About plain maids, the livelong day,Are heard their busy wings;The kisses that they bear awayMake sweet the feasts of kings -Taken from Bermuda Honey by Charles G Blanden, 1857 Bermuda TroubadoursDo you remember summers playing with piggly wigglies and running through banana patches pretending that you were lost in a faraway jungle? Do you remember the sweet taste of the wild fennel and the rough blades of cane grass across you tender, youthful skin? Perhaps during those childhood wonderment years you gently knelt down on the soft, cushiony grass to observe a bee, busily collecting pollen from a fennel flower.Through all these experiences we were scientists unknowingly deepening our empirical knowledge, observing cause and effect and using all of our senses to better understand our world our Bermuda.This summer children between the ages of nine and 14 will have that same opportunity to combine science, the great outdoors and a Bermuda traditional skill. For the first time ever, beekeeper and agriculturalist, Quincy Burgess will be hosting a Beekeeping Summer Camp for Bermuda’s children at Randolf Furbert’s Honey House in Bailey’s Bay on Fractious Street. This specialised one week Summer Beekeeping Programme will feature a variety of beekeeping activities and outings to introduce and enhance children’s knowledge of Bermuda beekeeping and their knowledge of bees. In addition to the myriad of support that the camp has received from the public, Greenrock supports the Bermuda Beekeeping Summer Camp as a sustainable project.Through interactive discovery opportunities the campers will learn the life cycle of a queen bee, which bees live in a colony and the structure of the hive. Children will also quickly learn that bees can land on you with no interest in stinging you. Together campers will participate in building a hive, collecting honey from the beehive and learning how to keep a hive healthy in addition to other enjoyable learning opportunities. This one-of-a-kind summer experience will be an interactive one in which students become the beekeeping experts and will be equipped to start and manage their own hive upon completion of the camp.Beekeeping and TeamworkSounds like fun? Perhaps many of you adults reading this article want to sign yourselves up for camp! In addition to all of the fun experiences that will take place during the camp week there are also life lessons that the bees can teach us. The practice of beekeeping also teaches children and teenagers the value of community and teamwork. When learning about the bee we quickly learn that a seemingly insignificant insect that has no apparent function in our busy schedules is responsible for almost all of the food that we eat and the flowers that we enjoy. Beekeeping teaches children and teens more than just how to be good beekeepers. It teaches all of us that no one is insignificant and that we all need each other.Beekeeping and Learning NeedsBeekeeping teaches us so much more than just how to be good beekeepers. Children who struggle with learning in a formal setting as well as those who excel in the classroom welcome the opportunity to learn plant and insect science in ‘real time’. All of the senses are engaged when campers partake in the beekeeping experience. The sound of the bees buzzing, the sight of the geometric shape of the honey comb, the smell of the wax and the taste of the honey all combine to enhance learning and to nurture a child’s love for the world around them.This summer allow your child to walk in the steps of the earliest Bermudians while acquiring a new skill at the same time. William, nine, who took part in a Beekeeping Intensive class a couple of weeks ago exclaimed, “I am so excited that I got to take the class. I hope to get my own bees soon!” Let’s allow our children to deepen their understanding of the world around them through interactive learning, teamwork and the experiences that nature desires to teach us. Come and experience Bermuda Beekeeping Summer Camp!If you would like to receive an application form or have questions about the camp please contact Quincy Burgess at 537-7244 or you can send an e-mail to mangobonsai[AT]yahoo.com.Bee Sting Note:· Bee stings happen when bees feel that their hive is threatened.· Only female bees sting.· A bee sting can be annoying or painful but not dangerous if the person stung is not allergic to bees.· In the event that a child is stung the parent will be contacted so that parents will be prepared to treat the sting area at home.· Bee stings have been used for centuries to treat a number of ailments.