>On 1 Nov 1996 I wrote:
>I would like to hear suggestions from other beekeepers on what to
>"show and tell" during my 20 minute spiel.
I would like to thank all the contributers to this thread for their time
and suggestions. I hope I captured the essence of peoplesą suggestions
accurately. If I missed someone or the point they where trying to make I
apologize.
On 02 Nov 1996 Gerry and the other Visels wrote:
I have gotten to the point that I use two props. One is the large
"study prints" from Dadants?, poster sized good quality pictures of the
queen, brood, bee on a flower with pollen, fanning, etc. The second
prop is an observation hive I work for a local forrest preserve. It is
always a hit! Having a marked queen helps. Kids love to get up close
in a non-threatening way. Mostly I just take questions, and let things
go where they will for the particular age group, with occasional
questions for the audience like "what products do bees give us?" (honey,
wax, propilis, pollen, mellons, almonds, apples,...) or "Who controls
the hive?" (the workers), etc. Often, I don't even get to do that, as
the kids just keep asking and asking. I take along a bear of honey for
the teacher to put on graham crackers or whatever when I leave, and I
always get a packet of thank you letters a couple of days later, which
are always cute.
On 03 Nov 96 Ted Hooper wrote:
There are two things which will always draw a crowd of non-beekeepers,
and beekeepers as well. These are the observation hive and a
'bee-tent'. The observation hive should be a single frame thick and two
to four frames high. If it is being used in a tent the entrance can be
piped through the wall, preferrably a wooden pipe but any sort is OK
providing the bees will walk on it - some synthetic rubbers they will
not tolerate. If it is being used in the open it must be out of the
sun, or have a canopy over it. The bees can be piped up to about seven
or eight feet to keep them clear of the onlookers. The bee tent we have
been using for years has no roof but is just a construction of canvas
seven feet high with six poles in sockets in the canvas to hold it up
when guyed on all poles. The canvas is made so that there are six black
netting panels occupying most of the space between the poles. A colony
of bees can be placed inside the tent and the beekeeper open up and show
what is in the hive and how little trouble one has manipulating. Frames
can be taken out and the contents explained and if you can show them the
queen it makes their day. The audience will stand around the tent
looking through the netting without and fear of the bees. If you worry
that your bees may be a bit stroopy then move the hive in diring the day
and leave a box to collect the old bees who will be left behind.
On 4 Nov 1996 Kelley Rosenlund wrote:
I set up a booth at a local bookstore a few weeks ago that included an
empty hive, a super full of honey, block of wax, tools, smoker, etc and
a 1 frame observation hive. It was as fun for the crowds as it was for
me! Playing find the queen kept the kids busy. Folks enjoyed seeing what
was in those funny white boxes, I believe they were less afraid of bees
afterwards. (Also having a couple of honey bears and business cards is
free advertising)
On or about 4 Nov 1996 Richard Barnes wrote to Kelly Rosenlund:
For the Oklahoma State Fair, my son won first place, he had a larvae,
pupae and adult bees in isopropal alcohol. The pupae is difficult to
remove frome the cell so be careful. He also had 4 different types of
honey to show that honey is different colors depending on the nectar
source. He also had a pictoral display of robbing the hive showing him
in the full bee suit, using the smoker, etc. The pictoral display has
pictures of all the equipment and also close-up pics of brood and honey
frames. A pictoral display is good because you can leave it in a
businesses window or on a counter for general
display/education/advertising purposes.
On 13 Nov 1996 Faith wrote:
Unfortunately, you often have to listen to ten minutes of horror stories
of "bee stings" before they calm down and truly listen. I find that
letting children know how truly gentle most bees are is a big part of my
job. I often start out by saying "If a big giant pryed the roof off
your house and blew smoke inside, would you feel like biting him?" A
resounding yes is shouted. Then I ask and how about if you were sitting
in a nice patch of clover and a giant came along and stepped on you.
Would you sting him then too." Another yes. " Well," I say "about the
only time I get stung is if I'm banging about inside the bees house or
accidentally step on one or put in hand down on her." They usually nod
in quiet understanding. I also like to show them pictures of a bee
licking a drop of honey off my finger or, better yet, my nose. They are
fascinated.
I also ask them what some of their favorite foods are. I can often
point out that some of those foods depend on bees for pollination and
that we might not be able to eat them without bees. This is an
important point to touch on for many kids think that honey is the only
important "by product" of a bee.
Lastly, I would like to encourage other women beekeepers to get involved
in speaking to school and camp groups. I've had several teachers tell
me that, after my visit, many little girls comment that it was nice to
see a girl (how nice to be called that occasionally!) who isn't afraid
of bugs! I like to think I've encouraged them to be less afraid and
more curious themselves. Children's natural curiosity is a wonderful
thing. Exploit it!
Thanks again folks for all the wonderful suggestions :)
Bob Hassett
Big Lake, Minnesota
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