The young beekeepers

Caring for a colony of honeybees, children learn about these vital pollinators and produce their own jars of liquid gold

In the corner of a garden, a small wooden box is a hive of activity. Buzzing bees come and go industriously, while small figures swathed in protective clothing help the adults check all is well inside the mesh frames the insects call home. The children have been learning about the lifecycle of bees. They are taught how the bees’ role in the pollination of flowers is linked to producing much of the food they enjoy. There are also immediate, tasty benefits. The children collect honey-laden frames from the hive. Helping to remove wax, they spin the frames containing the honey to extract the sweet golden liquid. The next job is to filter this and capture it in jars. Tasting the results of their work is a delicious reward, one that can be shared with family and friends.

Trained beekeepers help the children care for the hive (above). Removing the wooden frames reveals how the industrious bees have filled the cells inside each with honey (below). Protected against stings by their suits, the children are unafraid of their insect charges. They know to stay calm and allow the bees to go about their business.