Honey Bee Print-out
Summer is a great time for watching the bees in the garden. Certain plants attract bees more than other plants. The favorite bee attractors are garlic chives. I have a garden full of them from bees pollinating them and the seeds spreading.
Honey bees collect nectar from the blossoms. When new sources of nectar filled blossom are found the bee goes back to the hive to tell the other bees where they are located. The bee dances to show where the flowers are. Now the other bees know where the flowers are and can go there to collect nectar.
While the bees are collecting nectar they spread pollen from one flower to another. The pollen is collected on baskets on the back of the bees' legs. This pollination is a very important job for honeybees.
When the nectar is full in their honey sac part of their stomach they fly back to their hive. There are many jobs for the bees. Some build wax cells and others clean the hive. The nectar is spit into the wax cell. Some worker bees fan the nectar with their wings until it thickens into honey. Some bees protect the hive and others care for the babies the the queen.
The hive is constantly growing and building honey combs, collecting nectar and raising baby bees to become workers. Bees are very important for everyone. They help plants become more productive to increase fruit and seeds. They provide honey and beeswax too.
