Symbiotic Bees

Written for https://lifeafter50forwomen.com/category/what-do-you-see/

‘Miss, what flowers do bees like?’

‘Crocuses are good for honey. They do like hyacinths and dandelions. They love anything colourful because their eyes as different to ours and they see ultraviolet light.’

Sarah smiled, as her classmates seemed to be interested too. Even George was sitting on the carpet with his legs crossed. She loved learning about plants and animals, they were brilliant.

‘What is ultraviolet light?’

‘It means beyond violet. We cannot see beyond that, but bugs like bees do. It shows them where the honey is.’

‘A sort of map,’ Sarah said.

‘Yes, exactly.’

‘We need to look after bees,’ Sarah said proudly. ‘Without them, we would lose flowers.’

George drifted his hand up. ‘Miss … why?’

‘It is because we need their oxygen, and they need our carbon dioxide, that we breathe out carbon dioxide. It is a symbiotic relationship.’

‘Symbi …’ George scrunched up his nose.

‘A relationship between us and plants.’

‘Can we plant some crocuses in our garden?’ Sarah asked.

The carpet screamed with a please-we want to save the bees. They planted some in the garden outside the classroom. Each child planted their own seeds, and learnt how they grow. A month later she took her crocus home and planted the beautiful violet flower in her granddad’s vegetable corner.

‘So it won’t by lonely,’ she said to her granddad.