Inspiring Young Minds: Little Island NS celebrates World Bee Day

In lieu of World Bee Day on 20 May, my son Julius, 6, and I were lucky to celebrate our love of bees in our local school, Little Island NS today when we paid a very special visit. We brought along our observation hive to provide a firsthand look at the inner workings of a beehive, spreading awareness about the crucial role of bees in pollination and the impact they have on our food supply.

Observation Hive

Little Island NS was abuzz with excitement as the students and teachers eagerly gathered around the observation hive. Many tried (and succeesed) to spot the queen bee among all the worker bees. The queen was on her best behaviour. We could see her laying eggs and walking around the comb looking for empty cells.

The observation hive, with its transparent panels, allowed everyone to witness the intricate activities taking place inside the beehive. Despite being inside a classroom and surrounded by noise and vibration, the bees went about their business as normal. They were cleaning, feeding, snoozing, eating and we even saw baby bees emerging from their cells from the first time.  

As bees busily buzzed about inside the hive, we talked about the different roles of worker bees, drones, and the queen bee. We explores how all bees have different jobs depending on their age. The students were captivated by the bees’ teamwork and the fascinating way they communicate with one another. All of this of course happening inside a pitch-dark hive. We saw some bees doing the waggle dance, wiggling their bums very enthusiastically to show their hive mates where to find the best honey and pollen.

Bees and our food

One of the main topics of discussion was the crucial role of bees in pollination. We discussed how bees, as they go from flower to flower, help pollinate a wide variety of plants. This ensures the growth of fruits, vegetables, and nuts that make up a significant portion of our diet. To highlight this, we brought pictures and examples of food items that depend on bee and insect pollination. Such as apples, strawberries, kiwis, and even chocolate! We also talked about how boring our diet would be if we didn’t have bees and other pollinators.

Honeybee Q&A

The highlight of the visit was undoubtedly the interactive Q&A session. Eager to learn more, the students bombarded us with questions. They ranged from the lifespan of bees to how honey is made and how bees deal with intruders to the hive. Some were very hard, but we tried to answer them all. One thing that I noticed is that following our visit to the school on World Bee Day last year, their interest and knowledge was much expanded. The students asked really informed and clever questions. I think this shows that not only are they eager to learn more, they grasp the importance of our pollinators. And also that they are able to follow the intricate workings of the life of bees with ease.

For Julius, this day held a special significance. He has been waiting for this day for weeks, and happily announced this morning that along with his birthday and Christmas, “Today is the best day of the year!” Julius proudly showed his friends and teachers the magic of bees and told them all about why we use smokers to calm the bees. He also talked about the differences in colour between the Native Irish honeybee (black and dark brown) and imported honeybees (Black with orange stripes.) Julius’ enthusiasm was contagious. He got the whole room in stitches when he told his principal to ‘Buzz off…’ at the end of their Q&A session!!!

For me, this is what it is all about, and I thoroughly enjoyed the day. It makes me so happy to be able to share my love for bees and celebrate bees with the younger generation. It’s incredible to witness their curiosity and eagerness to learn. By educating children about the importance of bees, we are nurturing a generation that will grow up to be mindful stewards of our planet. And if the kids in Little Island NS are anything to go by, I’m feeling very hopeful!

If you want to read about other events where you can meet me and my bees, look here.

Hanna Bäckmo

Hanna Bäckmo is a beekeeper, entrepreneur, and gardening enthusiast. Originally from a small island in Sweden, she now lives in East Cork with her son, two dogs, a flock of rescue chickens and lots of bees. She runs Hanna’s Bees producing a wide range of honey, propolis and beeswax products which are sold in Ireland’s leading Gift & Artisan food stores.

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