The Buzz on Bees (& Beehives)

What’s that sound you hear in the Garden? If it’s springtime, then likely you’re hearing the buzz from scores of preschoolers learning the waggle dance with BEA educators. The dance is the way these little wigglers can tell their “fellow bees” where to find the flowers. Did you know that flowers make seeds with the help of the VIPs (Very Important Pollinators) like the bees? During our “Buzz on Bees” program, hundreds of preschoolers each spring learn all about the parts of both flowers and bees, inspect what’s inside (a bee-less) bee box, taste Boxerwood honey, and make art. This program is provided to local preschools with help from donors like you. Everyone has a BEAutiful time!

This year, we’re also enjoying the colorful artwork on the Boxerwood beehives themselves. Painted by artist Joyce Cambron, wife of beekeeper Chris Baroody, the hives have names: Henry’s Memorial (named for our original beekeeper friend), Sea Monkeys, and Octopus. According to Chris, “I came across the Bee Goddess image from the island of Rhodes dating around the 7th Century BC. We liked it so much we decided to use it for our hives. The Sea Monkeys and the Octopus/fishes images were from Minoan ceramic artifacts that we liked. I laugh every time I see the Sea Monkeys… I find it easier to keep track of what the hives are doing when they have individual names.” More delight, all around!

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