Saving the Bees: New Documentary on Disney+ and Hulu
- A new National Geographic documentary, Secrets of the Bees, has been released to highlight the critical role of bees in global ecosystems and the various threats facing their...
- The production, executive produced by James Cameron, utilizes intimate footage and special cameras that provided a rare window into a single hive over a three-year period.
- The documentary emphasizes the scale of bee diversity and their necessity for human food security.
A new National Geographic documentary, Secrets of the Bees
, has been released to highlight the critical role of bees in global ecosystems and the various threats facing their future. The two-part series premiered on National Geographic on March 31, 2026, and became available for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu on April 1, 2026.
The production, executive produced by James Cameron, utilizes intimate footage and special cameras that provided a rare window into a single hive over a three-year period. The series is hosted by National Geographic Explorer Bertie Gregory, who examines the intelligence and architecture of these insects.
The Ecological Importance of Bees
The documentary emphasizes the scale of bee diversity and their necessity for human food security. You’ll see more than 20,000 bee species globally, and they are responsible for pollinating one-third of the world’s food supply.
Because of this reliance, the series frames the study of bees not merely as a nature observation, but as a critical look at whether global ecosystems can survive. The footage follows the insects into the hive and through the environments they pollinate to reveal how they live and work together.
Scientific Perspectives on Bee Health
The series features insights from Dr. Samuel Ramsey, an award-winning entomologist and researcher who currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Dr. Ramsey has focused much of his professional research on the Varroa mite and the specific impact this parasite has on honeybee colonies. His contributions to the documentary aim to deepen public understanding of bee health and address common misconceptions about the insects.
According to Dr. Ramsey, the social structures and intelligence of bees are often underestimated, and the documentary seeks to reveal a hidden life that is more complex than the public typically perceives.
Series Structure and Availability
The documentary is organized into two specific episodes:
- The Hive
- The Pollinators
The content is accessible via Disney+ and Hulu in the United States. International distribution is available through Disney+ in Latin America, Australia, Europe, and the United Kingdom, while viewers in India can access the series via JioHotstar.
The project was created by National Geographic and Lightstorm Earth. The storytelling approach was designed to mirror the collaborative nature of the subjects themselves.
Dr. Samuel Ramsey
Storytelling is an art form, and when you’re telling a story in a documentary, it’s an art form so big that you can only manage it with a team! It takes a community of people all working together, like a hive full of bees.