0:00:02 > 0:00:04'Hi, all. So, we should be ready to go in a minute. Over.'
0:00:10 > 0:00:15That is just the biggest beehive in the world.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21My name's Jimmy Doherty. I'm a pig farmer from Suffolk.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24So what am I doing 200ft up on a rope ladder
0:00:24 > 0:00:27being attacked by giant bees?
0:00:27 > 0:00:28The answer's -
0:00:28 > 0:00:29honey.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34I love it, always have.
0:00:34 > 0:00:39As beautiful as honey is, I've never risked my life for it.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43But that's exactly what the honey hunters of Nepal do.
0:00:45 > 0:00:50They scale massive cliffs and take on two million giant bees
0:00:50 > 0:00:53just to get their hands on honey.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58You can't buy this in the supermarket.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Soon their autumn harvest will begin.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06And they've agreed to let me take part.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08I'm terrified.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11But it's my only chance to see these amazing bees
0:01:11 > 0:01:14and taste their legendary honey.
0:01:19 > 0:01:20Oh, my word.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33I've been farming pigs for five years,
0:01:33 > 0:01:38but before this I was doing a PhD in insect biology.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Today I'm still fascinated by insects.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44The few beehives I have keep my interest alive.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Well, I love all insects, insects are my real passion,
0:01:52 > 0:01:56but I think particularly bees because, obviously being a farmer,
0:01:56 > 0:02:01you know, bees have been farmed for thousands and thousands of years.
0:02:01 > 0:02:06There's actual honeycombs still preserved in the pyramids in Egypt.
0:02:09 > 0:02:10Look at that honey there.
0:02:13 > 0:02:18The key to looking after bees is to be quite calm.
0:02:19 > 0:02:20Move slowly,
0:02:20 > 0:02:25which is completely against my nature, cos I'm quite erratic,
0:02:25 > 0:02:27so that's probably why I get stung.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31I've been stung on the nipple before,
0:02:31 > 0:02:34and do you know,
0:02:34 > 0:02:37I thought, "Shall I go to hospital because of the pain?"
0:02:40 > 0:02:42You know, we're not only talking honey here,
0:02:42 > 0:02:48we're talking pollination of so many different plants.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52Without bees it could be argued that half the world's crops
0:02:52 > 0:02:56wouldn't come around, they wouldn't be fertilised -
0:02:56 > 0:03:00you need pollination to produce a huge variety of crops.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06You wouldn't get apples on the trees.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10It's so important that bees are around.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14A whole range of crops rely on them as pollinators.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Bees provide a fertilising service,
0:03:20 > 0:03:24and in return plants give the bees food,
0:03:24 > 0:03:25nectar.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32The bees perform their magic on this sweet liquid to make honey.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34They mix the nectar with saliva
0:03:34 > 0:03:37and spit this into chambers throughout the comb.
0:03:37 > 0:03:42Enzymes go to work, breaking down the complex sugars of the nectar.
0:03:42 > 0:03:47Over time water evaporates, leaving behind pure honey.
0:03:52 > 0:03:57What often surprises people is the sheer variety of honey flavours -
0:03:57 > 0:03:59there are literally thousands.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01And it's simply because
0:04:01 > 0:04:05all the world's flowers have slightly different tasting nectars.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08In the same way they have different scents.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12Take my own bees.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20Each jar here represents a different type of plant
0:04:20 > 0:04:22that the bees have harvested,
0:04:22 > 0:04:24so this little chap here
0:04:24 > 0:04:27would have gone to something like apple blossom
0:04:27 > 0:04:30early in the season, nice and light.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35Then we've got all things like borage, you go onto clover,
0:04:35 > 0:04:37and then finally we've got the ivy honey,
0:04:37 > 0:04:40which is the last flower to come out
0:04:40 > 0:04:41which the bees will go to.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45Each honey tastes different, so if I taste this one here...
0:04:48 > 0:04:51..Straight away you think, "Yeah, honey."
0:04:51 > 0:04:53Taste this one here...
0:05:01 > 0:05:03Completely different.
0:05:03 > 0:05:08Here, I mean, I've never tasted ivy, but this is really dark and rich.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11It's almost like drinking a really good port or something.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13It's unique.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16But the Nepalese honey, is it gonna be something really special,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19because it's a lot more work to collect it.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22I mean, my honey, you know, I go down to the hives,
0:05:22 > 0:05:24get the honey, jar it up, fantastic.
0:05:24 > 0:05:29The Nepalese honey, you know, I've got go up a cliffside to get it.
0:05:29 > 0:05:30But we'll see.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Yeah, it's got to go a long way to beat that.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41One thing I'm sure of
0:05:41 > 0:05:45is that the honey from Nepal will be very different to mine.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48The bees of the region feed on flowering plants
0:05:48 > 0:05:51that blossom high in the Himalayas.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58And it's these flowers that give the honeys of the area
0:05:58 > 0:06:00their own distinctive flavours.
0:06:00 > 0:06:06By far the best way to taste them is fresh out of the hive.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08Long before bees were ever domesticated
0:06:08 > 0:06:12people harvested the honey of wild bees,
0:06:12 > 0:06:16and Nepal is one of the few places in the world
0:06:16 > 0:06:18where this carries on today.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22These are the giant cliff bees - the biggest honey bees in the world.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26They live in huge combs built high on cliff faces.
0:06:26 > 0:06:31Collecting their honey requires great skill and courage.
0:06:31 > 0:06:36The honey hunters arm themselves with a rope ladder, a basket
0:06:36 > 0:06:37and simple cutting tools.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42They're keeping alive an ancient tradition.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55I want to know exactly what makes this honey so special
0:06:55 > 0:06:58that people are willing to risk their lives for it.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01So I've come to meet the people, the bees,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04and experience the honey harvest first hand.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16With the autumn harvest only days away,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20my journey into the honey hunters' world has begun.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24I'm in Kathmandu - Nepal's capital city.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27It's noisy, colourful and full of life.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33It's steeped in culture and religion.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35And before I leave for the hills
0:07:35 > 0:07:39I'm hoping to take a little of it's spirituality with me.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42I've come to one of the city's Buddhist temples or stupas,
0:07:42 > 0:07:45to ask for a blessing -
0:07:45 > 0:07:50a bit of insurance from the gods that I will be looked after.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53- Thank you.- This means you...
0:07:53 > 0:07:54Means protection, OK?
0:07:54 > 0:07:56- This is protection?- Protection.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59- So this is protection against the bee stings?- Yes.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Perfect!
0:08:02 > 0:08:05PRAYS IN NEPALI
0:08:18 > 0:08:22From Kathmandu I face almost a whole day of travelling,
0:08:22 > 0:08:24beginning with five hours on the road.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34This is it. It feels like the real adventure is now beginning.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40And there's no turning back.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50Getting out amongst the villages and farmland of Nepal,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53it quickly becomes apparent just what a beautiful country this is.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05But for me it's the people that make this place so special -
0:09:05 > 0:09:08they don't seem to let anything stand in their way.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20These areas are no longer lost in time.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26The modern world is coming,
0:09:26 > 0:09:30creeping up the hillside in the guise of a digger.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33We've just about got to the end of the road here.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40The new road will open up these once remote places
0:09:40 > 0:09:42to the rest of the world.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44For now, at least, it remains a three-hour hike
0:09:44 > 0:09:46to reach the honey hunters' village.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50Its uphill all the way.
0:09:50 > 0:09:55For the local guys it appears to be a walk in the park,
0:09:55 > 0:09:59even with 30 kilos of our kit on their backs.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06I'm heading for the tiny hillside settlement of Taprang,
0:10:06 > 0:10:11surrounded by Himalayan peaks and home to honey hunters.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Just entering the village feels like I'm stepping back in time.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19Namaste.
0:10:19 > 0:10:20Namaste.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26There's just animals and people, just intermingled.
0:10:26 > 0:10:31There's no separate paddocks for the animals and the people.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34It's all jumbled up, it's brilliant.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Looks like the whole village has turned out!
0:10:40 > 0:10:43I hope they're not gonna be disappointed!
0:10:43 > 0:10:45Even the dog.
0:10:48 > 0:10:49Namaste.
0:10:49 > 0:10:50Namaste.
0:10:52 > 0:10:53Namaste.
0:10:53 > 0:10:54Namaste.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59Wow, what's all this?
0:11:01 > 0:11:02Namaste.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04Namaste.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Oh, I get a seat!
0:11:06 > 0:11:07Woooh!
0:11:07 > 0:11:09Oh.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11It's a long way.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Oh, well, ah!
0:11:19 > 0:11:21How great is this?
0:11:21 > 0:11:22Namaste.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27He's turned into a red Indian! You look like Hiawatha!
0:11:31 > 0:11:32Thank you.
0:11:32 > 0:11:33Thank you.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Thank you, my love!
0:11:38 > 0:11:40I should have brought a big ring of sausages.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44- Have I got something on my nose? - Yeah.
0:11:45 > 0:11:46Pleasure to meet you.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48Oh, no, thank you!
0:11:48 > 0:11:54This is the captain, who's an ex-Indian Gurkha,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57and is basically the co-ordinator for the honey hunters here,
0:11:57 > 0:11:59a very, very important man.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01He's the top guy when it comes to honey hunting.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03It's a real pleasure to meet you.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06I won't let you down when it comes to collecting the honey.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Does he think I'll make a good honey hunter?
0:12:09 > 0:12:11MAN SPEAKS NEPALI
0:12:11 > 0:12:12Tell him to lie.
0:12:15 > 0:12:16Oh, that's good.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18The laughing was a good thing!
0:12:20 > 0:12:22Yeah, climb up the ladder.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26I'll be up there like a rat up a drainpipe!
0:12:31 > 0:12:33What a welcome.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38From what I can gather, they don't get too many visitors.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41The captain speaks very little English.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45But he's still keen to give me a guided tour.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Before the harvest begins, I'm eager to learn more
0:12:50 > 0:12:54about the special relationship these people have with bees.
0:12:57 > 0:12:58Wow, lots of buffalo.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Little hole.
0:13:01 > 0:13:02Namaste.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Look, there's a... For bees?
0:13:06 > 0:13:10Oh, wow, so you have a beehive...
0:13:10 > 0:13:13You have a beehive inside the house?
0:13:13 > 0:13:18That's very clever. So you can go inside to collect the honey?
0:13:18 > 0:13:21But these are domestic bees, not the wild bees?
0:13:21 > 0:13:23OK, so these are like my bees I have at home.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26But it's a great idea. I could try that at home.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30Five buffalo, a handful of chickens and a house full of bees.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45Bees and honey are right at the heart of this community,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48and, of course, bees don't just provide the villagers with honey,
0:13:48 > 0:13:52they also pollinate many of their crops.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06The captain's promised me a taste of the honey from the domestic bees
0:14:06 > 0:14:08that live inside the walls of the houses.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12He's invited me to join himself and the youngest honey hunter
0:14:12 > 0:14:13in the valley this evening.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19I'm taking along some of my own honey for them to try.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33What are you doing? How are you doing?
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Now, I've got something special for you to try.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43You've got some of your honey here, haven't you?
0:14:43 > 0:14:46OK, well, I've got some of my honey.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50You're probably one of the oldest honey hunters,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53and you're one of the youngest honey hunters,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56so I want you to try my honey to see what you think.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03Sweet?
0:15:03 > 0:15:05Yeah, sweet. Sweet.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Not that impressed!
0:15:08 > 0:15:10Then I've got some honeycomb.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Try a little bit of that.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15See what you think of that.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22- Sweet?- It's good, yeah. - You like that one?- Yeah.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26With the honeycomb in, similar to the honey that you collect.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28Now, let me try your honey.
0:15:30 > 0:15:31Let's try this.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42Hmm.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44That's very good.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47I can see why you looked at mine and went, "Hmm..."
0:15:48 > 0:15:50Cos that is excellent.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52But honey from Nepal and honey from England,
0:15:52 > 0:15:54different parts of the world...
0:15:54 > 0:15:57But the thing that brings us together are the bees and the honey.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59It's the love of the honey.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05Sharing a love of honey is fantastic.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08I hope this will tie me in with the community for the rest of my stay.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14This honey from the domestic bees is lovely.
0:16:16 > 0:16:17But it's really just whetted my appetite
0:16:17 > 0:16:19for the wild honey from the giant bees,
0:16:19 > 0:16:23which we'll soon be harvesting.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32I'm starting to realise just what a beautiful place this is.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36Nestled beneath the Himalayas, at 1,500 metres,
0:16:36 > 0:16:41the village of Taprang is part of the Annapurna conservation area -
0:16:41 > 0:16:44an area protected for its wildlife.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50It's breathtaking.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53I've never seen so many birds of prey.
0:17:02 > 0:17:03I'm keen to head down the valley
0:17:03 > 0:17:07to see the cliff where the giant honey bees live.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09The captain's going to be my guide.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13It's a four-hour walk -
0:17:13 > 0:17:16a journey the honey hunters only make twice a year,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19for the spring and autumn harvests.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24But these paths are always busy,
0:17:24 > 0:17:28they're the only routes in and out of the village.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40It's like Blackpool beach, isn't it?
0:17:40 > 0:17:42All rice.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44- Namaste.- Namaste!
0:17:48 > 0:17:52Recent heavy rains have caused a few landslides in the area,
0:17:52 > 0:17:57making the going a little tricky as we approach the cliff with the bees.
0:17:57 > 0:17:58Whereabouts?
0:18:02 > 0:18:05Where... Oh.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07Oh, God. Yeah, look at that!
0:18:09 > 0:18:11Oh, my word.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17Ohhh! Oh, no, you never told me it'd be like this!
0:18:17 > 0:18:19It looks like magic!
0:18:19 > 0:18:21Doesn't it?
0:18:21 > 0:18:24It looks like a big Mexican wave.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32I've never seen that before.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35That is just beautiful.
0:18:38 > 0:18:43Each of these massive combs can contain 100,000 wild bees.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47Together they look like a single super organism.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50This is their greatest defence,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53particularly against their old enemy -
0:18:53 > 0:18:55the hornet.
0:18:57 > 0:18:58When under attack,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01they do this synchronised flicking of their abdomens,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04creating those astonishing waves.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10An intimidating mass of bees,
0:19:10 > 0:19:14designed to make any predator think twice.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17But hornets don't give up easily.
0:19:17 > 0:19:18They hang around the nests
0:19:18 > 0:19:23waiting to intercept individual bees as they return from foraging.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27Unlucky ones are literally knocked to the ground...
0:19:29 > 0:19:34..Where a fellow hornet or two is waiting to strike.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43But it would take an army of hornets
0:19:43 > 0:19:46to have any real impact on these bees.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49There are over two million on this cliff alone.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52I've never seen so many bees in my life.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54And they're all outside, they're all fairly angry
0:19:54 > 0:19:57cos there's lots of hornets flying around attacking them,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00and then I've gotta go up there on a ladder.
0:20:00 > 0:20:01And not only that,
0:20:01 > 0:20:04I've then got to cut one of these things off and lower it,
0:20:04 > 0:20:08and you think about and you think, "Well, yeah, can't be that bad",
0:20:08 > 0:20:10until you get here.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14And I tell you what, it makes you really appreciate
0:20:14 > 0:20:16the bravery of these guys,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19and it makes you appreciate the value of the honey.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23Next time you go and pick a jar of honey up and you see a jar of honey,
0:20:23 > 0:20:25the blood sweat and tears
0:20:25 > 0:20:29that goes into collecting wild honey in Nepal is beyond belief.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35It's a world away from my beehives back home.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39I can't help but be bowled over by these giant bees -
0:20:39 > 0:20:41they're extraordinary.
0:20:41 > 0:20:46They live at high altitudes, where normal bees just couldn't survive.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49It's all to do with their size -
0:20:49 > 0:20:52they're twice as large as European honey bees,
0:20:52 > 0:20:54enabling them to cope with lower oxygen levels,
0:20:54 > 0:20:58and their extra body mass safeguards them against the cold.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03Visiting the bee cliff makes me wonder
0:21:03 > 0:21:06if the honey's really worth the great lengths
0:21:06 > 0:21:09the honey hunters go to collect it.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14The captain doesn't seem to know when the harvest will start,
0:21:14 > 0:21:18so it looks like I'm in for a bit of a wait.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21To be honest, I just want to get on with it -
0:21:21 > 0:21:24hanging around is only gonna make me more nervous.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34SINGING AND CLAPPING
0:21:41 > 0:21:43Back in the village it's party time.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47I'm being treated to some local singing and dancing.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49Although I don't think it's just for my benefit.
0:21:51 > 0:21:56Up here, at least for the time being, there's no TV or internet.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01It's a typical Friday night in Taprang.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18Another beautiful autumn morning.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26When I arrived I expected the honey harvest
0:22:26 > 0:22:29to start pretty much straightaway.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Now I've been told it's not going to happen
0:22:31 > 0:22:33for at least a couple more days.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Pinning the honey hunters down is a nightmare.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38They're deeply superstitious.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40They'll never harvest on a full or new moon
0:22:40 > 0:22:42or the first day of the month.
0:22:42 > 0:22:47The weather has to be set right, and the combs have to be full of honey.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49I'm going to have to be patient.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53At least it'll give me a chance to get to know the villagers
0:22:53 > 0:22:56and how they lead their lives.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00In Nepal, like much of Asia, rice is the staple food.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04This is farming like we used to do 100 years ago -
0:23:04 > 0:23:07slow and labour intensive.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13If you think about it, right,
0:23:13 > 0:23:18this whole area from that tree line,
0:23:18 > 0:23:22this tree line all the way round here and up to that tree line there
0:23:22 > 0:23:26has produced that small pile of rice. OK?
0:23:26 > 0:23:27That was all hand cut,
0:23:27 > 0:23:29all hand thrashed out.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32Then it's hand sorted,
0:23:32 > 0:23:35and then all the stalks are put back on this pile,
0:23:35 > 0:23:39and the three cattle walk round, followed by these two girls,
0:23:39 > 0:23:43bashing it down, separating it out, and then that's the animal fodder,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46and it's done for all the hillsides all over this area.
0:23:46 > 0:23:47You can see all the terracing.
0:23:47 > 0:23:53It's a lot of work for, what, six sacks of rice?
0:23:55 > 0:23:57Rice is what keeps these people alive.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01So I understand why they work so hard to harvest it.
0:24:01 > 0:24:06Honey is more of a luxury item, yet they take great risks to collect it.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Traditionally it would have been the only sweetener available,
0:24:09 > 0:24:12but today they keep bees and sugar can be bought.
0:24:12 > 0:24:17There must be something very special about the flavour of the wild honey.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21There are some fruit trees in blossom, but very little else.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24What nectars are available will determine its taste.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27The bees will be harvesting what food they can
0:24:27 > 0:24:30before the last of the season's flowers disappear.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39Another day, and I'm still waiting to hear
0:24:39 > 0:24:41when the honey harvest will start.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47So I'm off to another cliff to spend more time with the giant bees.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50I'm hoping to get a closer look at them.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53I'm quite paranoid at the moment
0:24:53 > 0:24:55cos I've just started to come up the hill
0:24:55 > 0:24:58and it's getting wetter and wetter, more and more humid,
0:24:58 > 0:25:03and the whole place is alive with leeches. They're everywhere.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Look, there they are, look! Hundreds of the bloody things.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10Look at the buggers, look, all over me.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12Goodbye.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17For every one you knock off, another two jump on.
0:25:17 > 0:25:18Oh, oh, look... Get off!
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Look. Yeah, you bugger.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31Oh, wow. There we go.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33That's where I'm heading -
0:25:33 > 0:25:34that big cliff.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37As long as it hasn't got any leeches, I don't mind.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Jeez, look at this.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Oh, my God.
0:26:04 > 0:26:05We're so close.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09I reckon no more than 40 feet away.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14Look at that.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19That's what these hives look like.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23Massive combs, just hanging off the cliff.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29This one's obviously fallen down and the brood's been lost,
0:26:29 > 0:26:30and the honey's all been taken.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34But these things are so heavy cos they're packed with honey.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37That's a...
0:26:37 > 0:26:40That's a fairly smallish one.
0:26:41 > 0:26:46There's ones up there that are twice, if not three times the size.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52These combs can grow up to three metres in length,
0:26:52 > 0:26:57and now, when they're full of honey, can weigh as much as 50 kilos.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59You definitely wouldn't want one falling on your head.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06What I love is how the bees all work for one another.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10Just like in my hives, each bee has its role.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12Some workers have the job of collecting food.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14That's pollen as well as nectar.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18They buzz amongst the colony,
0:27:18 > 0:27:22their bee dances pointing others in the direction of the food source.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Other workers are detailed to gather water.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32It helps keep the colony cool.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39They share the water around, drop by drop.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47Others stand around fanning their wings -
0:27:47 > 0:27:49another way to reduce the heat.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55If the waxy combs get too hot,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58they can actually melt and fall of the cliff.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02A disaster for any bee colony.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07Right now the combs are at their most impressive,
0:28:07 > 0:28:09bursting with bees and honey.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13This is why the honey hunters have waited until now
0:28:13 > 0:28:14before starting the harvest.
0:28:14 > 0:28:19This is as close as I'm gonna get without using a ladder or the ropes.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23And the sheer number of bees is incredible.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25Because I saw them on the other cliff
0:28:25 > 0:28:28and they were quite high up and out the way, you know,
0:28:28 > 0:28:30like little black disks.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33But now, to see them here,
0:28:33 > 0:28:36you know, I know what I've got ahead of me.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50I've just heard that the honey harvest is going to happen tomorrow.
0:28:50 > 0:28:54At last the timing's right and the weather forecast is good.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00Before the big day there's one more person I want to meet
0:29:00 > 0:29:01to better understand
0:29:01 > 0:29:05what the tradition of honey hunting means to this community.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09The interpreter is taking me to meet the oldest
0:29:09 > 0:29:12and most experienced honey hunter in the village.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19He's been climbing down the cliffs for over 50 years.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24He lives alone and has a very simple way of life.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32The first thing I want to know is how old he is.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34He is running on 77.
0:29:34 > 0:29:3777 years old?
0:29:37 > 0:29:40And you still climb up the ladder?
0:29:41 > 0:29:42Yes, he can.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44That's incredible!
0:29:44 > 0:29:48Harvesting the honey is very, very difficult and very dangerous.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51I mean, what does the honey mean to him?
0:29:51 > 0:29:54HE SPEAKS NEPALI
0:29:57 > 0:30:00For him, it's like a priceless item.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02It's priceless to him?
0:30:02 > 0:30:06If he could offer me one piece of advice,
0:30:06 > 0:30:07what would it be?
0:30:07 > 0:30:12HE SPEAKS NEPALI
0:30:17 > 0:30:21First advice is for the safety matter.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25You have to remember and respect the gods of the cliff.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27To respect the gods?
0:30:27 > 0:30:32Remember and respect the gods of the cliff for the safety.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36Well, the more and more that I learn about the honey hunters,
0:30:36 > 0:30:39the more respect I have for them, for their bravery,
0:30:39 > 0:30:44but also, the more nervous I'm becoming.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48The fear is growing inside of the task ahead.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52How does he handle the fear, or does he get frightened any more?
0:30:52 > 0:30:54How does he handle that?
0:30:54 > 0:30:58HE SPEAKS NEPALI
0:31:00 > 0:31:04The first time, you'll feel the fear.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07Then after that, you gonna get habituate with it.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11One thing is sure that the concentration on holding
0:31:11 > 0:31:14that ladder will be so great that I can't tell you!
0:31:14 > 0:31:16I'm gonna be like that.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18HE SPEAKS NEPALI
0:31:18 > 0:31:20THEY LAUGH
0:31:22 > 0:31:25You have to be very careful of your life.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37The old honey hunter's right.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39I've got to take this seriously.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43People have died collecting wild honey.
0:31:43 > 0:31:48But I've come here to harvest it and I'm determined to see it through.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52Tomorrow's the big day when all the honey hunters gather,
0:31:52 > 0:31:58and they're gonna make their long trek down to the river valley,
0:31:58 > 0:32:01and I hope I'm up to it, really.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05It's a rite of passage because you've gotta prove your mettle
0:32:05 > 0:32:08to be able to climb up that ladder and take that honey.
0:32:08 > 0:32:13I don't want to let myself down in front of all these wise old guys that have been doing it for years.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21What I can't do is muck around.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25And I can't afford to lose them their honey harvest.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37Ah, thank you very much.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39It's time to say goodbye to the villagers.
0:32:39 > 0:32:44We're going to camp down by the cliff for the duration of the harvest.
0:32:48 > 0:32:53This is the farewell ceremony, so basically, the whole village
0:32:53 > 0:32:56has turned out to sort of say goodbye. It's quite sweet.
0:32:56 > 0:33:02And they put flowers behind your ears and over your neck and paint all your face up.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04Does it look good? Yeah!
0:33:04 > 0:33:07Yeah? Have I got enough on?
0:33:07 > 0:33:10- Yeah.- Yeah? Say goodbye.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13Bye. Bye.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16Excellent. Smell amazing. Smell lovely.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31Well, this is it, we're on our way.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37There's a real togetherness about the honey hunters,
0:33:37 > 0:33:40a band of brothers mentality.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44This is a big social event for the men of the village.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46It's a tradition.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49They're treading in the footsteps of their fathers and grandfathers.
0:33:51 > 0:33:56Some are worried that the younger men show little interest.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59That must be hard to take for some of the old boys.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04Honey hunting is clearly an important part of who they are.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11I feel a real sense of pride being part of this.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16We'd work together for the next few days of the harvest.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23There's our camp by the river.
0:34:23 > 0:34:27From now on, it's all about bees and honey.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38In an attempt to distract the bees and make them less likely to attack,
0:34:38 > 0:34:41the honey hunters are simulating a forest fire.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46The bees' survival instinct kicks in.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49They move up the comb to gorge on the honey that's near the top,
0:34:49 > 0:34:52revealing the bright yellow brood section.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55It's here that the bee larvae develop and grow.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05The final preparations are being made.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08I've got one day to watch and learn,
0:35:08 > 0:35:13so I really need to pay attention. Tomorrow, it'll be me on the cliff.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18Well, this is the first part of the of the honey harvest.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22The ladder's gonna be pulled right to the top, fastened off,
0:35:22 > 0:35:26and then the honey hunter will climb down.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29You'd end up like a pancake if you hit the floor, that's for sure.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36Just gonna put my suit on now,
0:35:36 > 0:35:40because the sun's come out and...
0:35:40 > 0:35:45the sky is just full of bees and they're not happy at all.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47And although we're at the bottom of the cliff,
0:35:47 > 0:35:50we are putting more smoke up,
0:35:50 > 0:35:55we could still get stung pretty badly, so it's time to suit up.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58I can't get it on quick enough.
0:36:01 > 0:36:06Once the ladder's tied off, it's time to make an offering to the cliff gods.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10The honey hunters always sacrifice a sheep in their honour.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16It'll be butchered and cooked up for lunch, but first the liver must be checked
0:36:16 > 0:36:19to see whether it's going to be a good or a bad harvest
0:36:19 > 0:36:22and most importantly, a safe one.
0:36:22 > 0:36:26- Is it good?- So, if there is line, it is good symptom.
0:36:26 > 0:36:33- So because there's a line there, and that bit is clear, there's gonna be no accidents.- No accident.
0:36:33 > 0:36:38But because the gall bladder is small, there's not much honey.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41- Not much honey. - OK, OK. Not much honey.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44There's one good thing, there's not gonna be any accidents.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47- What about being stung?- Stung what?
0:36:47 > 0:36:50Can you tell if we're gonna get stung or not?
0:36:50 > 0:36:53- Stung?- Yeah, bee sting.- No, no, we cannot forecast for this.
0:36:53 > 0:36:57Oh, OK, I'll keep the suit on, then.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59Keep the suit on.
0:37:01 > 0:37:07Joking aside, these guys are remarkably unfazed by the bees.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09They're not wearing much safety gear.
0:37:09 > 0:37:14Maybe they're used to the stings, I'm definitely not taking any chances.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18These are wild bees, and we're about to take away their honey.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24There's a team coordinating things from the bottom, and a guy perched
0:37:24 > 0:37:29in the tree at the top to help with lowering and raising the cutting tools, and later, the basket.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33First down the ladder is the young honey hunter.
0:37:33 > 0:37:38He's 200 foot above the ground, with no safety rope
0:37:38 > 0:37:41and only a simple veil to protect him from stings.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46I feel sick just watching him.
0:37:51 > 0:37:56The first thing he's got to do is to cut away the waxy yellow brood section.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00He can then get on with harvesting the honey at the top of the comb.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11There's nothing easy about any of this.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14He's got to get that basket into position,
0:38:14 > 0:38:18but just trying to manoeuvre those poles looks so hard.
0:38:18 > 0:38:23He's using his foot to hold the stick for the basket and then...
0:38:23 > 0:38:29the other hands to chisel away the honey section now. It's impossible.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33How do you know which bits...?
0:38:35 > 0:38:39Oh, that's the honey. Oh, hit that kid in the head, oh, my God!
0:38:41 > 0:38:42It's knocked him out.
0:38:45 > 0:38:50My God, hit him right in the shoulder. Oh, my God.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55Sit down. Jesus.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57A whole clump of honeycomb
0:38:57 > 0:39:01just hit that guy slap bang on the shoulder.
0:39:03 > 0:39:04He's getting up walking.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16- How is he?- Oh, he's fine.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18No concussion?
0:39:18 > 0:39:22- Oh, no, there is no sign of any head injury or anything like that.- You OK?
0:39:22 > 0:39:24OK.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27This is why we've got a medic on location -
0:39:27 > 0:39:31it underlines just how hazardous this whole thing is.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35That's why I'm wearing the helmet.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42This guy's having a real tough time of it.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46He's not even wearing gloves, he hasn't got shoes on,
0:39:46 > 0:39:48he must be getting sting after sting after sting.
0:39:50 > 0:39:55After watching this guy, I'm a little bit more confident of what I've got to do.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59My main worry is getting that technique right, not being stung,
0:39:59 > 0:40:03not falling to my death and being able to climb down that ladder properly.
0:40:05 > 0:40:09As dangerous as it looks, the honey hunters know what they're doing.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11They also understand the bees.
0:40:16 > 0:40:22It's the middle of November, and soon it will be too cold for the bees to live at this altitude.
0:40:22 > 0:40:28They'll have to abandon their combs and migrate to more sheltered places further down the valley.
0:40:28 > 0:40:33The hunters time the harvest to take place when the colony is strongest,
0:40:33 > 0:40:35just before the bees leave for winter.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38This minimises the impact on the bees' population.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46And importantly, the honey hunters never harvest all of the combs.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49They leave more than half untouched.
0:40:49 > 0:40:54Their sensitive approach means there will always be honey to harvest.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00Tomorrow, I will be first down the ladder.
0:41:00 > 0:41:06No-one from outside the region has ever harvested honey at the cliff before. It's a real honour.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13I'm trying to put the fear to the back of my mind
0:41:13 > 0:41:16and just focus on being a part of something really special.
0:41:18 > 0:41:22I want to show them I can do it, and earn the right to taste that honey.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53D-Day - this is it.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56I'm no longer just an observer.
0:41:56 > 0:41:57It's my turn.
0:41:57 > 0:42:02Up here at the top of the cliff, I feel very alone.
0:42:02 > 0:42:06200 foot below, there's an audience of honey hunters.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08It must be like waiting for the executioner.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17Whoa.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24Repeat that, over.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26GARBLED SOUND OVER RADIO
0:42:29 > 0:42:34If I said I wasn't nervous at all, I'm afraid I'd be a liar.
0:42:34 > 0:42:40It's really weird cos it's just suddenly there, final, bosh, ladder.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43- OK, Jimmy, when you're ready. - I'm off.
0:42:47 > 0:42:48Oh, my word.
0:43:05 > 0:43:11That is just the biggest beehive in the world.
0:43:16 > 0:43:17God, that's tiring.
0:43:21 > 0:43:23HE LAUGHS
0:43:32 > 0:43:36Finally, I'm face to face with these amazing bees.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39The honey's right there. All I need to do now
0:43:39 > 0:43:43is steady my nerves, forget about being so high up on a rope ladder
0:43:43 > 0:43:46and get on with the harvest.
0:43:53 > 0:43:58This looked hard from the ground. Actually doing it is almost impossible.
0:43:58 > 0:44:02It's fiddly, tiring, sweaty, uncomfortable.
0:44:03 > 0:44:08I've got to get another toggle into the comb so it's then supported by the ropes.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16That's it. Both toggles are in.
0:44:16 > 0:44:21All I need to do now is cut the brood section away and the honey's all mine.
0:44:27 > 0:44:29It's going.
0:44:29 > 0:44:33Oh, the stick's buggered.
0:44:33 > 0:44:35I can't do anything without a cutting tool.
0:44:35 > 0:44:37This is really frustrating.
0:44:37 > 0:44:40I was so close to getting the honey.
0:44:42 > 0:44:46I'm going to have to wait around for the guys to make me a new one.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51It does at least give me a chance to really take in these bees.
0:44:55 > 0:44:59It's amazing being close up to these things.
0:44:59 > 0:45:02The sheer size of them. When you see them on the ground
0:45:02 > 0:45:08when they're abandoned, they still look impressive but nothing like the real thing.
0:45:14 > 0:45:19But the longer I hang around up here, the more bees that are trying to sting me.
0:45:19 > 0:45:21I reckon I've had at least two stings already,
0:45:21 > 0:45:25and our medic warned me last night that seven can be fatal.
0:45:34 > 0:45:37That's number three sting.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42Weirdly, the stings aren't bothering me too much,
0:45:42 > 0:45:48it's hanging onto this ladder. That's the really tough bit, it's exhausting.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51I reckon I've been waiting up here for 20 minutes or more,
0:45:51 > 0:45:54but at last the cutting tool is ready.
0:45:54 > 0:45:57I can finally get back to business.
0:46:00 > 0:46:03Oh.
0:46:06 > 0:46:11Just sheer exhaustion to move these sticks around.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17Can you make it any awkwarder?
0:46:17 > 0:46:19HE LAUGHS
0:46:19 > 0:46:22What makes this even harder is that the basket is kept upright
0:46:22 > 0:46:26by a rope held by someone at the top of the cliff.
0:46:26 > 0:46:30They can't speak English and I can't speak Nepali.
0:46:30 > 0:46:34This is becoming a nightmare.
0:46:34 > 0:46:37Can they pull their rope up a little bit? Up!
0:46:37 > 0:46:40Up a little bit!
0:46:44 > 0:46:50Little bit more! Stop!
0:46:52 > 0:46:56This has got to be the hardest thing I've ever done, but I've now managed
0:46:56 > 0:46:59to somehow position the basket beneath the comb.
0:46:59 > 0:47:02I've got to get some of that honey.
0:47:12 > 0:47:18My arms are shaking. I can hardly hold these sticks, I can't take much more of this.
0:47:18 > 0:47:23I must have been up here for about an hour, but at last I've got some honey.
0:47:30 > 0:47:33That's it, I can't take any more.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43The honey's on its way down, and so am I.
0:47:45 > 0:47:47There'd better be some left for me!
0:47:49 > 0:47:52These guys don't hang around.
0:47:52 > 0:47:56They eat most of the harvest straightaway. The fresher, the better.
0:47:59 > 0:48:03Look at, that's what it's all about,
0:48:03 > 0:48:05pure honey,
0:48:05 > 0:48:08liquid gold. Amazing.
0:48:14 > 0:48:17Mmm, oh!
0:48:17 > 0:48:20Very good.
0:48:20 > 0:48:22That is amazing.
0:48:23 > 0:48:25It's almost...
0:48:25 > 0:48:27lemony, citrusy.
0:48:29 > 0:48:31That is absolutely amazing.
0:48:31 > 0:48:35That is worth every effort.
0:48:40 > 0:48:45When I was up the ladder, covered in bees, I kept thinking, "This is crazy,"
0:48:45 > 0:48:50but back on the ground eating the honey, it all makes sense.
0:48:50 > 0:48:52I didn't know honey could taste that good.
0:48:54 > 0:48:56Pleasure working with you.
0:48:56 > 0:49:01- Thank you.- I now understand what you guys go through and what it means to collect honey.
0:49:01 > 0:49:06Thank you, thank you, thank you for letting me have an insight into your world.
0:49:06 > 0:49:08- Very, very well.- Very, very well?
0:49:08 > 0:49:10Thank you very much, namaste.
0:49:10 > 0:49:12Namaste, thank you.
0:49:16 > 0:49:20For the honey hunters, there's a lot more to all this than simply honey.
0:49:20 > 0:49:24The harvest brings them together. It's a special occasion.
0:49:26 > 0:49:32Their intimate knowledge of the giant cliff bees has grown over thousands of years.
0:49:32 > 0:49:35They understand their behaviour,
0:49:35 > 0:49:39and their traditional methods ensure a sustainable honey harvest.
0:49:42 > 0:49:46It's an amazing process to go through
0:49:46 > 0:49:50and it's a real privilege to actually have been part of something
0:49:50 > 0:49:52that's been going on for thousands of years.
0:49:52 > 0:49:56In an age dominated by processed foods, artificial flavours
0:49:56 > 0:50:00and sweeteners, honey is without doubt a product we should all celebrate.
0:50:04 > 0:50:05It's 100% natural.
0:50:05 > 0:50:08It's pure and simple.
0:50:08 > 0:50:12The variety of flavours I get from my bees still amazes me.
0:50:12 > 0:50:15Through it, I can taste the changing seasons,
0:50:15 > 0:50:19but I'll never forget the taste of that wild honey
0:50:19 > 0:50:23from the giant bees in Nepal.
0:50:23 > 0:50:27For me, it will always be the taste of the Himalayas.
0:50:27 > 0:50:32That honey was the best-tasting honey ever,
0:50:32 > 0:50:36because not only was it sweet and delicious, but there was so much effort
0:50:36 > 0:50:41involved to collect it, and there's so much tradition associated with this collecting process.
0:50:41 > 0:50:45But I probably will never, ever climb down a ladder for a pot of honey again!
0:50:55 > 0:50:59Back home in Suffolk, and bees are still very much in my mind.
0:50:59 > 0:51:03They've been working their magic pollinating my runner beans and other plants.
0:51:05 > 0:51:10Brilliant crop on here. Absolutely heavy with runner beans.
0:51:10 > 0:51:12Look at that. Falling off.
0:51:12 > 0:51:15Isn't good gardening good bees?
0:51:22 > 0:51:23These marigolds.
0:51:26 > 0:51:32That's something that reminds me of Nepal. Those big, long garlands that they made for us.
0:51:36 > 0:51:39It seems everything is geared to insects, and bees in particular.
0:51:39 > 0:51:43The flowers, even here. We let this onion go to seed
0:51:43 > 0:51:47and the bee has to pollinate it even before we can collect the onion seeds.
0:51:50 > 0:51:52Wow. Look at these guys here.
0:51:53 > 0:51:56You know, with bees,
0:51:56 > 0:51:59it's so much more than just honey.
0:51:59 > 0:52:04Look at this. Courgettes, marrows, there's the flower.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06The pollination happens.
0:52:09 > 0:52:10Look at that.
0:52:18 > 0:52:20Imagine a world without bees.
0:52:22 > 0:52:25No peas or runner beans for your roast dinner...
0:52:27 > 0:52:29..and no apple pie for pudding.
0:52:37 > 0:52:43Look at that. Five minutes walking round the garden, picking all those lovely crops.
0:52:43 > 0:52:48You'd never imagine it's all down to bees.
0:52:48 > 0:52:49A bit of gardening as well.
0:52:52 > 0:52:56With the bees busy pollinating so many plants,
0:52:56 > 0:52:59back at the hives, there's another crop that needs harvesting.
0:53:02 > 0:53:06Just got to ease the wax off there
0:53:06 > 0:53:09to release that honey.
0:53:09 > 0:53:10Look at that.
0:53:16 > 0:53:19This is lovely, really. You can't get more natural than this.
0:53:19 > 0:53:20But the sad thing is,
0:53:20 > 0:53:24bees in this country,
0:53:24 > 0:53:29and bees globally, are having a pretty hard time of it.
0:53:30 > 0:53:34There's a little mite that's spreading across bee colonies.
0:53:34 > 0:53:38Over three or four years, it can cause the whole hive to collapse.
0:53:38 > 0:53:42Lots of people think that's sad, a few bees die.
0:53:42 > 0:53:45But it's so important that our bees survive
0:53:45 > 0:53:50because a third of our crops depend on them.
0:53:50 > 0:53:53And if bees disappeared,
0:53:53 > 0:53:57I reckon humans would find it pretty hard to exist on this planet without them.
0:54:01 > 0:54:05The crisis bees are facing is an issue that will affect me,
0:54:05 > 0:54:09and all farmers, including those in Nepal.
0:54:09 > 0:54:12It's estimated that through agriculture,
0:54:12 > 0:54:17the value of bees to the world's economy is nearly £100 billion.
0:54:17 > 0:54:22And of course, no bees would mean no more honey.
0:54:22 > 0:54:27This year's English honey crop alone is 25% down on last year
0:54:27 > 0:54:30and there's a real chance supplies will run out by Christmas,
0:54:30 > 0:54:34making this summer's crop all the more special.
0:54:34 > 0:54:38Here we go. The moment of truth.
0:54:38 > 0:54:40Now! Wow. Look at that.
0:54:44 > 0:54:48This is pure and simple, sweet and delicious.
0:54:48 > 0:54:51There we go.
0:54:51 > 0:54:57All that hard work from all those bees collecting the nectar from the flowers round here.
0:54:57 > 0:55:00And for me, it's like capturing a moment of time, you know,
0:55:00 > 0:55:05the lovely warm summer, reflected in the jar.
0:55:11 > 0:55:15Jarring up the honey, you know,
0:55:15 > 0:55:20it's such a simple thing. It takes you straight back to Nepal.
0:55:20 > 0:55:26And that whole trip, it suddenly makes you realise how important bees are to society.
0:55:26 > 0:55:28For them, it's the centre of everything.
0:55:30 > 0:55:35It's the highlight of their year, to go and collect this wild honey.
0:55:35 > 0:55:39I think we all should sit back and think how important these creatures are.
0:55:53 > 0:55:56Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:55:56 > 0:55:58E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk