Science for Kids: Learn About Bees With This Fun Story

Imagine that you have magic powers and you can transform into any creature you want to become. One day you're watching some bees busily flying from flower to flower. You think about what interesting creatures they are. You decide you want to become a bee to learn more about them.

You know that bees live in groups called colonies. You also know that there are 3 types of bees: queen bees, worker bees and drones. Worker bees clean the hive and take care of the baby bees called larvae. More importantly for you, they are the ones who collect pollen and nectar. You decide to become a worker bee to enter the hive.

You make a wish and instantly transform into a worker bee. All worker bees are female, so you are a girl bee. You might feel a little nervous about your stinger. There is a sac with venom attached to it. Venom is poison. You know that some people are actually allergic to this venom and could even die if they were stung by a bee.

“I’d better be careful,” you think to yourself. Most bees only sting to protect themselves. You hope you won't have to do that.

You start flying from flower to flower collecting nectar and pollen. You use your straw-like proboscis to suck up the nectar. Bees use pollen for food. They turn nectar into honey to use as food as well. When you're finished, you fly to the hive. You are checked by the guard bees to ensure that you have the right odor for that hive. Each hive has its own odor or smell.

You carry the nectar in your stomach. When you enter the hive you and the other bees regurgitate or throw up the nectar in your stomachs.

The bees drop the nectar into a beeswax comb. This is a hexagon-shaped cell that is made of wax produced by bees. When the comb is full the bees fan their wings to thicken it and turn it into honey. Then they cap the honeycomb with wax and move on to the next empty comb.

Suddenly a bee enters the hive and starts dancing. You know this dance is called a waggle dance. Bees use waggle dances to communicate the location of flowers to other bees. You follow the other bees to the flowers. Then you wish to become a child again.

“Bees are so busy all the time,” you say to yourself as you head for home. “It’s better to be a kid.”