Beautiful Bees

QUOTE:  

When the bee comes to your house, let her have beer; you may want to visit the bee's house some day.  
Congo Proverb


THEORY: Bees are amazing insects that provide hours of interest to the natural scientist, the artist, the photographer, the environmentalist, the historian and the gardener. We can all learn so much about their society and achievements and they are literally right in our own backyard.

ACTIVITIES:

• Look at your natural environment to get to know one of the most amazing insects on the planet.
• Attract bees to your garden by planting flowers, trees, fruits and herbs that bees love to pollinate. It is a great way to naturally increase the beauty and fruitfulness of your garden.
• Beekeeping, yes, seriously - beekeeping for children. All they need is the right hive, a good suit and some help to start off. Did you know the scouts use to have a Beekeeping Merit badge?
• Learn more about bees: here is a great site with lots of resources for children to learn more about bees: baby bees house
• Visit a local beekeeper and learn about bees and honey.
• Visit a farmer's market and purchase some honey.

EQUIPMENT:
No equipment is needed to study and learn about bee (unless you decide to become beekeepers)

BOOKS:

The Honey Makers by Gail Gibbons introduces young readers to honeybees and bee culture through pictures.

Bees, Hives, Honey!: Beekeeping for Children by Tim Rowe is full of colour photos showing how to build a hive, how to catch a swarm, how to look after the bees, and harvest the honey.

 

Children help build a pollinator garden which will be full of plants to attract bees

 

 

Bee collecting pollen from a flower

 

Investigate insects : Things with wings: dragonfly

Insects are the most interesting mini beasts.

QUOTE: " Deep in the sun-searched growths the dragonfly
              Hangs like a blue thread loosened from the sky."
              Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Silent Noon


THEORY:

• There are more than 5000 species of dragonflies. 
• Dragonflies do not bite or sting.
• They can fly forward, backward, and hover.
• To the Native Americans, the dragonfly represented the winds of change, to a Samurai it was a symbol of power and agility, to the Chinese Good Luck and harmony, to the Japanese summer and autumn.
• Many cultures have given this amazing insect a unique meaning and generally it symbolizes change.

ACTIVITY:

• Visit a lake, pond, stream, creek or wetlands area. Take a picnic, a camera and binoculars and watch out for dragonflies. How many different coloured dragonflies can you see?

BOOKS:

• Are You a Dragonfly? (Backyard Books) by Judy Allen
• Eliza and the Dragonfly (Sharing Nature With Children Book) by Susie Caldwell Rinehart
• The Dragonfly Door by John Adams
• Stokes Beginner's Guide to Dragonflies by Blair Nikula, Jackie Sones, Donald Stokes and Lillian Stokes.

VIDEO: Hope you enjoy this short and information packed video about dragonflies