14 DAY TRIAL // They might not be our favorite insects in the whole wide world - they're certainly not as fun to have around as, say, butterflies - but the fact of the matter is that, without bees and their pollinating skills, our planet would be a very different place.
The video below, created by photographer Anand Varma, documents the first 21 days in the average worker bee's life. The artist put together the amazing time-lapse at the request of the National Geographic Channel.
In a recent TED Talk, also available below, the artist explains that, to make this video, he started looking after bees in his own backyard and kept a close eye on them from the moment they were born until they matured.
Working closely with UC Davis researchers, photographer Anand Varma observed eggs, translucent larvae and buzzing youngsters breaking free from their nursery, all of which are included in his time-lapse. There are even images of parasitic mites threatening to kill the baby bees.
The video was created in an attempt to help people grow more familiar with bees and better understand their ways. The end goal is to raise awareness of the need to protect these insects, now threatened by pesticides, habitat loss and parasites.
