Wanjiru and the Busy Bees

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Wanjiru and the Busy Bees
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Wanjiru’s grandmother kept bees on her farm near Mount Kenya. The hives were wooden boxes that hung from the branches of tall trees.

“Why do the bees fly away every morning?” Wanjiru asked.

“They are visiting flowers,” said Grandmother. “Inside each flower is a sweet juice called nectar. The bees drink it and carry it home. In the hive, they turn the nectar into honey.”

1

Wanjiru watched a bee land on a purple flower. Its legs were covered in yellow dust. “That is pollen,” Grandmother explained. “When bees carry pollen from flower to flower, they help plants make seeds and fruit.”

Wanjiru thought about the beans, the avocados and the pumpkins on the farm. “So the bees help us grow our food too!”

2

“That’s right,” said Grandmother with a smile.

The next day, Wanjiru planted a row of sunflower seeds next to the house. She watered them every day. A few weeks later, the sunflowers opened their big yellow faces, and the bees came buzzing to visit. Wanjiru waved to them. “Welcome, my busy friends!”

3
The End

Questions about the story

Name:

Colour in the circle next to the right answer.

  1. 1Where did Grandmother keep the hives?
    A In the branches of tall treesB Under the houseC In a cave
  2. 2What do bees turn nectar into?
    A SeedsB PollenC Honey
  3. 3How do bees help plants?
    A They water themB They eat the old leavesC They carry pollen from flower to flower
  4. 4What did Wanjiru plant for the bees?
    A BeansB SunflowersC Pumpkins