Bees and Gardens–August 2, 2012

Second grader Janae recorded the soil temperature as 91° and the air being 80° with a sunny sky and hot air.

After harvesting a bucket full of beans and a bucket full of kale, we settled down on the deck in a circle to listen to 7 year old Alexander who helps his mother, Janice, take care of the bees at their home. He explained that there are three kinds of honeybees: queen, drone and worker bees and the jobs each of them do.

Janice and Alexander brought a honey frame with honey and wax in it and a smoker they use to blow into the hives to calm the bees enough so that the hives can be tended. The bees become afraid that their hive is on fire and they gorge on honey and become sleepy. With the help of Janice, Alexander donned his bee suit with a hat and veil that zips together to help protect him when he works with the bees.

We learned how important the weather is to bees because some of their favorite flowers (on the plentiful locust trees in Truro) were blown away in a storm, so they needed to find other flowers to feed on. Sometimes they have to fly over a mile to find enough nectar and pollen to bring back to the hive. A worker bee can visit between 50 and 100 flowers during a food hunting trip.

After asking questions and listening, the children gave the garden some water.

Thank you Alexander and Janice for talking to us and for helping our garden by taking such good care of bees in Truro!

• harvest kale and green beans
• water