Where Does the Bee Live? UFLI Foundations Lesson 120

Meet Ned. He has a house, a farm, and fruit trees that suit him just fine. And meet The Book, who knows all about nature and is not shy about it. One morning, a bee buzzes across the yard. Ned drops his apple and stares. 'A bee!' he whispers. 'I have not seen a bee in ages! Where do you live, little bee?'

Ned takes off after the bee. What an adventure! The bee zips past tall trees and bushes full of purple flowers, and Ned hops over roots. The bee does not slow down. Not one bit. 'Wait!' calls Ned. 'I just want to see where you live! I am friendly! I am very friendly!'

The bee lives in a nest high up in a tree. Ned stands on the hill and looks up. Something sweet drifts down, golden and thick. 'Honey,' Ned breathes, eyes wide. 'I bet that is the best thing in all of nature. I have to get some.' A bear waits nearby. It wants the honey too, just as much as Ned does.

But Ned is not the waiting type. He pictures a big jar of honey. He pulls out his axe and grins a wild grin. 'Stand back, bear. That honey is mine!' he shouts, swinging the axe. 'A few bee stings can not hurt!' (A few bee stings have, in fact, hurt lots of people.)

'Stop, Ned!' yells The Book, zooming in with a worried look. Ned freezes, holding a sticky comb up high. 'What? I got some!' 'You silly nut!' says The Book, and here comes a lecture. 'You can not just chop a hive! The bees will wake up and sting you head to toe. Put. That. Down. There is a better way.'

Back at the house, The Book sits open on the grass. A small campfire crackles between them. 'Picture this,' says The Book. 'Smoke makes bees sleepy. Put a campfire under the nest, wait for them to doze off, and then take the honey. No chopping, no stings.' Ned nods slowly. 'So... no axe?' 'No axe, Ned,' says The Book.

Ned ventures back to the bee tree with the campfire, and sets it under the hive. Smoke curls up through the branches, and the buzzing gets slower... and slower... and slower. Ned pulls out his shears, much better than an axe. He creeps in on tiptoe. 'Now,' he whispers. 'While they are sleepy.'

Ned snips into the hive, and bright golden combs slide out, dripping and shiny. They smell like a sweet mixture of sunshine and fruit and everything good in the world. 'Oh,' says Ned. 'That is so pretty.' 'Quick!' hisses The Book. 'Grab them and run before the bees wake up!' Ned does not need to be told twice.

Back inside, Ned gets to work at his table. He puts wood and combs together, building a new structure. 'What are you doing now?' asks The Book. 'Building my own beehive!' says Ned, grinning. 'No more sneaking through forests. No more bears giving me dirty looks. Just me and my bees, making honey forever.' The Book pauses. 'This might be your first good idea.'

Outside, Ned plants bright flowers and sets the new hive on the grass. 'Not bad at all,' he says, stepping back. 'Now you need bees,' says The Book, gesturing at the flowers. 'Bees love a good garden.' 'Leave it to me, I am great with bees!' says Ned. The Book says nothing, but its features say plenty.

Ned finds bees buzzing around, looking for a home. He holds out a bright rose with his best smile. 'Come with me,' he says softly. 'I have flowers, I have a hive, I have all a bee could want.' It works! The little creatures crowd around the rose, and Ned walks them home like a parade. 'See?' he calls to The Book. 'I told you I was great with bees!'

The new hive is already making honey, and Ned is so proud he could burst. But there is one tiny problem. The bees love Ned. They love him so much. They buzz around his head, bump his nose, and crawl into spots bees should not go. 'Get off! Ow! That tickles!' 'Next time,' says The Book from a safe distance, 'we should read up on bee suits before the next adventure.' Ned does not answer. He is too busy running.