Welcome to Harriet's Hive School

Read this section with your child to help them better understand terms
from the books and animal habitat.

Glossary for Book 1 - Gold Glitter in the Air

Bumblebee

An insect that collects pollen & nectar from plants. It is larger and rounder than a honeybee. It is a shy bee, but does have a stinger; so never try to catch one.

Bumblebees eat pollen for protein.

Queen & her Brood

The Queen is the mother of the entire nest of bumblebees, known as the colony. She lays all the eggs and the other bees help her care for them.

The brood is all of her babies in their various stages of growth. They start as an egg, then larvae, and pupae.

Pollination

Bumblebees and other insects like butterflies collect pollen (a yellow powder) when they land upon a flower.

When they fly to the next flower they carry with them the pollen from the first flower. This is pollination. It helps the plants grow big and strong.

The Nest

Bumblebees like to build their nest in a hidden place that already exists: like a hole in the ground, in a tree trunk, or even under the floor of a shed. Fifty to five hundred bees live in a nest. Honeybee hives contain thousands of bees.

The Queen will hibernate in the winter and emerge in the spring to find a new nest where she will build her new colony.

Worker bees & Cells

Are the bees that leave the nest to pollinate the plants in your yard. Not only do they pollinate but they also help the queen feed the brood which live in cells. The worker bees also store their food in cells. Cells are made of wax and are bowl shaped. Not the hexagon shape that honeybees are famous for.

Interesting Fact: Did you know that ALL worker bees are female.

Buzz Pollination

Is when a bumblebee hovers over a flower and by its fast moving wings, it creates vibrations that release trapped pollen into the air. The pollen then floats through the air to pollinate other plants.

Gold Glitter in the Air is my impression of what buzz pollination looks like in Harriet's world. Ana Liz did a fantastic job drawing that!

Glossary for Book 2 - A Trail of Gold

Instinct

Harriet asks her mother: How will I know how to pollinate? Her mother explains, that her instinct will tell her how.

Every animal has instinct. It is their ability to naturally know how to do something, without having to think about it.

For example: Bees know how to pollinate, and newly hatched turtles automatically know to go to the ocean.

Food Pantry

Food Pantries are very important. They are like a store, but you don't need money to shop there.

People in the community come together to help others. They help by donating: food, money, and or their time, to the pantry.

Then, the people who need some extra help with feeding their families can go to the food pantry to get what they need.

Sometimes in life we are on the receiving end, and other times we are on the giving end.

Pollen baskets

The body of the bumblebee was designed to collect pollen.

It has hairy legs that easily pick up pollen as the bumblebee explores the flower.

It has baskets on its hind legs to store and carry extra pollen.

For the books, Ana Liz and I used our imagination. Instead of the baskets being part of Harriet's body. She straps on her baskets.

Nectar

Harriet loves her nectar! It makes her squeal with delight!

Bees need pollen for protein.

Bees need the nectar for a boost of energy.

Nectar is a sugary liquid that plants produce to attract bees and other pollinators to itself.

Science is so cool. The flower needs the bee & the bee needs the flower!

The bees make their honey from both pollen and nectar.

Swarm

The word swarm is interesting. It can be a noun or a verb.

Lets talk about the noun first. A noun is a person, place, or thing.

A SWARM is a group of insects that move together.

Or it can be a verb - which is an action word.

The bees SWARM over the gardens.

Do you see the difference?

Den

We hear the word DEN in chapter 6.

Harriet is feeling confident and decides to explore the forest.

The forest is much different than the gardens. There are large trees and shrubs in the forest.

Harriet spots a fox going into his den.

A den is a hole in the ground or side of a hill where an animal will live. A den provides shelter from the weather and other animals.

Glossary for Book 3 - Underground Trouble

Routines

You probably know what this word means. But do you know what it can do for you?

Routines are so good for us. They help us to be prepared in a calm manner.

There are all sorts of routines.

A professional athlete has a training routine.
Pilots have a routine before flight time.
Morning news anchors have a strict bedtime routine.
What routines do you have?

Air Temperature

Harriet gets into trouble when she leaves her nest on a cold morning.

I discovered in my research on the bumblebee that they need the air temperature to be warm.

A bee can only fly a few hundred yards when the temperature is in the 50's.

On a nice summer day when the temperature is around 80 degrees, the same bee can fly almost 2 miles.

Antennae

Insects have antennae. They are located on the animals head. Antennae are also called feelers.

You may be asking what are they for?

Antennae help the animal to smell, touch and taste the world around them.

They also communicate (talk) with each other with their antennae.

Chipmunk Behavior

Have you ever watched a chipmunk?

They sure are funny to watch. A chipmunk is always on the move. They seem to always be having a good time with their tunnels and various hideouts.

But if you watch one long enough you will notice they are also on the look out. When they sense or see danger they flick their tails and make noise to alert their family.

Chucking noise = Aerial danger

Chipping noise = Ground danger

Burrow

In Underground Trouble we learn about chipmunks and their underground habitat.

Burrows can be a hole or a tunnel.

Many animals, both large and small live in burrows.

Prairie Dog
Gophers
Racoon
Rabbits
Skunks
Bear

Leaves

We learned that Grace, the Cabbage butterfly likes to sleep many places.

Her favorite place is hanging underneath a large leaf.

Many animals count on leaves for camouflage, food and shelter.

Glossary for Book 4 - Rainy Day Fun

Anticipation

I love this word. Do you?

Anticipate

Anticipation

Anticipating

Something wonderful is going to happen but you must wait for it. It's not instantly happening.

In book 4 - Rainy Day Fun

Harriet and Grace are very excited to eat the cookies they made.

"Yummm," they said with huge grins of anticipation.

Pheromones

Pheromones is a big word.

It may also be hard to pronounce. Words that begin with Ph sound like an F.

If I write it like it sounds:

Fair 0 moans

Grace asks Harriet to explain what that means in the book.

It is a chemical that bees release to communicate with each other.

Ants also communicate with Pheromones.

How is Honey made

Harriet explains to Grace how bees make honey. She also tells her that it is the honey bees that are famous for making lots of honey.

The bees collect both pollen and nectar. But the nectar is the real star of the show. The bee places the nectar in her second stomach and then shares it with bees in the colony. As it gets past around the water content decreases and it turns into honey.

Sleeping in Flowers

In book 2, Harriet hides in her flower for protection from the cold. She ends up falling asleep.

In book 4, Harriet and Grace fall asleep upon a flower from the bee smoker.

You may actually see a bee sleeping upon a flower on a cool morning.

I have. She had her head buried in the flower and her little butt sticking up in the air. And sometimes they just rest on top of the flower.

Bee Keepers

Bee keepers must regularly inspect their hives.

A healthy hive can fill up 6 frames in 2-3 weeks.

But if nectar is becoming scarce then the honey bees will eat their stored honey to survive.

This is why the bee keeper must keep their eye on the hive.

The average hive produces 60 pounds of honey per year.

More Words

Motto:

I love a good motto. It summarizes you and what you believe. Sergio's motto is: "No one gets left behind."

Do you have a motto?

Disembark:

Time to leave a vehicle. Like a train or airplane.

Quest:

Is a hunt, or a journey to find something.

A quest also means you have a deep desire to find it.

It is not something easy to find.

Glossary for Book 5 - Hooting Owl & Shooting Stars

Living Cycles

Harriet and Grace are very upset when the cherry tree blossoms fall to the ground.

They decide to go talk with Mrs. Bee about this change.

She explains that every living thing has a cycle.

To best learn about cycles watch a tree and all of the changes it goes through each year.

Pond Habitat

Habitat is an area that certain animals need to survive.

Like fish and ducks - they need a pond.

Lakes and ponds are my favorite habitat to explore.

I also appreciate fields and forest.

What about you? Which habitat would you prefer exploring? And which animals live in that habitat?

Feet Receptors

Grace is tasting the cherries with the receptors on her feet.

Do you think this is true? Or do you think I just made it up for the story?

If you said, True, you are right.

Butterfly's have some taste buds on their proboscis (tongue) and antennae. But they mostly use the receptors on their feet to taste.

Dragonfly eyes

Do you love dragonflies?

And what about Sergio? He is so cool!

Do you think their eyeballs really have 1,000 lenses?

Yes! They do and even more.

They can have up to 30,000 lenses which gives them 360 degree vision. That is equal to a owl who can turn their head in a full circle.

Animal science is so cool!

Harvest

Harvest time = eating time

Imagine you are a farmer.

Maybe you grow lettuce for instance. You grow your crop to earn money and to feed people. So it is an important job.

As a farmer you have to be concerned with many things. The quality of your soil, watering, weeding, and protecting it from insects or animals. Some of this is out of your control no matter how hard you try. So when it is harvest time - it's a great day!

Chipmunks cheeks

Have you ever seen a chipmunk or a pet hamster with bulging cheeks?

They have large pouches inside to hold their food or bedding.

Their pouches are almost like the shopping bags you bring to the store to carry your groceries home.

In an upcoming book, Munk will need his cheek pouches for an important mission.

I can't tell you anymore than that.

Glossary for Book 6 - Crisis in the Chrysalis

Chrysalis

In this book, Grace the cabbage butterfly shares her story with Harriet. She used to be a caterpillar! She explains that this change happened inside a cozy blanket - a Chrysalis.

A Chrysalis isn't really a blanket. But it is a cozy wrapping around the caterpillar - a temporary home while they transform into a butterfly.

A chrysalis usually can be found hanging from a leaf or branch.

Moths make a cocoon for their temporary home. It is made of silk.

Owls

I know you know what an owl is but I can't pass on the chance to talk about the owl.

Burt the owl is introduced in book 5 and has a brief, but important appearance in book 6 when he announces it is time to look up at the meteor shower. He plays a major role in book 7 - A Risky Rescue!

Owls are nocturnal and have

exceptional hearing and vision, 10 times that of a human.

Owls live alone or in pairs.

There are 19 types of owls in the United States; and over 200 kinds in the world.

There is a pair of owls in my neighborhood and if I wake up in the middle of the night I can hear them.

Like birds, each owl has a unique call/hoot.

Metamorphosis

When Grace is done telling her story she shares: "My mom taught me a big word for this change - Metamorphosis."

This is a huge word! And it is one of my favorite words. I love saying it and hearing it.

Metamorphosis according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary is a change of physical form, structure, or substance by supernatural means.

Not only do caterpillars and frogs go through metamorphosis, but what about a piece of coal that turns into a diamond. Cool stuff, right?

What other animals or things go through metamorphosis?

Astronomy

Astronomy is a science; the study of the stars and beyond.

Humans have forever looked to the night sky and wondered!

Things like: what is out there? How far does it go? The answer is to infinity - and beyond. (as a wise toy once said) Mind blowing stuff.

Think of this: It only took man 66 years after the first airplane flight to build a plane (Space Ship) that could go to the moon!

We went to the moon in 1969.

Now it's 2024 and so much is happening in space. And it is no longer all happening under a government agency, NASA. Now private companies have joined in on the adventure.

Look to the sky and keep wondering. Keep dreaming. Keep thinking all sorts of things - astronomy is a magical world!

Science is so cool!

Early Bird Gets the Worm

I bet you haven't heard this statement before. I think older people tend to say this. But I have learned it's true.

The saying comes from observing birds. Have you ever seen a bunch of Red Robins come to your yard after its rained? They are searching for the worms that pop up out of the ground. Do you think the bird who arrived last will find a worm to eat - maybe not. But the one that showed up first got the biggest, and juiciest worm. (Ok, that sounds disgusting; but not to a robin!)

Back to you: if you show up early to an event or school you will get one of the best seats; or get more time with a special person you were hoping to meet. Or witness something unexpected.

I personally don't like hearing upon my arrival: "You just missed it!"

Show up early like a bird and never miss the good stuff!!

Space Ships & Rockets

Can you name the first Space Ship built?

The first one to land on the moon?

Can you name the first astronauts who bravely went up into space; where no other human had ever gone before?

How exciting and scary!! As much as I love space, no way - no how, am I getting in a Space Ship. lol

But I live through those that do! I want to look at their photos, watch live streams of astronauts who are brave enough to go!

Have you seen the photos from our newest telescope, James Webb, that explores black holes and galaxies far beyond ours?

Visit a space museum or planetarium near you.