The Bees Who Sniff Out Landmines (and Help Heal the Land)

In this buzz-worthy finale of our Caring Critters series, we're spotlighting one of the planet's most unexpected environmental heroes: honey bees trained to detect landmines.

Yes - real bees. Real landmines. Real hope.

After the Balkan Wars, Croatia was left with over 90,000 unexploded landmines, making vast landscapes too dangerous for farming, wildlife, or reforestation. But thanks to the sharp sense of smell in these fuzzy pollinators, scientists at the University of Zagreb are helping clear former war zones using nature itself.

This story is a mix of:

• Wildlife restoration
• Landmine detection using bees
• Eco-innovation
• Post-conflict land healing
• ...and good old-fashioned bee bravery

We’ll explore how trained bees use their noses (which can detect TNT at the parts-per-trillion level) to identify minefields, how their flight paths are monitored with thermal imaging, and how their work is reviving ecosystems once lost to war.

No digging. No drones. No drama. Just bees.

Tune in for a fascinating, hopeful story about climate resilience, land restoration, and the astonishing ways animals are helping us heal the planet - one wingbeat at a time.

If you enjoy feel-good environmental stories, climate optimism, and surprising science, this one’s for you.

This episode is narrated by Ally Murphy from Voiceover for the Planet

Resources:

Wired - Honey bees trained to sniff out landmines in Croatia

BBC – Mine-Sniffing Bees in Croatia

National Geographic – Honeybees Used to Sniff Out Landmines

Croatian Mine Action Centre – Environmental Solutions