Little Worker Bees

We're finishing up our spring animals unit. This month has been chuck full of caterpillars and insects, butterflies, birds, ducks and frogs. This week we looked at ladybugs and bees and their lifecycles, as well as what they do to help us (like eat the aphids in our garden and pollinate the flowers).

Today while learning about bees, we took a look at the pollen on our roses out front 

 

 

While some of us took the time to smell them. 

 

After that, we cut out little white flowers and put them on our juice boxes. The kids were so excited to use their "proboscis" (straw) to drink the nectar. Around our flower base, we added our "pollen" (Cheetos!). I gave them permission and let them drink their nectar and touch the pollen. Vance said, "We will do what you say Mom, because you're the Queen Bee!" 

 

 

 

After a little nectar, I let them take a look at their "pollen" hands 

 

 

 

Then we began to dust a little pollen on our flowers 

 

But what was even more fun was pollenating everyone else's flowers! 

 

 

By the time we were done there was pollen everywhere! They loved that there was even pollen on their lips (Sis wanted to keep it on since it looked like lipstick). 

 

What a silly bunch of worker bees! Even with their pollen dusty faces, I sure love them! 

 

Now if I can only get them to clean the hive!!