBODY NEEDS TO EAT, AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE STILL HAVE AGRICULTURE, BUT WE CAN ALSO DO THINGS LIKE ENSURE THAT WE HAVE NATIVE AREAS WITHIN THESE SAME PLACES SO THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THOSE NATIVE POPULATIONS.

CLIMATE CHANGE SURELY HAS AN IMPACT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CLIMATE CHANGE CAN KIND OF THROW A MONKEY WRENCH IN THIS WHOLE THING IS THERE ARE SOME SPECIES OF BEES THAT ARE SPECIALISTS TO ONE PARTICULAR GROUP OF FLOWERS OR TREES AND IF THE BLOOM RATES FOR THOSE PLANTS ARE OUT OF SYNC WITH WHEN THOSE INSECTS MIGHT EMERGE FROM THE GROUND OR WHEREVER THEY'VE BEEN SPENDING THEIR WINTER, THERE MIGHT NOT BE A FOOD SOURCE FOR THOSE BEES.

AND SO, THE SCIENCE OF PHENOLOGY, LOOKING AT THE SEASONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND WHEN THINGS HAPPEN, THAT'S VERY REVEALING AS TO HOW CLIMATE CHANGE MAY BE IMPACTING.

THERE'S ALSO PESTICIDES THAT ARE HEAVILY USED IN SOME AREAS.

THOSE TOXINS CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR NATIVE BEES AS WELL.

JENNIE: SO, WHAT DO WE DO WHEN CARPENTER BEES ARE COMING IN ON OUR BACKYARD TOYS?

>> YEAH, YEAH.

IT'S VERY, VERY UNLIKELY TO BE STUNG BY A CARPENTER BEE, AND ACTUALLY, THE MALES DON'T STING AT ALL.

THEY MAY BE DIGGING HOLES OR DRILLING HOLES INTO YOUR WOOD.

IS THAT GONNA CAUSE DAMAGE TO YOUR PROPERTY?

IF NOT, THEN MAYBE YOU LET THEM BE AND DO THEIR THING.

BUT YOU CAN ALSO DO THINGS LIKE CREATE HABITATS.

YOU COULD HAVE PIECES OF WOOD IN CERTAIN AREAS, UNFINISHED WOOD.

YOU'LL WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE USING NON-TREATED LUMBER SINCE THAT WOULD HAVE TOXIN THAT COULD BE HARMFUL TO THE BEES.

BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY A WAY THAT YOU CAN COEXIST WITH THE BEES.

NOW, NOT ALL BEES MAKE THEIR OWN HOLES.

WE THINK ABOUT THOSE CARPENTER BEES BEING REALLY, REALLY GOOD CARPENTERS, DRILLING HOLES INTO THE WOOD, HOWEVER, A LOT OF BEES LIKE MASON BEES WILL BE LOOKING FOR EXISTING HOLES.

THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT THEY FIND CREATED BY ANOTHER INSECT.

SOME BEES WILL TUNNEL DOWN INTO SANDY SOILS.

BUT VERY OFTEN, YOU CAN ACTUALLY CREATE BEE HOMES WITH JUST THIN STRIPS OF BAMBOO OR HOLLOWED STICKS, YOU CAN ALSO JUST DRILL STRAIGHT INTO WOOD AND THOSE HOLES, THOSE CREVICES, WILL BE WHERE MASON BEES, SOME VERY, VERY IMPORTANT NATIVE BEES MIGHT BE CREATING THEIR OWN NURSERIES FOR THEIR YOUNG.

JENNIE: SO, WHAT'S OUT HERE?

>> SO, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A REALLY NICE BUFFET IF YOU'RE A MONARCH BUTTERFLY.

IF YOU'RE A MONARCH BUTTERFLY AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A REALLY NICE PLACE TO LAY YOUR EGGS AND LET YOUR CATERPILLARS GO TO TOWN, THIS MILKWEED OVER HERE PROVIDES A PERFECT SPOT.

THE MOTHER MONARCH WILL COME AND LAY AN EGG, THE EGGS ARE LAID ON THE UNDERSIDE OF LEAVES.

THERE'S ALSO THINGS CALLED MILKWEED BUGS, AND THERE'S QUITE A FEW OF THEM GOING TO TOWN ON THIS MILKWEED POD RIGHT HERE.

YOU'LL NOTICE THOSE COLORS.

ORANGE AND BLACK COLORS TOGETHER ARE OFTEN THOUGHT OF AS A WARNING.

AND SO, JUST LIKE THESE MILKWEED BUGS HAVE THE ORANGE AND BLACK, THE MONARCH DOES AS WELL.

WHEN THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY CATERPILLAR EATS MILKWEED, IT'S ACTUALLY INGESTING A CHEMICAL COMPOUND THAT IS TOXIC, NOT TO THE BUTTERFLY, BUT TO ANYTHING THAT MIGHT EAT THE BUTTERFLY, AND SO THAT ACTUALLY PROTECTS THE BUTTERFLY.

NOW, IF WE LOOK CLOSELY ON THIS MILKWEED, I SEE A MONARCH CATERPILLAR JUST GOING TO TOWN RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT HERE.

YOU'LL SEE THAT BEAUTIFUL YELLOW, BLACK, WHITE STRIPE.

YOU SEE THE ANTENNA AND THOSE MANDIBLES JUST GOING TO TOWN.

YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD OF THE BOOK "VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR", THEY'RE ALL VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLARS.

JENNIE: SO, WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE CALL WEEDS, WHAT DO YOU CALL THEM?

>> BUTTERFLY FOOD.

ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH.

A LOT OF TIMES, WEED IS JUST SOMETHING WE DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF.

AND THEN, HOPEFULLY, YOU LEARN A BIT MORE ABOUT HOW IT SERVES THE REST OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.

JENNIE: WHAT MAKES YOU HOPEFUL FOR POLLINATORS?

>> YEAH.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M MOST HOPEFUL ABOUT IS THE EFFORTS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN BY ORDINARY PEOPLE OF ALL AGES.

HERE AT THE ARBORETUM, WE CREATED A PROGRAM CALLED "ECO EXPLORER".

IT ENCOURAGES FAMILIES TO GO OUT INTO THE OUTDOORS AND OBSERVE WHAT'S AROUND THEM, TAKE PHOTO OBSERVATIONS.

THEY THEN PUT THESE PHOTO OBSERVATIONS ON A WEBSITE, AND WE CAN SHARE THOSE OBSERVATIONS WITH SCIENTISTS.

THERE'S A REALLY GREAT RESOURCE CALLED "INATURALIST".

AND IF YOU GO TO INATURALIST.ORG AND CREATE AN ACCOUNT, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS, UPLOAD THOSE PHOTOGRAPHS AND SEE NATURALISTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD LOOK AT YOUR PICTURES AND HELP YOU IDENTIFY THEM.

SCIENTISTS CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE AT ONCE, AND SO, IT'S UP TO ALL OF US TO PLAY A PART IN CONSERVATION.

♪ ♪ JENNIE: AND IF YOU WANTED TO GIVE FOLKS A MESSAGE ABOUT HOW TO BE MORE AWARE AND TO LOVE THESE POLLINATORS, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

>> THERE'S A LOT OF JOY THAT I GET FROM JUST TAKING A MOMENT, TAKING A BREAK, FINDING A NICE PATCH OF GOLDEN ROD OR OTHER FLOWERS THAT ARE NEARBY AND JUST WATCHING THESE POLLINATORS AT WORK.

IT IS -- THERE'S ALMOST A RHYTHM AND A DANCE TO IT.

AND YOU CAN APPRECIATE THAT SIMPLE FACT WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING, AND COMPREHENDING, AND KNOWING ALL OF THE TIE-INS TO THE REST OF THE ECOSYSTEM AND ENVIRONMENT.

THAT'S A REALLY GREAT PLACE TO START.

♪ ♪ JENNIE: MONARCH BUTTERFLIES FACE MANY THREATS ON THEIR EPIC MIGRATION.

A MOTHER, DAUGHTER TEAM IN NORTH CAROLINA ARE SPREADING MILKWEED SEEDS AND OTHER WAYS TO SAVE THEM.

♪ ♪ >> I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A NATURE LOVER AND I LOVE ANIMALS.

AND I HAD BEEN DOING A CLASS ON SHARKS FOR A LONG TIME WHEN WE WERE IN COLORADO, EVERYBODY WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN SHARKS, YOU KNOW?

IT'S A LANDLOCKED STATE.

KIDS LOVE BIG, SCARY ANIMALS.

AND I WAS READING ONE DAY ABOUT MONARCHS AND HOW MUCH TROUBLE THEY'RE IN, NUMBER WISE, BECAUSE THE POPULATIONS HAVE DECLINED AS MUCH AS 90% IN A TWO-DECADE PERIOD.

WELL, THAT'S A LOT OF ANY KIND OF POPULATION TO LOSE.

SO, I THOUGHT, "I COULD NEVER RAISE SHARKS IN MY BACKYARD."

THAT JUST DIDN'T WORK, BUT MONARCHS I COULD DO, AND THEY NEEDED ME.

AND I ALWAYS HAVE KIND OF BEEN IN FAVOR OF THE UNDERDOG, WHETHER IT'S A GREAT BIG ONE OR A LITTLE BITTY ONE.

SO, I STARTED WITH ONE MILKWEED PLANT.

WELL, IF YOU FEED THEM, THEY WILL COME AND THEY WILL EAT.

AND THE NEXT THING WE KNEW, MY PLANT WAS COMPLETELY STRIPPED, COMPLETELY DOWN TO THE BARE STEMS, EVERY LEAF.

SO, KATIE AND I SAID, "WELL, WE'VE GOT TO GO FIND MORE MILKWEED."

AND WE KEPT HAVING TO GO OUT AND BUY MILKWEED AND MORE MILKWEED.

AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW, I HAD TWO TENTS AND I HAD 60 SOMETHING MILKWEED PLANTS, AND WE HAD MONARCHS JUST EVERYWHERE.

MOST OF THE BUTTERFLIES THAT WE HAVE, OF ALL SORTS, WILL LIVE AN AVERAGE OF THREE TO FOUR WEEKS.

BUT AT THE END OF THE SEASONS, THE ONES THAT ECLOSE AFTER THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST, THIS IS WHAT WE CALL THE "SUPER GENERATION" OR THE "METHUSELAH GENERATION", BECAUSE THESE ARE THE MONARCHS THAT WILL MAKE THE TRIP TO MEXICO OR CALIFORNIA, AND THEY WILL OVER WINTER THERE AND LIVE ALL WINTER LONG, AND THEN THEY WILL BEGIN THE MIGRATION BACK NORTH.

SO, THESE MONARCHS LIVE AROUND NINE MONTHS.

YOU'LL GET IT.

>> OKAY.

THIS IS HOW WE HUNT FOR MILKWEED.

>> HUNTING FOR EGGS ON OUR MILKWEED.

AND YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF, UNDERNEATH OF THE LEAVES.

>> AND YOU HAVE TO LOOK IN ALL OF THE LITTLE FLOWER BUDS BECAUSE THEY LOVE TO HIDE EGGS IN THEIR FLOWER BUDS.

ANYWHERE THAT THEY THINK THAT MIGHT MAKE 'EM SAFER FROM PREDATORS THAT WAS WHERE THEY WILL PUT THEIR EGGS.

DEPENDING ON THE STATISTICS THAT YOU LOOK AT, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 1 AND 10% OF ALL MONARCH EGGS WILL GO ON TO BECOME AN ADULT.

THE AVERAGE IS USUALLY AROUND 3%.

I MEAN, THAT'S PRACTICALLY NOTHING BETWEEN THE DISEASES, AND THE PREDATORS, AND THE VIRUSES, AND THE BACTERIA, AND EVERYTHING COMBINED TOGETHER.

THERE ARE JUST SO MANY THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN TO THEM.

THE POPULATION IN FLORIDA, HOWEVER, IS SUBJECT TO A VERY BAD PARASITE WHICH KILLS UP TO 95% OR MORE OF THE POPULATION OF MONARCHS IN FLORIDA BECAUSE THEY'RE NON-MIGRATORY AND THEY JUST KEEP SPREADING IT FROM ONE TO THE OTHER.

SO, I STARTED BEING MUCH MORE CAREFUL AS TO HOW I RAISED MY MONARCHS.

I STARTED RAISING THEM IN POPUP TENTS SO THEY WOULD BE AWAY FROM THE BUTTERFLIES THAT WERE SPREADING THE OE I ONLY FED THEM MILKWEED THAT I KNEW WAS ABSOLUTELY CLEAN.

I COULD USE ONE TENT TO KEEP THE POPULATION IN AND THE OTHER TENT TO KEEP MY PLANTS IN, SO THAT THEY DIDN'T GET CONTAMINATED BECAUSE THE OE IS SPREAD BY THE ADULT MONARCHS, AND AS THEY FLUTTER OVER THE PLANTS, IT'S LIKE THEY SPREAD PIXIE DUST.

THE CATERPILLAR THEN EATS THE OE WHICH DEVELOPS INSIDE OF THEM, AND IT RESULTS MOST OFTEN IN A COMPLETELY NON-VIABLE CATERPILLAR WHO ECLOSES AND THE WINGS WILL BE ALL CRUMPLED.

LAST YEAR, KATIE AND I DID A DOUBLE WING TRANSPLANT ON ONE THAT WAS, THAT ECLOSED WITH TWO BAD LEFT WINGS, AND I HAD A PAIR OF LEFT WINGS, SO WE GAVE HIM A TRANSPLANT AND HE HUNG AROUND IN THE FLOWER BED FOR THE AFTERNOON.

I MEAN, I HAD NO ILLUSIONS THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE TRIP TO MEXICO AND LIVE FOR NINE MONTHS AND ALL OF THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HE COULD NECTAR, HE COULD FLY, HE COULD HAVE FUN WITH HIS GIRLFRIENDS, HE COULD LIVE HIS BEST BUTTERFLY LIFE.

I BELONG TO A PAGE THAT HAS AROUND 20,000 MEMBERS NOW ALL OVER THE COUNTRY BUT EVERYBODY'S SAYING THE SAME THING.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?"

THAT, AND THEY'VE BEEN FINDING MONARCHS THAT, FULL GROWN BUTTERFLIES THAT ARE JUST DYING FOR NO REASON AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON.

SO, I THINK EVERYBODY'S EXPECTING THE POPULATION TO BE VERY MUCH DOWN THIS YEAR FROM WHAT IT WAS LAST YEAR.

THIS IS HOW WE RAISE OUR MONARCHS HERE.

AND I HAVE SOME EGGS.

THIS ONE IS PROBABLY THE EASIEST TO SEE AND IT IS RIGHT HERE ON THE BACK OF THIS LEAF.

SO, THEY ARE VERY TINY WHICH MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE THEM.

IT'S NOT LIKE YOU CAN PICK THEM UP OR THERE WILL BE SQUISHING INCIDENTS AND THEY GENERALLY DON'T SURVIVE THOSE.

SO, YOU CAN JUST SLIDE THE TIP OF THIS PAINTBRUSH UNDERNEATH AND LIFT IT UP.

WHEN THEY HATCH, THEY'RE ABOUT A 16TH OF AN INCH LONG AND NOT AS BIG AROUND AS THE BODY OF THE STRAIGHT PIN.

OVER THE TWO WEEKS OR SO THAT THEY ARE CATERPILLARS, THEY WILL GAIN ABOUT 2,700 TIMES THEIR ORIGINAL BODY WEIGHT.

WHEN YOU HAVE THE BABIES AND THE EGGS, YOU NEED TO KEEP THEM IN A SEALED CONTAINER, OTHERWISE THEY WILL WORK THEIR WAY OUT.

THEY ARE LITTLE HOUDINIS.

I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM.

THEY ACTUALLY DO HAVE PERSONALITIES.

YOU'LL PUT THEM IN A CONTAINER, AND THEY WILL PUSH THEIR WAY OUT, AND THEN JUST GO WALKING ACROSS THE TOP OF THE CONTAINER LIKE THEY OWN THE WORLD.

AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE THEY'RE STICKING THEIR LITTLE TONGUE OUT AT YOU.

PESTICIDES AND HERBICIDES?

WE DON'T USE ANY OF THAT.

THE PESTICIDES PEOPLE SAY, "WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS BT.

THIS IS ORGANIC PESTICIDE."

AND I'M GOING, "I DON'T CARE IF IT'S ORGANIC BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS THIS CHEMICAL IS DESIGNED TO KILL LARVA.

THEY MAY HAVE USED ALL ORGANIC INGREDIENTS, BUT A BUTTERFLY CATERPILLAR IS A LARVA, SO IF YOU KILL ONE, YOU KILL THE OTHER."

TRAFFIC IS A HUGE PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY DURING MIGRATORY SEASON.

THEY GO ACROSS THE HIGHWAY AND JUST GET PLOWED DOWN BY THE THOUSANDS.

SO, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU DON'T THINK OF THAT MAKE A REAL BIG DIFFERENCE.

EVERYBODY CAN DO SOMETHING.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANT TO GET INTO THIS, IT'S TIME CONSUMING AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING SOMETIMES YOU CAN MAKE THE PROBLEM WORSE RATHER THAN BETTER.

I DON'T ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO RAISE LARGE POPULATIONS OF THEM, BUT I DO THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD THING FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THE PROCESS, AND TO TEACH IT TO THEIR KIDS, AND TO TEACH IT TO THEIR NEIGHBORS TO MAKE PEOPLE MORE AWARE.

BUT EVEN IF YOU JUST PUT A POT OF NECTAR PLANTS ON YOUR PORCH OR DOWN BY YOUR MAILBOX, IT GIVES A HUNGRY MONARCH SOMEPLACE WHERE THEY CAN COME AND GET SOME NECTAR, AND JUST HANG OUT FOR A WHILE BEFORE THEY CONTINUE ON THEIR JOURNEY.

SO, THAT'S WHY I -- EVERY SPRING I START GIVING OUT HUNDREDS OF MILKWEED SEEDS AND I HAVE NO TROUBLE DOING THAT.

PEOPLE HAVE BECOME VERY INTERESTED IN THE WHOLE CONCEPT.

YOU CAN ALSO TALK TO THE MAYOR OF YOUR CITY AND HAVE YOUR CITY DESIGNATED AS A MONARCH CITY.

A LOT OF CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE STARTING TO DO THAT NOW.

♪ ♪ THEY'RE SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST A BUG, ALL OF OUR POLLINATORS ARE.

PEOPLE LOOK AT POLLINATORS AND SEE A BUG.

WHEN YOU SHOULD LOOK AT A POLLINATOR AND YOU SEE THAT BOWL OF FRUIT ON YOUR TABLE OR THE COTTON SHIRT THAT YOU'RE WEARING, OR CHOCOLATE, OR SPICES, BECAUSE EVERY THIRD BITE OF FOOD YOU TAKE HAS TO BE POLLINATED.

SO, JUST SEEING A WASP AND WANTING TO SMACK IT, I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL THAT WAY, BUT THEY'RE REALLY GOOD POLLINATORS.

AND THAT'S THE IMPORTANCE OF ALL OF THIS IS THAT THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO, LIKE NOT DESTROYING HIVES OF BEES OR WASPS OR WHATEVER, AND NOT STEPPING ON A BUG JUST BECAUSE IT'S A BUG AND WHO CARES?

YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE.

♪ ♪ JENNIE: IF YOU HAVE A BACKYARD, YOU CAN BE A BEEKEEPER, AND EVEN MAKE A LIVING AT IT.

♪ ♪ >> I'M LLOYD HARDRICK AND I'M A BEEKEEPER HERE IN GEORGIA.

AND -- >> I'M ASHLEY HARDRICK.

I'M ALSO A -- WE'RE BEE FARMERS AND OUR COMPANY IS HONEY BEE GOODE APIARIES.

JENNIE: HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?

>> WE KIND OF LIKE, GOT INSPIRED BY OUR FARMER FRIENDS AND HOW CAN WE HELP THIS THING CALLED NATURE.

WE FOUND OUT HOW BEES ARE IMPORTANT AND HOW THEY'RE KEEPING ALL OF US ALIVE.

AND WE JUST FIGURED ANYTHING THAT IMPORTANT, WE NEED TO KEEP IT REALLY CLOSE.

JENNIE: SO, IS IT EXPENSIVE TO START THIS WHOLE ENDEAVOR?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> YES.

>> YES.

>> IT'S ROUGHLY STARTING OFF ABOUT $300 TO $500 A HIVE AND THAT'S NOT EVEN INCLUDING BEE SUITS, BEE GLOVES, HIVE TOOLS AND HONEYBEES WHICH ARE A PRICE IN ITSELF.

>> IT'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO BE SURE YOU WANT TO DO.

>> YES.

YES.

BECAUSE THE FIRST YEAR IS NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE PROMISED WHEN IT COMES TO HONEYBEES.

JENNIE: SO, HOW MUCH SPACE DO YOU NEED TO BE A BEEKEEPER?

>> THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE HIVES ON ROOFTOPS AND, YOU KNOW, SMALL -- >> PATIOS.

>> YEAH.

PATIOS, SMALL PLACES.

I'VE EVEN SEEN SOMEONE DO IT ON A FIRE ESCAPE.

THEY HAD A HIVE RIGHT THERE ON A FIRE ESCAPE.

IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL.

YOU CAN JUST START OFF ONE HIVE.

ONE HIVE CAN PRODUCE SO MUCH.

>> I THINK IT'S THE HARDEST PART IS FOR PEOPLE JUST TO START BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN PROGRAMMED WHEN WE HEAR THAT BUZZ SOUND, IT'S JUST FEAR, INVOKES FEAR.

ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IS THE SIZE OF YOUR WILL.

IF YOU HAVE THE WILL TO DO IT, YOU CAN DO IT.

JENNIE: SO, IF I WANTED TO BECOME A BEEKEEPER AND I CAME TO YOU, HOW WOULD YOU TELL ME TO GET STARTED?

>> THE FIRST THING I WOULD SAY IS RESEARCH.

AND YOUTUBE IS A REALLY GOOD SOURCE.

THAT'S HOW I REALLY GOT STARTED.

FROM YOUTUBE, I KIND OF WENT INTO BOOKS AND THEN I STARTED TO RESEARCH OTHER BEEKEEPERS AND WE GOT A MENTOR.

SEEK OUT HELP AND IT WILL SAVE YOU A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY.

JENNIE: DO YOU GUYS TRAIN BEEKEEPERS?

>> IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE STARTING TO GET INTO NOW BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING TO US AND WANTING TO LEARN.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS THAT ARE DOING IT THEMSELVES NOW.

WE HAVE A LOT OF GARDENERS WANTING TO HAVE MORE POLLINATORS IN THEIR GARDENS, SO THEY JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THEY WERE TO PUT A HIVE IN THEIR BACKYARD, HOW ARE THEY TO MAINTAIN IT IN ORDER TO GET THE CROPS THAT THEY NEED FOR HARVESTING.

JENNIE: WOULD YOU CONSIDER IT BETTER TO MAKE IT A HOBBY IN ADDITION TO SORT OF HAVING ANOTHER JOB?

OR DO YOU THINK YOU CAN MAKE IT A CAREER?

>> IT'S DEFINITELY A CAREER.

>> IT'S A 88 BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY.

>> YES.

YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A PLAN GOING INTO FARMING IN GENERAL.

IF THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, GRAB A MENTOR.

WE'RE FIRST GENERATION BEEKEEPERS.

WE DIDN'T DO THIS BEFORE THIS.

ALL OF OUR MENTORS ARE, LIKE, FOURTH AND FIFTH GENERATION AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT FOR OUR CHILDREN.

SO, IT REALLY TOOK US A LONG TIME TO FIGURE IT OUT, AND TAKE OUR TIME, AND LEARN, AND TEACH BECAUSE TEACHING IS A GREAT WAY TO LEARN AS WELL.

WHAT WE DECIDED TO DO WAS GO TO SCHOOLS FOR CAREER DAY AND TEACH THEM ABOUT BEES, AND SHOW THEM AN OBSERVATION HIVE, AND SHOW THEM WHAT WE DO, AND HOW WE DO IT, AND HOW HONEY IS MADE, AND ALL OF THESE BEAUTIFUL PRODUCTS: CANDLES AND CRAYONS.

AND ALL THESE THINGS THAT COMES FROM A HIVE THAT YOU CAN PROFIT FROM.

JENNIE: WHEN YOU DO YOUR JOB FAIRS AT SCHOOL AND YOU'RE TEACHING CHILDREN ABOUT BEING A BEEKEEPER, DO THEY GET EXCITED ABOUT THAT?

>> OH, DO THEY?

>> FROM KINDERGARTEN ALL THE WAY TO -- >> TO HIGH SCHOOL, 'TIL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL.

WE HAD JUNIORS AND SENIORS ONE YEAR.

WE HAD PRESCHOOLS.

WE -- YEAH, THEY GET SO EXCITED.

THE TEACHERS LOVE IT.

THE PARENTS LOVE IT BECAUSE I THINK WHAT THEY LOVE THE MOST IS HOW KNOWLEDGEABLE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ABLE TO WALK AWAY WITH SOMETHING THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE.

WE BRING A OBSERVATION HIVES, SO THEY ACTUALLY GET TO SEE LIVE BEES AND THEN WE CAN WALK THEM THROUGH AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON AND THEN THEY CAN TASTE THE HONEY AND THEY GET HOPPED UP ON HONEY.

THAT'S -- THEY LOVE IT.

>> WE DID AN INTERNSHIP WITH HIGH SCHOOLERS, AND THEY WERE SO AMAZED THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY RUN A COMPANY WITH BEES.

AND WE LEARNED A LOT FROM THEM.

THEY SHARED SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS.

>> THEY DID.

THEY DID.

>> HOW TO GET MORE IN TOUCH WITH OUR AUDIENCE, SO IT WAS A -- >> IT WAS AN ENTREPRENEURIAL PROGRAM, SO IT WAS AWESOME.

JENNIE: I LOVE SEEING THE LIGHT IN YOUR EYES TALKING ABOUT IT.

SO, WHAT -- WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT POLLINATORS?

>> IF THE BEES WERE TO DISAPPEAR IN FOUR YEARS, WE WILL ALL PERISH.

SO, IF THE BEES WERE TO GO, WE WOULD ONLY HAVE TEA, RICE, AND WHEAT.

THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE COULD EAT.

AND THEN, SLOWLY OUR LIVESTOCK WILL PERISH.

SO, THEY'RE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO TREASURE WHILE THEY'RE HERE, RATHER THAN TREASURE WHEN THEY'RE NOT HERE.

FOR EXAMPLE, IN PARTS OF CHINA, THEY HAVE TO SELF-POLLINATE THEIR TREES AND THEY'RE NOT NEARLY AS EFFICIENT AS BEES.

SO, WE HAVE SEEN PREVIEWS OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WITHOUT BEES OR POLLINATORS, AND TRUST ME, WE DON'T WANT THAT.

>> ONE OUT OF EVERY THREE BITES OF FOOD THAT WE EAT HONEYBEES POLLINATE.

JENNIE: SO, DO YOU GUYS HAVE A COMMUNITY OR A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GO TO TALK TO OTHER BEEKEEPERS TO HELP SPREAD THE WORD?

>> WE DO HAVE A LOCAL BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATIONS THAT WE ARE AFFILIATED WITH, BUT I DO FIND THAT INSTAGRAM, THE BEEKEEPERS ON INSTAGRAM WITH THE CONTENT THAT THEY'RE PUTTING OUT THAT KIND OF HELPS OTHER BEEKEEPERS IN THE SPACE.

>> FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD A BIG STORY WITH THE GOLIATH OF GIANT HORNETS.

I IMMEDIATELY DMED A BEEKEEPER IN JAPAN.

THAT'S SOMETHING THEY'RE USED TO DEALING WITH.

SO, THIS IS THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIAS.

LIKE, IT MAKES AN INTERNATIONAL BEEKEEPING COMMUNITY RATHER THAN JUST A LOCAL ONE.

JENNIE: HOW DOES CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECT POLLINATORS IN GENERAL?

>> WET BEES ARE DEAD BEES.

SO, IF WE HAVE TOO MUCH RAIN OUTTA SEASON, IT COULD BE, LIKE, DEVASTATING.

FAR AS LIKE, THE SPRING AND THE SUMMER NOT COMING AT THE RIGHT TIME, BEES CAN STARVE BECAUSE THEY ONLY MAKE ENOUGH HONEY TO STORE UP FOR THE WINTER.

IT'S SO MANY PROBLEMS BECAUSE IT'S A CYCLE AND IF THAT CLOCK IS MESSED WITH ANY KIND OF WAY IT HAS DETRIMENTAL RESULTS.

JENNIE: WHAT CAN WE DO IN OUR OWN BACKYARD TO PROMOTE POLLINATORS?

>> I WOULD SAY INSTEAD OF PLANTING FLOWERS, PLANT AT LEAST ONE FRUIT TREE.

WE TEND TO BELIEVE FLOWERS ARE EVERYTHING, BUT YOU COULD PLANT A WHOLE ROW OF FLOWERS AND YOU PROBABLY GET A HALF A TEASPOON OF HONEY.

BUT IF YOU PLANT ONE TREE, YOU MIGHT GET A COUPLE FRAMES FROM APPLE TREES OR PEACH TREES, OR -- BEES LOVE FRUIT TREES OR FLOWERING TREES, THEY LOVE THEM.

>> DON'T SPRAY.

PLEASE DON'T SPRAY.

THAT'S ANOTHER BIG THING.

WE DON'T WANT YOU TO SPRAY.

WE WANT IT TO BE AS NATURAL 'CAUSE THAT AFFECTS CLIMATE CHANGE.

>> I DIDN'T SEE MY FIRST BEEHIVE 'TIL I WAS 28 YEARS OLD.

>> YEAH.

>> AND I BELIEVE IF WE CAN JUST GET TO THE GENERATION AFTER US SOONER, WE CAN DISPEL ALL THIS NOTION OF IF YOU'RE BLACK, WE DON'T DO THIS, OR IF YOU'RE ASIAN, YOU DON'T DO THIS.

EVERYBODY DOES THIS.

EVERYBODY NEEDS TO DO THIS BECAUSE WE'RE ALL, AT THE END OF THE DAY, HUMAN AND WE LIVE ON EARTH.

SO, THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

EVERYBODY NEEDS TO DO IT FROM THE THREE-YEAR-OLD NEEDS TO KNOW TO THE EIGHTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD.

SO, WE ALL NEED TO KNOW.

SO, I THINK IT'S JUST A BIG GROUP EFFORT AND THE MORE PEOPLE WE CAN TELL THIS ABOUT, THE BETTER.

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