CBC.CA - The National Seven years ago, the Belgium company Biobest started production in Canada in the basement of a house. Now it ships tens of thousands of bumblebee colonies from Leamington, Ontario to farmers across North America every year.

They're hard to grow, these bees. So the method is secret. But the hives are checked dozens of times a day. They're fed, watered, pampered. Richard Ward, the general manager, would probably tuck them in at night if he could.

There are bumblebee hives in various stages of production. At one stage in the development, the computer reproduces the heat and temperature of a mid summer's day.