Bees and Wasps

Gr 5 Up—This is the perfect program for school media collections needing a live-action video about bees and wasps. Seven varieties of each insect are the subjects of individually accessible chapters in which the narrator describes characteristics of the specific species. Close-up photographs and live-action footage examine the insects' body structure. Information about their life cycles is presented, and the importance of bees and wasps is highlighted, including their critical role in pollination. Also covered is the recent crisis of Colony Collapse Disorder, which resulted in the loss of honeybees, and its impact. It is obvious that this useful production is part of the lifework of Warren Hatch, the narrator/producer/cinematographer. The teacher's guide contains chapter summaries and a fine bibliography of both scholarly and children's books on the topic. A useful research tool.—Dwain Thomas, formerly Lake Park High School, Roselle, IL