Honey bees are some of the most interesting insects found in nature. They continually work to produce honey by flying from one flower or plant to another. This seemingly simple work is a vital part of agriculture as bees are the primary pollinators of fruits and vegetables.
Pollination is the process by which plants are fertilized thereby becoming capable of bearing flowers and fruits. All orchards and many vegetable gardens are dependent on bees for pollination. Throughout history, bees have held people’s fascination and are frequently found in stories, poems, and even within the Bible.
This delightful book is another in the Magic School Bus series. Ms. Frizzle (The Friz) is again at work introducing her class to a new adventure. While studying insect life, she tells her class to get ready for a new adventure. This time she is taking them into a beehive, delighting some and frightening poor Arnold. After boarding the Magic School Bus, which immediately shrinks, Ms. Frizzle drives the class into a beehive.
Somewhat shocked, the class finds that they have all changed into bee-like creatures. They have wings and antennae, which allows them to fly and act just like bees. The Friz immediately tells the students to collect nectar and pollen on their front, middle and back legs.
Much to their surprise, Ms. Frizzle then tells the students to fly into the beehive. Formidable guard bees stand at the front entrance and protect the hive from all strange bees. The Friz tells the students that they need to be sprayed with a bee scent named pheromone. This smell is how the guard bees know that that the bees belong to the hive. The children and Ms. Frizzle become covered with pheromone and fly to the entrance of the hive. There the guard bees carefully smell the students and determine that their scent is the same as that in the hive. With this they all enter into the hive and begin to see the remarkable activity that takes place in the many levels of the hive.
Most of the bees are workers, flying out of the hive and collecting nectar and pollen to be used in making wax and honey. One worker bee does a strange dance in front of the class. The bees understand this "language" and fly out of the hive to gather more honey. The Friz tells the class that this is how bees communicate and tell the other bees where the honey is located. Soon the class is climbing up the side of a honey comb. They are amazed at the intricate six-sided cells that the bees make to store honey. But this happy work is soon under attack. A black bear has decided to attack the hive and steal honey. The bees immediately swarm and attack the intruder. The children follow and Ms. Frizzle develops a plan to save the hive.
What plan does she develop? Do the children change back from being bees? How many things have they learned on their adventure? Why do modern beehives come in a number of sections? Why is there only one queen bee? Have you ever seen a bee getting nectar from a flower? To find out the answers to these questions, go to the library and check out "The Magic School Bus Inside a Beehive" by Joanna Cole.
This is another delightful book in the Magic School Bus series. The story is very interesting and Ms. Frizzle is her usual funny, quirky self. This is the book for you if you have ever wondered where we get that delicious honey that you put on hot, buttered bread. I hope you enjoy the story as much as I did. Yum, Yum!
