What do I know about bees?
- I know little about them and their many varieties.
- I know I find them interesting.
- I know I could watch them for ages buzzing from here to there and back again.
- I know I love to take pictures of them.
- I know I like Bumble Bees (the best).
- I know I like Honey Bees (for obvious reasons).
- I know I don’t like wasps (although I find the way they spin their nests is fascinating).
- I know I don’t like yellow jackets.
As a child, I remember we spent hours in preparation of bee catching. An old glass jar with a good fitting lid was first on the list of equipment. Then off to the shed to find a nail and hammer. Then to the wood shed to use a block as a work table. We were set.
Laying the lid top side down on the block, we used the hammer and nail to punch out several breathing holes.
Next we went in search of the perfect location. A clover patch was priority. Surrounded with grass to lay on. We would stretch out on the grass and search for four a leaf clover while we waited for bees to land on the clover buds.
The fear of being stung never entered our minds. With a glass jar in one hand and lid in the other, the object of the outing was not to see how many bees you could catch. But, to see how many you could catch without the others escaping.
At the end of the day or hour or minutes, the lid was removed and the bees were free to go. The jar was emptied of the grass and clover heads from its bottom, and the next nature class was waiting for us to find it.
Outings were dependant on the attention span of a child. Playground and classroom were right outside the door.
What outdoor activities kept you busy as a child?
Laying the lid top side down on the block, we used the hammer and nail to punch out several breathing holes.
Next we went in search of the perfect location. A clover patch was priority. Surrounded with grass to lay on. We would stretch out on the grass and search for four a leaf clover while we waited for bees to land on the clover buds.
The fear of being stung never entered our minds. With a glass jar in one hand and lid in the other, the object of the outing was not to see how many bees you could catch. But, to see how many you could catch without the others escaping.
At the end of the day or hour or minutes, the lid was removed and the bees were free to go. The jar was emptied of the grass and clover heads from its bottom, and the next nature class was waiting for us to find it.
Outings were dependant on the attention span of a child. Playground and classroom were right outside the door.
What outdoor activities kept you busy as a child?
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