KS1 - Bees
Willow and Beech Class would like to thank Mr Jones and Amanda for visiting us and telling us all about honey bees. We learnt many interesting facts and Beech Class went on to create their own bee fact leaflets.
Report by Amanda
On Friday 17th July 2015 Mr Roger Jones - a local beekeeper - visited Cliddesden Primary School to give a talk about bees (and beekeeping) to Willow and Beech classes.
The first question he asked was: ‘why are bees important?’ The two classes came up with a lot of good answers, one of which was for the honey! The most important reason of why bees are needed is that it pollinates 75% - 80% of all food, including apples and plums.
The next subject he moved on to was the equipment that a beekeeper uses. This included: a bee suit – this is used so it is harder for a bee to sting you, a pair of tough gloves – it protects your hands, a hive tool – to prise open the hive sections and a smoker – to calm the bees down.
Afterwards Mr Jones explained what the parts of a beehive were; there was the floor, which had a hole for the bees to get through. Next there was the brood box, where the queen lays eggs. Last there were the super (where honey is produced) and the lid.
Fourthly, he analysed the life cycle of a bee. He told everyone what a drone (male bee), worker (female bee) and the queen was. He then told the classes what a swarm was and why bees do it. He also explained the stages of a bee life cycle with the help of little plastic models.
He carried on to the product of a hive and what they’re used for: wax – used to coat Smarties, propolis – antibacterial and honey – to eat! Then the two classes lined up to receive a dip stick and used it to have a taste of local honey.
Finally Willow and Beech class heard ten facts:
- Honeybees’ are the only insect to make food eaten by man.
- Honeybees’ wings beat 200 times a second.
- Bees were around with the dinosaurs.
- There are only 7 types of honeybee in the world.
- Bees have two stomachs – one for storing nectar and one for food.
- Female bees are the only ones that can sting.
- All honey tastes different – depends on the flowers the bee feeds on.
- Honeybees’ communicate through a ‘waggle dance’.
- Honeybees’ might not die if they sting an insect.
- It takes 2 million flowers to get 1 pound of honey.
