Every beekeeper knows how bees prepare for winter. And the role that honey collected over the summer plays in preparing honey is also known to many. But we must not forget about other important bee matters. And these tireless toilers have a lot of them. Speaking about how the bees prepare for winter in nature, we should recall the warming of their habitat, getting rid of drones and careful protection of winter stocks.
August is hot season
Despite the fact that the calendar is still summer, the bees begin an active time to prepare for winter. Without missing a single day, hard-working insects continue to collect nectar, processing it into honey. And although flowering plants are already not enough, and they are stingy with nectar, honey collection does not stop, since the bees prepare for winter, stock up for a long time of cold weather, when it will be almost impossible to find food.
Savings Help Conserve Winter Stocks
In August, swarming has already stopped. Therefore, drones become a burden on which such now valuable honey is wasted. Since the bees prepare in the winter and begin to intensively save food, the "parasites" are ruthlessly expelled from the hives. Of course, this could have been done earlier, but during the period of intensive honey collection there was no time for this.
How bees prepare for winter
Like people, bees diligently prepare their homes for wintering in the fall. It is important to keep warm in the cold season and protect winter supplies from uninvited guests. In the autumn, bees diligently close up all cracks in the hive with propolis and reduce the summers. Now, even at night, the flyers have a guard who guards the entrance - it’s worthless to squander such valuable winter supplies! Therefore, bees in the fall become angry, intolerant of any creep from the outside. Often, the fighting guards to death stomp up the mischievous puppy and poultry too close to the hive. He is not aware that these creatures do not at all pretend to be in honeycombs.
The best place is for the uterus!
Of course, with the onset of autumn, the uterus is not so actively laying eggs, but this process still continues. After all, bees worn over the summer are unlikely to endure a long winter. And a huge number of them died over the summer. Therefore, the severity of wintering will lie on the wings of young bees that appeared in August and September. It is they who will take care of the future offspring, which with the beginning of spring will make its first departure from the hive. That is why the bees continue to take care of the uterus - the continuer of the genus, feed plentifully, free up enough space for oviposition, place it in the warmest place - in the middle of the nest. And the younger and stronger the uterus, the more honey is harvested by the bee family, the better the house is insulated, the longer it is able to lay eggs, sometimes until the cold weather.
To make it more convenient for the uterus and bee-educators of young animals, caring toilers not dragged in honeycombs from the extreme and lower sections are dragged to the upper part of the hive.
Children about bees
In classes with preschoolers and primary school children, adults often relate to the preparation of animals for winter. It is very important to tell how the bees prepare for winter, to children, to convey to them the idea that everything in nature is interconnected, everything plays an important role. And the intervention in the life of the animal world of a person should be justified, careful, thoughtful. For example, before doing beekeeping, people studied the habits of these insects for a long time, tried to make sure that weaning honey did not harm the family. A good beekeeper will not only make a profit from his pets, but will also be able to help them move the winter, cure diseases if necessary, and protect them from enemies.
A tale about a bee for kids
A good help in these classes will be the tale of Abdullah Alish called "Nechkebil." After reading the text, you can invite the kids to draw pictures about what they liked most or remember from what they read. An adult may also ask questions:
- Why do bees die after stinging someone?
- Why do bees sting?
- Why didn't the bees sting the beekeeper?
- Why was the main heroine of the tale called Nechkebil, which means “thin waist”?
Riddles about bees
So that the children would not be bored during such classes, they should diversify the process of familiarizing themselves with the life and habits of these interesting creations. Puzzles for children about bees can be a good option. For example, this:
“And to whom all summer day
Collect nectar is not laziness?
Who circling flowers
And buzzing, buzzing, buzzing?
Who does not accept guests
And, seeing, painfully stings?
For whom matters are most important
What is the game? This is ... (bee) "
Or such:
“I am not a bumblebee and not a wasp,
Not a hornet, not a dragonfly.
Over the flowers i fly
And I collect nectar.
In the hive I live with my family,
Do you hear me buzzing there?
Honey - healthy, sweet, sweet,
I do. One who is avid
To a stranger, it will be just
I’m stung - right in the eye! ”
Both children and adults should understand that man is only a part of nature. And therefore, his responsibilities include not only consuming everything that she gives us, but also protecting her, taking care of all the inhabitants who inhabit our planet, our common home.