Scaredy Cat was travelling through memory lane and came across an old art challenge about May being the month to celebrate Bees worldwide. "Isn't this just the bee’s knees" Scaredy Cat said aloud. "This will make a great art challenge where we celebrate the purpose of pollinators and its importance to the ecosystem". Just then a bee landed on his nose. He took that as a sign. Looking at his old notes he saw that May was the chosen month for World Bee Day because in the northern hemisphere the need for pollination is greatest during that period, while in the southern hemisphere it is a time for harvesting honey and bee products. Did you know: 1.Though bees have jointed legs, they do not possess anything like a kneecap and therefore do not have knees. 2. Honey has antiseptic properties and was historically used as a dressing for wounds and a first aid treatment for burns and cuts. 3. The natural fruit sugars in honey – fructose and glucose – are quickly digested by the body. This is why sportsmen and athletes use honey to give them a natural energy boost. 4. The practice of beekeeping dates back at least 4,500 years. 5. Bees must gather nectar from two million flowers to make one pound of honey 6. One bee has to fly about 90,000 miles – three times around the globe – to make one pound of honey. 7. The average bee will make only 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime. 8. A honeybee visits 50 to 100 flowers during a collection trip. 9. A honeybee can fly for up to six miles, and as fast as 15 miles per hour. 10. Bees communicate by dancing. How You can Observe: Visit beekeepers to become acquainted with the work. Make and set up a farm for bees and other pollinators in your home garden, yard, terrace, etc. Have a bee breakfast that contains honey and other hive products. Plant nectar-bearing flowers for decorative purposes on balconies, terraces, and gardens. Buy honey and other hive products from your nearest local beekeeper. Set up a pollinator farm on your balcony, terrace, or garden; you can either make it yourself or buy it at any home furnishings store. Preserve old meadows – which feature a more diverse array of flowers – and sow nectar-bearing plants. Use pesticides that do not harm bees, and spray them in windless weather, either early in the morning or late at night when bees withdraw from blossoms. Plant bee-friendly shrubs or flowers in your garden. Dress up as bee/wear clothes with bee motifs. Support a beekeeping/environmental charity. Organize a bee joke competition or create a slide for this week’s art challenge. Here's the basics: •Your submission MUST be related to the theme. •You must submit your art to the PnF art gallery - only entries there will be counted. •https://www.pets-n-friends.com/community.php?id=20 •Put "To Bee or Not To Bee" in the title or description. •The entry with the most votes will be declared the winner. •To vote, click the "vote" button - you may vote for as many entries as you want. •Voting will be open immediately. •This challenge will be open from now until May 20, 2025 (around 8:00pm Tuesday night in the USA). |