Yesterday we had an indoor field trip/nature study about honeybees. A local beekeeper named Brian, who does presentations at many area schools, came to our church for our homeschool group. He did a great job! We have studied bees before, but Kathryn and I both learned so much!
In Roman times, honey was worth it’s weight in gold, and you could even pay your property taxes with honey! We were reminded of many of the medicinal uses of honey, too. It’s good stuff!
There was a queen bee in there somewhere — from Hawaii! We learned that all of our native varieties of honeybees have been wiped out, so all the ones we have here now have been imported from other places. And the queen bee trade can be pretty lucrative, it seems. His Hawaiian queen bees cost about $50, but queen bees from some areas can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars!
A few of the kids got to help in the presentation, like this boy (Devin) who modeled the bee suit and pretended to smoke bees. The reason the smoking works is because the bees think there is a forest fire, and gorge on as much honey as they can eat to prepare to fly away to safety. Once their honeybee bellies are so full, they are slow and lazy, and have a very hard time stinging. Sort of like most of us after a big Thanksgiving Dinner.
In the photo below, Brian led the kids in the honeybee dance. (If you find Kathryn in there, note her enthusiastic flying; she isn’t even touching the ground!) Honeybees circle and dance to tell how far the yummy flowers are and how many there are. Scientists say that if all honeybees died, then all life on earth would die within seven years.
As we’ve been telling Lindsey all about it, she says she wishes she went, too. 
Last year I did not accomplish as many field trips as I’d hoped. This year, I want to take advantage of things like this whenever possible. If you’re in the area and want to contact Brian, you can find him at Hometown Honey; I’d highly recommend this — and I plan to visit him soon at the Farmer’s Market on the Marietta Square to buy some local honey!
We buy his honey from a nearby health store, and my husband worked with him many years ago! I wish we could have made the presentation. Looks like everyone enjoyed it!
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This is so cool! We enjoy going to our local apiary. They’ve even taken our family on a tour. What a neat business!
Blessings!
Deborah
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Twitter: NotInadequate
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Isn’t there some bee mite or something that is killing off honeybees at an alarming rate? Did he say what is being done about that?
Very interesting field trip! Honey is an amazing, amazing food.
Deb recently posted..Can’t Touch This
Twitter: jamieworley
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Primarily pesticides on plants & fruit trees, even on our lawns!
Twitter: Kris_WUHSMom
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Fantastic field trip! We got our first jar of local honey a few weeks ago and it is wonderful — this from someone who really doesn’t like honey. I’m really hoping my poor, allergy-prone husband and kids will see some positive effects of eating local honey soon.
Kris @ Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers recently posted..Weekly Wrap-Up- The One with the Birthday
Looks like a fabulous field trip! Your photos here are gorgeous!
Twitter: embarski
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What a great field trip! My Papa kept honeybees when I was growing up, and I’ve loved honey all my life. I can eat spoonfuls of it. But it’s also tasty mixed with butter and spread on bread. Do you ever put some in your tea? That’s good as well.
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Twitter: jamieworley
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I never sweeten green tea, but I love it in black tea!
What a great field trip! And, it seems like with so many ‘outside’ classes, we just don’t have time for many field trips. But, I do hope to take some this year. Like one to see a kid’s version of The Magic Flute in a few weeks!
(And, thanks for the comment on my 5K! It feels great to have done one and I can’t wait for #2!)
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That really sounds like a great and very worthwhile field trip. Thank you for sharing!
Samantha
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Hi Jamie-
Looks like a great field trip…would love to find something like that for my boys. This is my first visit to your blog..it looks wonderful!
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I think we have seen this guy before at the Chattahoochee Nature Center. What a fun experience.
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Twitter: jamieworley
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Yes, he worked there for many years! At the zoo, too!